West Chester, Pennsylvania-based shopping network QVC is laying off 900 employees, about 5% of its workforce, as it shifts toward becoming “a live social shopping company.”
The move comes after the company in January announced it would close HSN’s campus in St. Petersburg, Florida, and consolidate operations into Studio Park in West Chester.
“For many of these individuals, today will be their last day with QVC Group. Some will continue working with us for several months, mainly to support the transition of the HSN broadcast and the St. Petersburg campus,” QVC Group said in a news release Thursday.
Most of the impacted employees appear to be located in Florida, according to a WARN notice filed with Florida’s Department of Commerce.
“The elimination of positions is expected to occur in phases for a period of time to last approximately through the end of 2025. In the first phase of the closure, 145 employees, out of approximately 730 who will ultimately be impacted, at that location will be laid off on May 26, 2025, or during the 14-day period commencing on that date. Additional layoffs have been planned for July 1, 2025 and future dates in 2025. We will update you as dates are finalized,” the notice said.
Known for showcasing products for sale over the airwaves and on cable TV, QVC says the company’s new goal is to build “the world’s leading live social shopping content engine,” go big on technology and expand onto new platforms.
“QVC Group is building a next-generation content engine in Studio Park that can quickly capture content to deploy on social, streaming and more for both HSN and QVC,” the group said in January.
HSN will begin broadcasting from West Chester by the third quarter of 2025, QVC Group said at the start of the year. HSN’s TV channels will stay in operation, as will its digital assets, including the website and app.
The company reported the size of its workforce to be roughly 17,000 employees in 2024.
