As HSN fetes 30 years, it’s all about options

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. ELLE magazine. —HSN hit the big 30 this summer, but it didn’t slow down—it didn’t even take a moment to worry about where it was headed. Within weeks of its July anniversary, HSN had upgraded its e-commerce Web site and announced partnerships for new collections with fashion designer David Rodriguez, celebrity designers Tina Knowles and Tori Spelling, shoe expert Megan Clearly, entertainment expert Colin Cowie and

HSN is refining its approach to electronic retailing, becoming increasingly sophisticated, but still holding on to its popular roots. In an advertising campaign celebrating its 30th broadcast anniversary, HSN chose the theme ‘We’re Going to Surprise You.’ The slogan applied directly to the company’s programming, including product introductions, special guests and sweepstakes and, perhaps, to the company’s evolution.

While electronic retailers often are portrayed as appealing to a rural, working class audience, HSN’s approach has resulted in its gaining with audiences in urban centers such as New York and Philadelphia, too. HSN intends to continue that trend and plans to bring more style to an audience that is increasingly fashion savvy. The Web site make over demonstrates how HSN is using its technical dexterity to more effectively reach its customers.

HSN has focused the shopping experience around the popular personalities that headline its broadcasts, including chef Emeril Lagasse. Using green screen video technology, original content and repurposed television programming, HSN.com presents its stars as guides and tears down the wall between online and television retail. The green screen allows the celebrities to attend to site visitors at the store-front they host.

Shoppers are guided through the experience by an embedded expert who can introduce new products and features on the site, explain trends and offer tips. New star David Rodriguez is one of the online hosts alongside established HSN personalities like chef Wolfgang Puck, SCOOP NYC’s Stefani Green-field and home designer Serena Bass. HSN’s on-air hosts also are featured prominently throughout the site, providing their insights.

New functionalities include style guides, video vignettes offering advice and tricks and trend information. Additional functions will be rolled out in the coming months, among them brand- and category-specific blogs that will encourage customers to communicate directly with HSN on-air personalities and guest celebrities.

The integration of programming and e-commerce is indicative of the way HSN sees its operations. “We’re a store. We’re a network. We’re an online store,” said Belinda Rohleder, senior vp of home fashions and apparel and accessories. “We’re the fourth-largest cable network and eighth-largest overall broadcast and cable. It’s a pretty powerful entity.”

Added Michael Henry, senior vp of beauty merchandising, “We really form a strong relationship with the customers. They become very fond of our hosts. They tune into particular shows. It’s not just about buying…it’s about education and entertainment also.”

Since 1977, HSN has been gravitating toward a model that has become preeminent online: the community. Because of the relationship of on air personalities with the customer, HSN long has had an interactivity with its audience who call in, email and, critically, purchase as part of a relationship with hosts and personalities.

HSN’s head start is important today as other companies, not just retailers, are establishing operational models that build in entertainment and solutions along with commerce, whether directly or through efforts such as licensing.

Nancy Bushkin, vp of public relations and communications at HSN, noted that it “provide entertainment along with the education and the tips and the tricks and the information and the solutions and the problem solving, as well as the actual product that will do all of that for you. You can watch a great show on the Food Network…and get all inspired, but then the show ends. Then what do you do? Or, you can tune in [to HSN] and Wolfgang Puck is on showing this incredible meal that he’s making and telling you all the secrets behind how you do it, and you can then buy the very tools, cookware and equipment he uses to make all of this. Oh, and the tips and recipes are available on HSN.com ,” she said.

By partnering with chefs, designers and others who are acknowledged experts in their defined areas of interest, HSN has been able to target a broader scope of demographics. HSN and ELLE partnered to develop HSN Fall Fashion Week Presented by ELLE, which appeared from Aug. 18 to 24 as a series of trend-driven shows that built on the magazine’s editorial authority and HSN’s newest, upmarket designers and brands.

The shows, hosted by ELLE fashionistas, provided a take on hot fall trends and a presentation of apparel and accessories from HSN designers stylized and presented by ELLE senior fashion market editor Joann Pailey and senior writer Maggie Bullock.

With the ELLE partnership, HSN glamored up to attract young and fashion-conscious female consumers—the demographic the company has been winning over in major urban markets—and rural audiences who are increasingly fashion knowledgeable.

Using star power and product lines tied directly into its content, HSN is taking the power of consumer-oriented television and offering shoppers a shortcut. The strategy requires diligence and HSN has been expanding its testing facilities to upgrade an already substantial quality control function. In a world where media and commerce have become ever more tightly wound, HSN finds itself at the crux of consumer trends and is using that position to make itself more attractive to a wider range of consumers.