TV shopping channel QVC has said it is reaching a new cohort of Gen X women on TikTok as it strives to carve out a space in the world of social media commerce.
The UK arm of the retailer, which has been a mainstay on British linear television for 33 years, is investing in a revamp having piloted on the video-sharing platform.
This has seen it build new studios and a team dedicated to live shows which stream on TikTok Shop.
Koreen Fader, the chief executive of QVC UK, told the Press Association: “Our target customer is, and always has been, Gen X-plus women.
“So, what we’re finding is that we’re finding her on TikTok.
“80% of our TikTok customers are women aged 35-plus, so that’s very much in line with our demographic.
“But we’re finding new customers within our demographic who maybe haven’t engaged with QVC on our other platforms.”
Since the launch in March last year, about 190 live shows have brought in more than 30,000 new shoppers, 59% of which were new to the retailer.
Ms Fader said the account was also working to “reactivate” consumers whose “TV viewing habits may have changed” and were returning to QVC via TikTok.
Although she stressed that the TV live shows were “still a very important part” of the business, especially for loyal customers.
QVC had its first broadcast on UK televisions in 1993 and has since been airing live shows and entertainment throughout the day, with presenters talking through different products to sell to people in their homes.
Its parent company in the US filed for bankruptcy in April as part of a plan to cut more than 5.0 billion US dollars (£3.8 billion) of debt.
Ms Fader asserted that international markets including the UK were not part of the proceedings but that it will put the global business “in a stronger financial position” once the US emerges from bankruptcy.
The UK network has reinforced a commitment to social media commerce with the opening of in-house studios with a dedicated team designed to create regular digital content.
Ms Fader said it was still selling products from the retailer’s catalogue which includes kitchen appliances, garden furniture, skincare and beauty products.
It decides what to sell with the Gen X female customer in mind – typically born between 1966 and 1980 – which Ms Fader said was typically an “overlooked” generation.
