Bankruptcy of QVC and HSN, what does this mean for customers?
QVC Group — the company that owns and operates QVC and HSN, the retail channels that have been cable TV mainstays for decades — has filed for bankruptcy protection for its U.S. businesses in the face of a crushing mountain of debt.
The company filed paperwork for an agreement in support of the restructuring, with the holders representing a “significant majority” of the company’s outstanding funded debt. QVC Group has initiated Chapter 11 proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.
What does this mean for shoppers purchasing products through the company’s TV channels, streaming and social services, websites, apps, stores and catalogs?
According to the company, “all QVC Group brands are operating as usual at this time. The company continues to serve its millions of customers across all channels and platforms for QVC, HSN and Cornerstone Brands.” On-air programming “will continue as usual and customers can continue to shop from the company’s brands as always,” QVC Group said.
Other points it emphasized regarding customer relations:
- Return policies and procedures remain the same for all brands.
- Gift vouchers and credits remain valid and promotional communication continues as usual.
- Customers can continue to reach support representatives through all normal support channels.
- All retail locations remain open and operating on normal schedules, and all store and merchandise policies remain the same.
- Branded credit cards will continue to function normally.
The West Chester, Pennsylvania-based company says it has enough cash on hand to continue operating during the bankruptcy reorganization, which is expected to be completed within 90 days. The company reported that it had more than $1 billion in domestic cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2025. The bankruptcy does not include QVC Group’s international activities.
According to QVC Group, no employee layoffs or furloughs are planned and suppliers will be paid on time. In announcing the Chapter 11 filing, the company said that “all team members should fully expect to continue receiving their wages and benefits without interruption.”
QVC, which stands for “Quality Value Convenience,” started in 1986 as a live-shopping cable TV channel. In 2017, QVC bought rival Home Shopping Network (HSN) in a deal worth $2.1 billion.
On Thursday, April 16, QVC Group entered into a restructuring agreement with the support of the majority of lenders, which will reduce debt from approximately $6.6 billion to $1.3 billion. The new company will emerge from bankruptcy as “Reorganized QVC, Inc.”
“We remain focused on serving our customers with joyful and engaging shopping experiences that inspire, entertain and delight,” said David Rawlinson, president and CEO of QVC Group, in a statement. “This process will ensure QVC Group has the financial structure it needs to accelerate our return to growth.”
The company said that “a stronger balance sheet, together with revenue growth from social media and streaming, is expected to enable QVC Group to stabilize and return to sustainable growth over time,” the company said. By 2025, QVC Group said, it will have acquired nearly 1 million new U.S. customers on TikTok Shop; allowing QVC US to grow its total customer base for the first time in more than four years in 2025. Additionally, the QVC+/HSN+ streaming service now has 1.5 million monthly active users and revenue attributed to streaming increased 19% last year.
QVC Group’s bankruptcy court filings and other information related to the case are available on a website operated by the company’s claims agent, Kroll, at this link.
In the bankruptcy proceedings, Kirkland & Ellis and Gray Reed are acting as legal advisors, Evercore Group as financial advisor, AlixPartners as restructuring advisor and Joele Frank is on board as strategic PR advisor.
