
HSN
United States"Live your best life with HSN"
About
HSN, Inc., originally the Home Shopping Network, is an American free-to-air television network and a pioneer of the home shopping genre. Headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, the network is now a key part of the QVC Group, the retail giant that also owns Cornerstone Brands. For decades, HSN has brought products directly into living rooms, blending entertainment with retail in a format that reshaped how Americans shop.
The network's programming is a mix of live demonstrations, celebrity appearances, and curated product showcases, spanning everything from fashion and jewelry to electronics and home goods. While the on-air hosts are the faces of the brand, some products have become legends in their own right. In July 2014, inventor and entrepreneur Joy Mangano set a record that still stands: selling 216,000 units of her patented pillow sets in a single day. That feat underscores the network's immense reach and the deep trust viewers place in its offerings.
As part of the QVC Group, HSN continues to evolve, integrating digital platforms and social commerce while maintaining its core identity as a television destination. Its enduring appeal lies in the immediacy of live shopping, a format that has proven remarkably resilient in an era of e-commerce giants.
Mission
HSN's mission is to engage millions of customers across the U.S. through live demonstrations, celebrity appearances, and curated product showcases spanning fashion, jewelry, electronics, and home goods. The network blends entertainment with retail, creating an immediate, interactive shopping experience that has proven resilient in the era of e-commerce giants.
History
HSN's story begins with Bud Paxson, a radio station owner who found himself stuck with unsold merchandise from a failing station. In 1982, he convinced his partner Roy Speer to try selling those products on air. The experiment worked, and the Home Shopping Network was born, becoming the first shopping network in the United States.
The company grew rapidly, moving its headquarters to St. Petersburg, Florida, and building a loyal audience of viewers who trusted the live, interactive format. Over the years, HSN expanded from a single channel to two broadcast networks, a website, and mobile apps, while maintaining its signature blend of entertainment and retail.
In 2017, CEO Mindy Grossman departed for Weight Watchers, marking a leadership transition. HSN later became part of the QVC Group, which also owns Cornerstone Brands. Despite these changes, HSN continues to operate with its core identity intact, adapting to digital platforms while preserving the live-shopping experience that made it famous.
Subdivisions
HSN2
A secondary broadcast channel offering extended programming.
Notable People
Mindy Grossman
CEO · 2008-2017
Led HSN through a period of digital transformation and brand reinvention.
Bud Paxson
Co-founder · 1982-1990s
Pioneered the home shopping format, turning a radio station's unsold merchandise into a television retail empire.
Roy Speer
Co-founder · 1982-1990s
Partnered with Bud Paxson to launch the Home Shopping Network, creating the first shopping network in the U.S.
Joy Mangano
Inventor and entrepreneur · 1990s-present
Became a household name through HSN; her life story inspired the 2015 film 'Joy'. Set a record in 2014 by selling 216,000 pillow sets in one day.
Milestones
1982
Founded by Bud Paxson and Roy Speer as the first shopping network in the U.S.
2014
Joy Mangano sets a single-day sales record of 216,000 pillow units in July.
2017
CEO Mindy Grossman departs for Weight Watchers.
Departments
Sources
Organization Info
- Founded
- 1982
- Headquarters
- West Chester, Pennsylvania
- Country
- United States
- CEO
- Mindy Grossman
- Parent
- QVC Group
- Type
- Media
- Founder
- Bud Paxson, Roy Speer
- Parent Organization
- QVC Group
Official Website
www.hsn.com/
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