I’m watching a woman standing in her living room in front of a table stacked with woven faux-leather fanny packs. She’s convincing me to use the next two minutes to score a deal on a bag I definitely do not need. A countdown clock ticks down in the corner screen. It’s a classic QVC scene, but instead of watching TV, I’m on TikTok.
For nearly 40 years, the QVC shopping channel has shown frizzy-haired, middle-aged women hawking clunky charm jewelry and bath towels. During the network’s peak in the 1990s and early 2000s, it was must-watch television for stay-at-home moms and bargain hunters. (An ageing Marlon Brando reportedly sought – and was denied – a hosting gig in the early aughts.)
