Note: QVC has closed their studio to public tours as of August 2019 - check their website for updates on shows / recordings or other opportunities
When I'm sitting on my couch watching television, rarely do I think about all of the effort that goes into any given production. It just all seems to come together magically. Turn on QVC at any point in your day and you'll catch a live broadcast being filmed right down the road in West Chester, PA. QVC's worldwide headquarters are located on Wilson Drive in West Chester and the studio offers three different types of public tours as well as prearranged group tours.
On the QVC Studio Tour, you can get a glimpse at some of the "magic" that goes into each segment. You'll see the various sets that are the backdrop for different QVC shows. You'll get a bird's eye view of the studio and possibly a glimpse of a live show in progress. During our tour, we watched Antonella Nester during one of her live segments sharing Today's Special Value® that day. Each day and each hour for that matter is different at QVC and you never know what you'll see but it's sure to be an interesting peek at all that goes into live television production.
During the tour you'll hear a bit about QVC's history in e-commerce and learn about why "Quality, Value and Convenience" are so important to the company. Visitors can learn about how different products are discovered and presented live on air. You can take a peek at some QVC history and see how the company and it's Q logo have evolved over time. Did you know that QVC has over 58,000 square feet of studio space right here in West Chester and that includes Product Central, QVC Studio Park's "closet." I think this was one of the best parts of the tour - getting a glimpse into the "closet" which houses two or more of every product shown on QVC. The items are pulled from the "closet" a day or two in advance of the show to be prepped and ready. Wouldn't you love a "closet" like that?
Visitors on the tour can also see inside the QVC control rooms which look about as busy and as technical as an air traffic control tower. There is so much technology and communication involved in every show - it's amazing to see how it all comes together. The control rooms are a big part of the TV magic with their robotic cameras and continuous feeds and camera angles. To the viewer it just looks like smooth-sailing television thanks to the efforts behind the scenes.
While it's usually pretty smooth sailing at QVC, we did get to watch a short bloopers reel during the tour with some hilarious real live bloopers from years past. Those QVC hosts know how to roll with it and definitely appear to have fun on the job. In fact, everyone we encountered from our tour guide to other QVC employees passing by was so friendly, it made the whole experience so fun.
As our tour concluded we learned a few fun facts that locals will love. The QVC Studio Store, located in the lobby where tours begin is open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm and is open to the public. Shoppers can find anything from clothing to toys to housewares and oftentimes can even get their hands on Today's Special Value®. If you are wondering if that day's item is in stock you can call the store (484.701.6789) to find out. As a tour participant, you'll also receive a coupon to shop the Studio Store but locals can also shop the store anytime during regular hours. As our tour concluded we also learned about the QVC Sample Sale which happens at the studio every Friday afternoon. During the Sample Sale a selection of items are marked at a significant discount. To keep it fair for everyone QVC has instituted a process for shopping the sale. On Friday mornings beginning at 10 am simply visit the studio lobby to obtain a number. Your number will be randomly drawn at that time and you return later to enter the sale based on your entry number. Shoppers are allowed in based on number beginning around 1:45 p.m. that afternoon. Shoppers will get 30 minutes to shop the Sample Sale and then the next group is allowed in.
QVC Studio Tour Tips
Bring the kids - Is it kid-friendly? Yes! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the QVC Studio Tour is kid-friendly. I enjoyed the tour as a girl's trip with my mom but my kids would have loved seeing the TV magic and would have loved everything from the sets to the closet to the bloopers reel. The QVC Studio tour lasts about an hour. It's a walking tour but it was engaging and there were a few spots to sit along the way. And if you're like me and wondering if your kids would potentially disrupt a live broadcast, not to worry, your tour is all behind glass with a bird's eye view into anything live.
Plan to shop - Plan to use your tour coupon and shop while you are there. If you visit on Friday you can plan to stay for the Sample Sale, too.
Plan a Group Tour - QVC Studio has group tours available which would be great for school groups, and scout groups. The tour is also great for tweens and teens that might be intrigued by working in the field of television.
Different tours available - QVC offers a few different tour options from the hour-long studio tour to the QVC All Access Tour. You can find descriptions, availability, and ticket prices on the website at qvc.com.
Join the audience - In addition to the studio tours, visitors can get free tickets to be in a live studio audience. When available you can find live audience dates at qvc.com.
I was provided a complimentary tour to experience the nearby QVC Studio Tour for myself but all opions are my own.
