While the internet has taken some sales from brick-and-mortar retailers, the numbers are actually fairly modest.
“The third quarter 2025 e-commerce estimate increased 5.1% (±1.2%) from the third quarter of 2024, while total retail sales increased 4.1% (±0.4%) in the same period. E-commerce sales in the third quarter of 2025 accounted for 16.4% of total sales,” according to data from Census.gov.
That’s significant damage, but it leaves plenty of sales for traditional brick-and-mortar retailers.
The internet, however, has been devastating to the two largest home-shopping giants, HSN and QVC. Those two brands merged in 2017, with both retaining their own identities.
HSN did leave its Florida headquarters in 2025 to head to QVC’s campus in Philadelphia to save costs.
Those brands do continue to exist, but another player in the space, Primetime Shopping Network, has not. It declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy and has closed down all operations.
Shutterstock
Home shopping networks have struggled
Cord-cutting means less exposure for home shopping networks like HSN and QVC.
- Dramatic drop in TV household penetration: QVC’s main channel reached 44 % fewer homes and HSN 47 % fewer homes in 2024 compared with 2018, a clear sign of erosion in linear TV audience share, according to CNBC.
- TV viewing minutes down: QVC/HSN saw TV minutes viewed decline 4 % while news/information programming grew, suggesting consumers are shifting attention away from shopping channels, Retail Dive reported.
“Our customers are spending dramatically more time on social media, and that is increasingly where they are finding inspiration and shopping,” QVC Group CEO David L. Rawlinson II told the Philadelphia Inquirer, explaining why the company is shifting its focus from traditional TV to social and streaming platforms.
Primetime Shopping Network did not have the same widespread distribution as its bigger rivals. It did have some cable clearance, airing on DirecTV, DISH, and Fios as well as directly on regional carriers, including Spectrum. It also aired shows live on social media and offered replays on YouTube.
The company’s website still links to those archives, and while it does not mention the Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing, it does offer a “thanks for watching” message.
Primetime Shopping Network files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Court records show that Primetime Shopping Network Inc. filed its bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California, Los Angeles Division.
The case is assigned to Judge Barry Russell, and the company is represented by the law firm Weintraub, Zolkin, Talerico & Selth LLP, according to PacerMonitor.
- Chapter 7 filing: Primetime Shopping Network Inc. filed a voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition on January 23, 2026, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California (Los Angeles Division).
- Case details: The case was assigned Case No. 2:26‑bk‑10646‑BR and lists the business as a jewelry retailer based in Playa del Rey, California.
- Financial snapshot: According to the official filing, the company reported very limited assets ($0-$50,000) and estimated liabilities between $500,001 and $1,000,000, with 1-9 creditors expected.
- Revenue collapse: Official Form 207 in the bankruptcy case shows no revenue in 2026 prior to filing, just $13,500 in 2025, and $97,250 in 2024, illustrating steep declines in business activity before bankruptcy.
- Debt and creditors: Major unsecured creditors listed include Fundamental Capital LLC and Donald Gruenberg Inc., along with several tax authorities such as the IRS, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, Franchise Tax Board, and others.
Source: PacerMonitor
The company ceased airing new shows during the Memorial Day holiday period. Its Facebook page initially described the break as a “vacation,” but later messaging indicated the network would return “godwilling” in July. Its chosen phrasing reflects the uncertainty and informal approach of management during this period.
Ultimately, the network never resumed operations, and its remaining assets will now be liquidated.
Related: 98-year-old candy company files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
