We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Roles

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Does a Home Shopping Host Do?

By Nicole Etolen
Updated: Mar 03, 2024
Views: 6,368
Share

A home shopping host is the main person seen on screen during a home shopping television show. The host’s primary duty is to present the products being sold in the best possible light by explaining their features and enticing the audience to call in and purchase them. The host may also introduce special guests and keep the conversation flowing in an entertaining way.

The main role of the home shopping host is to sell products, which requires keeping viewers from changing the channel long enough to learn about each product. A good personality is essential to fulfilling this role. When home shopping networks first gained in popularity, the choices were limited to one or two shows. Now, most cable stations carry several home shopping networks. If viewers cannot relate to the host on one show, they are likely to switch to another channel, so the host must always exhibit the type of personality that keeps viewers from moving on.

Home shopping hosts are able to clearly articulate ideas and improvise when necessary. Each product is on the television screen for a limited amount of time, typically around ten minutes. With some products, it can be difficult to explain all the features in such a short time, while with others the host may struggle to find enough material to cover the entire ten minutes. Finding the right pace to ensure that all the pertinent details are covered and there are no lingering moments of silence is a skill that takes practice

Throughout the show, special guests may be presented to explain more about the products to entice the audience to make a purchase. The home shopping host typically introduces guests to the audience and asks questions that prompt the guest to interact with the audience, both in the studio and at home. Most interview questions are written before the segment, but the host should be able to recognize when unscripted follow-up questions will be beneficial to viewers.

Most home shopping shows are aired live, meaning in real time, rather than being prerecorded. If the segment is filmed in front of a live audience, the host may be required to stay on the stage for the entire shift, up to several hours at a time. Even if the studio does not use a live audience, the home shopping host must still maintain a professional “on-air” personality for an extended period. While good public speaking skills come in handy, mistakes may still be made, and the ability to recover quickly is essential.

Although the segments may be scripted in advance and prepared by the marketing team for the product, the home shopping host should still be able to do some research ahead of time. Knowing the basics about the product beyond what is written on a script can help make the host sound more believable. A good host knows how to make the audience believe the product being presented will somehow enrich their lives.

Share
Practical Adult Insights is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.practicaladultinsights.com/what-does-a-home-shopping-host-do.htm
Copy this link
Practical Adult Insights, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Practical Adult Insights, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.