HSE24 Italy has started broadcasting as a 24/7 home shopping channel in Italy. The venture is a fully owned subsidiary of Munich based Home Shopping Europe GmbH. With its headquarters in Rome, the channel now employs around 30 people, with the number set to grow in due course to around 500.
From the beginning, around 200 products are available in the categories of jewellery, fashion and accessories, beauty and wellness, fitness, home products, Do it Yourself and technology. “Basically, HSE24 Italy carries a similar range of products as our German channels, but we will use our experience in the Italian market,” said Richard Reitzner, managing director and vice chairman HSE24. “At the start we focus on household goods and sport items, and later on we will add segments such as jewellery and wellness, which are successful in Germany, but which require matter of trust from the customer. We will expand the range when our customer base grows.”
At first, programming will be taped in the Ismaning, Germany, studio facilities of the channel. Programmes will be produced as ‘live on tape’. The call centre and fulfillment of the orders will take place in Italy.
Although HSE24 Italy initially reaches around 16 million Italian households, by extending the reach of the digital terrestrial network it will eventually be available to 80% of all households in the country .
