Agree - prices are ridiculous and most stuff not only unaffordable, but clearly not worth it if you can afford it.
It would be interesting to know how many customers are new/short term, and if that is creating profit while repeat customers are actually buying less.
Recently I googled a product I'd bought elsewhere, and it came up with results from the US QVC community page - most seemed to say they don't buy there anymore due to prices, p and p, some even said it is a 'braindead company' now. I agree that people don't necessarily go to QVC for overpriced so called designer stuff. I've never seen another company other than them that is so often spoken of online in terms of...'you can get this cheaper at....see it on QVC, but buy from xyz'.
Agree about the beauty tsvs too, you can almost guarantee a £39-50 price, usually full of fillers and one product you might want if you're lucky.
I only buy from them if I know I won't get a better deal elsewhere, mostly that means the odd range I like that only they sell, or rare occasions when you really want the mbg. But they could surely offer better value so that customers would buy except from in those limited circs.