QVC to cut more than 800 jobs in West Chester by end of '09

UPDATE2: Worse than we thought.QVC says it's phasing out distribution (other than jewelry) at its West Chester distribution center and cutting 500 jobs by the end of this year. Another 250 jobs in call center will go, and 110 in operations and headquarters. Inquirer story at (cut & paste:)  http://www.philly.com/philly/business/homepage/20081112_QVC_starts_layoff_of_900__most_in_West_Chester.html

  Two weeks ago, Liberty Media Corp. reported slow sales at its QVC Inc. television-based shopping division in West Chester, and chief executive Michael George said he'd frozen hiring and was looking at cost cuts.

  "We're clearly seeing our core customers become more cautious," he told investors in a conference call. "They are making one or two fewer purchases." He talked about new sales initiatives; but he declined to be pinned down to specific expense cuts, when investors asked for more detail.

  QVC is one of Chester County's largest employers. Last we checked, QVC had over 3,000 working at its West Chester headquarters, studio and customer service center, and other facilities in West Chester, and another 1,000-plus in neighboring Lancaster County.