# Screenshop > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Screenshop > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Screenshop.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenshop > Source revision: 1355604636 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Not to be confused with [Screenshot](/source/Screenshot). Television channel Screenshop Ownership Owner Bid Shopping History Launched October 1997 Closed 29 April 2012 Links Website screenshop.co.uk at the Wayback Machine (archived August 22, 2006) **Screenshop** was a British strand of [infomercial](/source/Infomercial)-based [shopping](/source/Shopping) programming and [television channel](/source/Television_channel), owned by [Bid Shopping](/source/Bid_Shopping). ## History Screenshop was initially launched in October 1997 by [Flextech](/source/Living_TV_Group), used as a filler service within the downtime of their owned networks, with intentions to expand to a standalone 24-hour digital network by 1998. It was intended to be the UK equivalent to [HSN Direct](/source/HSN), where it would show products from across the world from third-party companies.[1][2][3] By 1998-1999, Screenshop launched an online store.[4] In August 1999, Flextech revealed a £14 million loss from the launch of Screenshop and [TV Travel Shop](/source/TV_Travel_Shop).[5] In early December 1999, Flextech announced that they would merge with cable provider [Telewest Communications](/source/Telewest) to create a £10.5bn media giant, with the deal finalising by April 2000.[6][7][8] On 8 September 2000, a full 24-hour Screenshop network was launched on Sky Digital following many delays.[9] On 6 March 2001, Telewest announced that they would sell Screenshop to [Sit-Up TV](/source/Bid_Shopping), the owners of [Bid-Up.TV](/source/Shop_at_Bid), for £10 million in exchange for a 38% stake in Sit Up that was valued at a £14.8m cash injection. The sale would merge Screenshop into Bid-Up.TV's own operations.[10][11] Following the sale, Screenshop began to broadcast on the station during its downtime. On 29 August 2002, a second Screenshop channel, entitled Screenshop 2, was launched on Sky Digital.[12] In July 2004, Sit Up signed a four-year deal with [Vector Direct](/source/Vector_Direct) to allow Vector to exclusively supply Screenshop's programming, as well as during the downtime on Bid Up and Price Drop. The deal was valued at £5 million.[13] After the deal closed, Screenshop lost its identity with all products shown on the channel being those from Vector Direct. Screenshop's website closed at the same time and became a redirect to Vector Direct's online store.[14] Beginning in November 2005, Screenshop began being supplied by TV Network under their [TV Warehouse](/source/TV_Warehouse) brand, with Screenshop's website transitioning into a redirect over to them.[15] This was following Vector Direct's appearance on the [BBC](/source/BBC)'s [Watchdog](/source/Watchdog_(TV_series)) programme, which was due to the company charging unknowing customers [£](/source/Pound_sterling)99.00 for entrance into a "Travel and Leisure" club, in which entry was automatic with every purchase.[16] At some point, both Screenshop channels were removed from the Sky EPG, leaving them solely as filler on Sit-Up's other channels. On 3 March 2008, Screenshop 2 relaunched on [Sky](/source/Sky_(UK_%26_Ireland)) channel 680, using the downtime of [Speed Auction](/source/Bid_Plus). The channel showed various items from 1.30am to 7.30am every night. Screenshop 2 closed on 29 April 2012. ## See also - [TV Warehouse](/source/TV_Warehouse) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Flextech Plan Digital Home Shopping - the Media Leader"](https://uk.themedialeader.com/flextech-plan-digital-home-shopping/). 24 October 1997. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Flextech to launch UK home-shopping service on cable TV"](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/flextech-launch-uk-home-shopping-service-cable-tv/27551). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Flex-ing muscles"](https://www.forbes.com/1999/04/01/feat.html). *[Forbes](/source/Forbes)*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["NEW MEDIA: Screenshop gets secure"](https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/new-media-screenshop-gets-secure/63422). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Flextech Bounces Back"](https://www.satellitetoday.com/uncategorized/1999/08/11/flextech-bounces-back/). 11 August 1999. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** McIntosh, Bill (7 December 1999). ["Telewest merger with Flextech would challenge Murdoch grip"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/telewest-merger-with-flextech-would-challenge-murdoch-grip-740955.html). *The Independent*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131219234652/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/telewest-merger-with-flextech-would-challenge-murdoch-grip-740955.html) from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Telewest in talks with Flextech"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/553841.stm). *BBC News*. 7 December 1999. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200906141421/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/553841.stm) from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Telewest nears £2bn Flextech deal"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/569040.stm). *BBC News*. 17 December 1999. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20021229170346/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/569040.stm) from the original on 29 December 2002. Retrieved 2 September 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Shop Around the Clock with Screenshop"](https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/a1084/shop-around-the-clock-with-screenshop/). *[Digital Spy](/source/Digital_Spy)*. 27 August 2000. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Telewest Strikes Deal to Combine Screenshop with Bid-Up TV - the Media Leader"](https://uk.themedialeader.com/telewest-strikes-deal-to-combine-screenshop-with-bid-up-tv/). 5 March 2001. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Azeez, Wale (6 March 2001). ["Telewest sells home shopping channel"](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2001/mar/06/broadcasting1). *The Guardian*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["MRCM, sp1 launch as new shopping channels"](https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/a9004/mrcm-sp1-launch-as-new-shopping-channels/). *[Digital Spy](/source/Digital_Spy)*. 29 August 2002. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Sit-up TV in£5m deal"](https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/sit-up-tv-in5m-deal/1096196.article). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Vector Direct Ltd"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040901033041/http://www.screenshop.co.uk/). Archived from [the original](http://www.screenshop.co.uk/) on 1 September 2004. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["TV Warehouse"](http://www.screenshop.co.uk/). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20051102053758/http://www.screenshop.co.uk/) from the original on 2 November 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2016. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [bbc.co.uk](https://web.archive.org/web/20060627043843/http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/tv_and_radio/watchdog/reports/consumer_goods/consumer_20060314_2.shtml) ## External links v t e Bid Shopping Bad Movies Matinee Movies Bid Plus Screenshop Bid Price Drop --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Screenshop](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenshop) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screenshop?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.