Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Subsidiary Financial Information (Statement of Cash Flow) (Details)

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Guarantor/Non-Guarantor Subsidiary Financial Information (Statement of Cash Flow) (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Dec. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Net cash provided by operating activities $ 1,322 $ 1,156 $ 1,202  
Decrease (increase) in inventories        
Capital Expenditures, Net 291 228 152  
Payments for Cable and Satellite Television Distribution Rights 134 140 50  
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets 11 16 1  
Other investing activities (29) 29 0  
Other investing activities 0 0 0  
Payments for (Proceeds from) Businesses and Interest in Affiliates 0 0 22  
Investing activities: (407) (413) (181)  
Capital expenditures        
Repayments of Debt and Lease Obligation 2,599 3,541 2,278  
Proceeds from Long-term Lines of Credit 2,496 2,750 2,162  
Repayments of Secured Debt (400) 0 0  
Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt 500 225 0  
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs 18 14 0  
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent 50 520 0  
Payments of Dividends (879) (367) (866)  
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest 40 40 40  
Proceeds from (Payments for) Other Financing Activities (4) (18) (16)  
Net short-term intercompany debt borrowings (repayments) 0 0 0  
Other intercompany financing activities 0 0 0  
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities (894) (485) (1,038)  
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents (2) 2 13  
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 19 260 (4)  
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents 569 550 290 $ 294
Parent issuer- QVC, Inc.        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Net cash provided by operating activities 368 461 641  
Decrease (increase) in inventories        
Capital Expenditures, Net 127 121 103  
Payments for Cable and Satellite Television Distribution Rights 0 0 0  
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets 11 (1) 1  
Other investing activities 0 0    
Other investing activities (319) (433) (545)  
Payments for (Proceeds from) Businesses and Interest in Affiliates     0  
Investing activities: 181 313 441  
Capital expenditures        
Repayments of Debt and Lease Obligation 2,586 2,680 2,268  
Proceeds from Long-term Lines of Credit 2,496 2,362 2,162  
Repayments of Secured Debt (400)      
Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt 500 225    
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs 18 14    
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent 50 340    
Payments of Dividends (877) (367) (866)  
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest 0 0 0  
Proceeds from (Payments for) Other Financing Activities (4) (10) (16)  
Net short-term intercompany debt borrowings (repayments) 276 (548) (170)  
Other intercompany financing activities (22) (11) 73  
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities (585) (703) (1,085)  
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents 0 0 0  
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (36) 71 (3)  
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents 42 78 7 10
Combined subsidiary guarantors        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Net cash provided by operating activities 836 592 507  
Decrease (increase) in inventories        
Capital Expenditures, Net 65 19 (4)  
Payments for Cable and Satellite Television Distribution Rights 134 139 (50)  
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets 2 4 0  
Other investing activities (29) 29    
Other investing activities 999 688 (1,507)  
Payments for (Proceeds from) Businesses and Interest in Affiliates     (22)  
Investing activities: (1,171) (879) 1,539  
Capital expenditures        
Repayments of Debt and Lease Obligation 0 851 0  
Proceeds from Long-term Lines of Credit 0 388 0  
Repayments of Secured Debt 0      
Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt 0 0    
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs 0 0    
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent 0 180    
Payments of Dividends (2) 0 0  
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest 0 0 0  
Proceeds from (Payments for) Other Financing Activities 0 (8) 0  
Net short-term intercompany debt borrowings (repayments) (341) 498 (1,267)  
Other intercompany financing activities 678 217 2,257  
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities 335 424 990  
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents 0 0 0  
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 0 137 (42)  
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents 192 192 55 97
Combined non-guarantor subsidiaries        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Net cash provided by operating activities 118 103 54  
Decrease (increase) in inventories        
Capital Expenditures, Net 99 88 45  
Payments for Cable and Satellite Television Distribution Rights 0 1 0  
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets (2) 13 0  
Other investing activities 0 0    
Other investing activities 0 0 0  
Payments for (Proceeds from) Businesses and Interest in Affiliates     0  
Investing activities: (97) (102) (45)  
Capital expenditures        
Repayments of Debt and Lease Obligation 13 10 10  
Proceeds from Long-term Lines of Credit 0 0 0  
Repayments of Secured Debt 0      
Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt 0 0    
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs 0 0    
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent 0 0    
Payments of Dividends 0 0 0  
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest 40 40 40  
Proceeds from (Payments for) Other Financing Activities 0 0 0  
Net short-term intercompany debt borrowings (repayments) 65 50 1,437  
Other intercompany financing activities 24 49 (1,368)  
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities 36 49 19  
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents (2) 2 13  
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 55 52 41  
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents 335 280 228 187
Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) [Member]        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Net cash provided by operating activities 0 0 0  
Decrease (increase) in inventories        
Capital Expenditures, Net 0 0 0  
Payments for Cable and Satellite Television Distribution Rights 0 0 0  
Increase (Decrease) in Other Noncurrent Assets 0 0 0  
Other investing activities 0 0    
Other investing activities (680) (255) (962)  
Payments for (Proceeds from) Businesses and Interest in Affiliates     0  
Investing activities: 680 255 962  
Capital expenditures        
Repayments of Debt and Lease Obligation 0 0 0  
Proceeds from Long-term Lines of Credit 0 0 0  
Repayments of Secured Debt 0      
Proceeds from Issuance of Secured Debt 0 0    
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs 0 0    
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent 0 0    
Payments of Dividends 0 0 0  
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest 0 0 0  
Proceeds from (Payments for) Other Financing Activities 0 0 0  
Net short-term intercompany debt borrowings (repayments) 0 0 0  
Other intercompany financing activities (680) (255) (962)  
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities (680) (255) (962)  
Effect of Exchange Rate on Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents 0 0 0  
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 0 0 0  
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0