Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Segment Information (Financial Information By Segment) (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Segment Information (Financial Information By Segment) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Net sales:                      
Net sales $ 1,117,894us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet [1] $ 837,477us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet $ 855,204us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet $ 777,420us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet [2] $ 1,019,835us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet [3] $ 798,890us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet [4] $ 812,606us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet $ 772,651us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet $ 3,587,995us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet $ 3,403,983us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet $ 3,266,739us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Identifiable assets:                      
Identifiable assets: 1,432,194us-gaap_Assets       1,337,923us-gaap_Assets       1,432,194us-gaap_Assets 1,337,923us-gaap_Assets 1,331,952us-gaap_Assets
Capital expenditures:                      
Capital expenditures:                 47,316us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets 51,952us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets 45,803us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
HSN [Member]                      
Net sales:                      
Net sales                 2,476,088us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		2,312,382us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		2,265,026us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember
Identifiable assets:                      
Identifiable assets: 1,134,685us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		      1,058,573us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		      1,134,685us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		1,058,573us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		1,083,714us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember
Capital expenditures:                      
Capital expenditures:                 32,307us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		36,156us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember 		33,566us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_HsnMember
Cornerstone [Member]                      
Net sales:                      
Net sales                 1,111,907us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		1,091,601us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		1,001,713us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember
Identifiable assets:                      
Identifiable assets: 297,509us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		      279,350us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		      297,509us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		279,350us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		248,238us-gaap_Assets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember
Capital expenditures:                      
Capital expenditures:                 $ 15,009us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		$ 15,796us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember 		$ 12,237us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= hsni_CornerstoneMember
[1] (d)The fourth quarter of 2014 includes $5.0 million of revenue, or $3.1 million of income, net of taxes, related to the cumulative reversal of liabilities for certain unused merchandise credits ("breakage") which increased diluted earnings per share by $0.06.
[2] (a)The first quarter of 2014 includes a $3.1 million settlement with the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[3] (c)The fourth quarter of 2013 includes a $3.6 million reduction to a previously recorded contingent consideration obligation and a $3.0 million impairment charge of intangible assets related to a 2012 acquisition resulting in a net expense reduction of $0.6 million, or $1.7 million net of taxes. These fair value adjustments increased diluted earnings per share by $0.03.
[4] (b)The third quarter of 2013 includes discrete tax benefits of $3.7 million which increased diluted earnings per share by $0.07.