The TV retailer QVC doesn't want to be left out on Black Friday.

It's hoping that instead of going to the malls on the day after Thanksgiving, some shoppers will stay home and watch for what the channel is promising will include special deals and a lot of new items for sale.

Program host Dave James is planning to stay awake for 28 straight hours.

Just like other retailers, QVC was hurt by the recession -- with its fourth-quarter revenue in 2008 down 8 percent from the previous year. So far, this year's revenue has been essentially flat.

Generally, QVC offers one "special value" item to customers each day. For "Black Friday," there will be three.

Rival HSN, which has also seen flat sales this year, mailed a million gift guides for the first time to people who have bought things through the network in the past. It's also offering specially-priced items over the Thanksgiving weekend, though that's not a shift from what it's done before.