BETTY SIMABUKURO / BSHIMABUKURO@STARBULLETIN.COM Chef Roy Yamaguchi prepared one of his signature dishes, blackened ahi with a mustard sauce, during a dinner party launching the Home Shopping Network's Shop By Remote program Tuesday.

Isles test-market shopping by TV remote

Liz Rineheart is exactly the customer suited to the Home Shopping Network's Shop by Remote service.

"What did I buy this month? I bought a blue topaz ring and a tourmaline ring and a skirt that I wore today and a set of pots and pans -- Wolfgang Puck's, I'm afraid."

That last part was said sheepishly because she was attending Tuesday night's launch party for HSN's digital shopping service at Roy's in Hawaii Kai -- and chef Roy Yamaguchi sells his own line of cookware through the shopping network.

Five network executives were in town to promote the service that allows digital cable customers to place orders using their television remote controls. Guests such as Rineheart were chosen at random from a pool of recent HSN shoppers to attend the party -- complete with cocktails and a steady flow of pupus.

BETTY SIMABUKURO / BSHIMABUKURO@STARBULLETIN.COM Yamaguchi said he's worked with the network for more than two years, selling his Roy's Fusion cookware line.

Large television screens placed around the dining room carried a live HSN feed, with remotes available for demonstration purposes. John McDevitt, HSN's vice president of finance, said it takes 30 to 40 seconds to complete an order, compared with two minutes by telephone.

Yamaguchi called the service "innovation made easy."

"Someone like me, who barely e-mails, can grab one of these remote controls and buy -- luggage!"

As part of the launch promotion, HSN donated $10 to the Aloha United Way for each shop-by-remote purchase made out of Hawaii during the trial period, July 10 to 31. Shari Chang, AUW's vice president for marketing, accepted the $10,000 check Tuesday night.