GiftAmerica Sterling

[Traintime]

GiftAmerica was a subsidiary operation of Western Union, the telegraph people. First reports of the startup begin around January of 1972 and the program ran until around the end of 1974 when it was apparently shut down. Seeking new opportunities in a rapidly changing world, Western Union set up this venture as a telephone ordering system to have items from American manufactures delivered rapidly, targeting a core population with credit lines and a need to get a gift to "Aunt Tillie" similar to flower deliveries. A number of available items ranging from $15 to $35 (later reports up to about $45) were quickly sent out after orders were placed over a toll free 800-number (still novel in those days) and paid for by one of the credit cards which were becoming more common. Along with things like electronics, weighted and re-inforced sterling candlesticks (plastic base cap) were among the group of more than twenty items. While it was expected that capital outlays would be needed to get the program advertised and running to a positive revenues flow, by March 1974 there had been (by reports) costs of about $18.5 million and in the range of $35+million lost by the cessation of the venture. Speculation of the time was that the idea might have merits in the cable television world, but that the technology was not yet far enough advanced for that format. A network for home shopping was some years into the future.