Universum

Origins of Universum

The Universum brand was associated with the mail order company Quelle GmbH in Germany for consumer electronics and multimedia products. It was not a standalone manufacturer but rather a brand used by Quelle. The actual products were often manufactured by various companies, with the manufacturer’s name not disclosed to the customers. This allowed Quelle to negotiate better prices and control the brand’s image and service obligations.

Quelle used Universum primarily for audio-video products, while home appliances were sold under the Privileg brand. The products were sometimes manufactured in Germany, but often they were imported from other countries, including Japan and South Korea, to keep costs low. For instance, some Universum devices were made by companies such as Sanyo, NEC, or GoldStar, among others.

The brand’s origins can be traced back to the beginning of the 1960s when Universum was first used for televisions, and later expanded to include a range of audio and video products. The insolvency of the Arcandor group led to the bankruptcy of Profectis, the technical customer service provider for Universum products, but it was later sold on.