Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-12
S. S. Paxson Talks or Meeting
Power of the Mainland
Catalogues
FOR HOME BUYING.
The Pulling Power Of Mainland Gaia.
Iouue and How to Meet IL.

Iogue and How to Meet II.
(By s. S. PAXSON: read before the
Honolulu Ad Club.
When this subject was assigned to
ME | considered 1t too large for the
man. However, accepted ii and
with your forebearance will endeayor
to say a few words upon the same.
When the above subject is referred
to us, cur first thought is that Of the
general merchandise line. This being
SO, we will discuss that phase of the
questionfirst. .s = 81
/ would first divide mainland cata-
logues into two classes, viz: those is
sued by legitimate business houses,
and those issued by houses which ]
do not consider such. No doubt the
latter part OF that statement appears
10 be strong language, however,
want to say that do not considet such
houses as Sears, Roebuck Company,
Montgomery Ward Company, the
Cash Buyers Union and many ether
of the same class throughout the
mainland legitimate business houses,
and my reason is simply this--a GUS
toner cannot possibly see what he is
buying until he purchases the article
and pays for the same.
The above mentioned houses are
located in Chicago and they absolute.
~ refuse to sell any goods in their
stores and will not allow the public
admittance. They sell by mail order
only.
Then we have the other class Of
business houses, such as the. Empo-
rum, The White House, Shreye 4
Company, of San Francisco, Meier &
Frank, OF Portland, Oregon. Marshall
Field e CO., of Chicago, John Wanna.
maker. OF Philadelphia, Tiffany &
Co. OF New York, and hundreds more
i'm different parts of the mainland,
who issue catalogues and distribute
them in various ways.
Doing Local Business. III.
These catalogues 10 get lot OF
business from our Territory especial
ly in the dry goods and jewelry lines.
Those OF us who have been in bnsi-
ness in the Western and Northwestern
parts of the mainland have. come in
contact more with catalogues, than
those of you who have been here
and in the large cities.
The catalosues and those more es
peciaIly which are issued by the
houses which put in class two are
intended to reach the country people.
dare say that there is not any
business which has come more in
contact with catalogue houses than
that in which the speaker is engaged.
In fact they go so far as osadvertise
our own goods at about two-thirds Of
our retail price.
They Are Read
Before discussing probable RENE
lies for these conditions, allow me
TO say that if any of you think that
these catalogues are not looked
through and read, you are laboring
under a Misrepresentation. 1t has
been my good fortune to spend a part
of my life in the country and / fully
realize how. everything is read down
to all advertisements and those which
are likely to be wanted are preserved. J
DO you know, that for instance, be-.
fore Montgomery Ward G Co. mail
a catalogue, people are required to
send them thirty cents, and they do
it by the thousands.
People are often allured by the pic
lures and prices in catalogues, where
as If they see the article they would
not purchase ii, .s.. ..s-.- ...... 1..- !
How to Meet IL. H.. ...-
My first suggestion in meeting these
conditions is that we, ourselves, have
the goods as am not in the printing
bushes, cannot haye any selfish