Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-26
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THE Star Bulletin invites free and
frank discussion in this column ON ail
Legitimate subjects ofscurrent interest
Communications are constantly re-
ceiyed to which No sfsnatnre is al
tached. This paper Will treat as con.
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a consumEss oN HomE.suyIne
Hololalu Hawaii. Nov. "a. 1913.
Editor Honolulu Star Bulletin.
Sir: In q recent issue OF youl
morning contemporary appears an ed
itorial on Cooperation and Home
Buying" In which the main points al
issue In the present home-buying cam
paign, as seen by the Advertiser, are
briefly set forth. ~ ssS S.s .:ss @
May ]. in your columns, advance q
few arguments In reply?
In the above editorial it IL statel
I that in the long run the Honolulan
who buys from the Honolulu mer.
chant is ahead Of the Honoiulan who
buys ABROAD. Now, Sit is q condition
and not q theory that confronts US. :
No intelligent Henoiulan does ALL
his buying abroad. He-er mora
probably she buys abroad only such
articles as experiences has shown TO
be unattainable or excessively priced
Ia Honolulu markets and such q buy
er must inevitably In the long run, be
ehead Of one who buys always in Ho.
noiulu. u. NJ s.5
The Advertiser says 1t is automatic
that II everyone In Honolulu sent
away for all purchases there would
be no stores in the city. It Is equally
axiomatic that If every merchant in
Honolulu was satisfied with q fair
profit and sold his goods at reason
able prices, no one In Honolulu would
send away for purchases As for the
axiom that IL all Honolulu people
made all their purchases In Honolulu.
there would be more stores and
greater competition, notice that
even the Advertiser does not claim
that there would be any lowering Of
prices, and so far there has certainly
been nothing In the attitude Of the
merchants to warrant such an as.
sumption ss
Now In regard to the advantages 6
ordering By mad. It must be assum
ed that any intelligent purchaser viii.
take info account such obvious things
asfcost OF packing, transportation and
delivery IN comparing local and
mainland prices. It has, perhaps.
been overlooked. By many who adyo,
cate local buying that most, IL not all
reputable firms who ship from the.
mainland guarantee the safe arrive
Of goods. and Willingly and promptly
replace or refund money for any ar
ticie broken or Injured il transit,
Not only this. but the principal mail.
order houses guarantee every article
to give satisfaction and not only offer
to, but DO, exchange OF replace with
out expense to the purchaser any ar;
ticle that for any reason Is not salts:
factory There are, II the large cities
from Chicago eastward, many large
firms 81 dc hIshS 81 reputation and
reliability who are prepared to give
careful attention to export orders IN
many instances their prices are
somewhat higher than those Of the
exclusive mai -order llelses but on
the other hand they Usually pay b
cbns derably proportion Of the freight
On any order amounting to more than
q given sum, usually $500. AS for
parcel post business, practicable
every firsf-class house in the eastern
United States pays postage on all Or!
defs amounting To more than 5.OOl
and many prepay postage without
reference to the value Of the pur.
chase. s,s El
II am q malihini here Of less than
three years. standing and during my
residence here have placed many
orders on the mainland, ranging In
frons$I to $500, and therefore
may claim to speak from first hand
knowledge. II know eastern cities and
stores j know the prevailing prices
there, and / know the firms from
whom can order with every assur-
ance that ! shall receive prompt and
courteous attention and good value for
my money. I am BY no means unique
In this respect Even In my limited
acquaintance i know several other
''malihinis' who are equally familiar
with mainland sources and the adyan-
tages of buying from them.
& Why should we. to take small in
stances only. pay $I.25 for a pair of
cotton gloves when we can buy exact:
u the same thing in New York for
So cents and receive IT by parcel
post, prepaid? Why should we pay
SO cents for q pound of white pepper
when we can buy the same quality
from mail-order house for % cents
and the addition of IL, or even "a
cents, for postage? Why should we
pay rs cents for % quinine tablets
when we can buy, 100 tablets on the
mainland for Is cents and have them
mailed to US at an extra expense of a
few cents? Why should we pay a
local firm $40 for a pair of part wool
blankets when we can buy equal, if
not better, value from New York for