New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-14
NO PRICE COMPARISON
An Advertising Trick to Which Gus
toners Must Be Educated

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | have read with interest the article
in this mornings Tribune by Mr.. Hahn, and
while | agree with many Of the points which
he brings out | am frank to say that do
rot believe much can be accomplished by
temporizing with this abuse Of price COM
parison. OF course, there are exceptions to
every rule, and there are during the course
Of a season many occasions when il is desir'
able to introduce quotations of values in the
advertising of a retail store, but there is no
store which employs price comparison regu-
larry that does not eXaggerate and mislead,
and perhaps the greatest evil of this abuse
lies in the fact that much of this exaggera-
ton is done unconsciously and without the
intention to deceive. In self-protection rep
utabe department stores should eschew the
practice. The fact that this can be done
without materially affecting the profits is
indicated by the interview which Mr.. Hop
kins Adams had with Mr.. Schlesnger. general
manager of the Emporium of San Francisco,
and which was published some time ago in
The Tribune.
In that interview Mr. Schlesinger went on
record as saying that since the introduction
Of this practice the actual business of the
emporium has DeeH mOTc IMAM
There are any number of other reputable
stores throughout the country which have
successfully cut the Gordian knot which tied
them to the archaic advertising methods of
comedy days.
The time was when the law put it right
aight up to the purchaser to look out for
himself to rely solely upon his own wits
and prudence in every commercial transac-
ton. The other fellow could trick, defraud,
deceive, and so long as he Kept within GER
tain bounds the law could not touch him
for making a fool of the other man. 1t was
always case of "Do unto others as they
would do unto you-but do IT first"
Most people, especially women shoppers,
have believed that those days have passed,
and they scan the daily advertisements of
the big department stores and small spe-
calty shops, childishly believing that the
special sale announcements, stupendous price
reductions and extraordinary values quoted
contain the whole truth and nothing but the
truth.
There are in probably every city in the
country one or two retail stores that con
duct their business entirely on a basis of
wilful instrumentation. These stores do
more to injure legitimate business activity
than European wars, financial pancs or in
dustral depression. And the evil they do
is augmented by the absurd methods Of even
the better class of stores in quoting exag-
gerated values and price comparisons. II
has been practice in the advertising de-
partment of one of the largest New York
department stores to invariably set a fcti-
tious value of from so 10 100 per cent on
all items advertised. That is, IL a BUYER
sent up $40 coat to be advertised and omit
ted to set value on II the advertising man
himself set value on it, and the advertise
ment appeared like this: "Women's SIS COR
500 coats TO be closed out at So" And
women would Immediately fall all over them
selves to seize the bargain
This Is an actual fact, and it is perpe-
trated every day in every city in the country
by prominent and responsible stores. Those
who know the tricks of department store ad-
vertsing are amazed at the gullibilty of
women shoppers. Yet, considering that the
average woman does not know and has no
means of knowing what these tricks are, it
is not surprising that they fall" for so
many fake price reductions" Before the
retail faker can be eliminated the public
must be put WISE" and this can be done
only through the better stores and through
the newspapers. Rather than lose profitable
advertising patronage, the newspapers have
for the most part maintained conspicuous
silence, so it is up TO the stores themselves.
first, TO avoid all price comparisons
in their advertising; second, to advertise
only in those papers which exercise a rigid
censorship over their advertising columns,
and third, 70 warn the public in their ad-
vertisements Of the advertising methods Of
the cheap or dishonest retailer.
The CORSET AND UNDERWEAR REVIEW.
ALPH0NSUS P. HARE,
Managing Editor.
New York, April 7, 1915.