New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-07

Az a matter or TACT, eXhBEete'SN
,orrrerat;ve values have been the
foyorite resort Of the dishonest store
hocorsa the naming Of comparative
values is the very strongest form OF
advertising yet evolved by any retaii
store. Under these circumstances IL
would seem ridiculous 10 urge InS'
honest stores refrain from an nohes'
abatement OF comparative values
s;nnlv because dishonest stores lie
obout the values they offer. Carrying
this idea bit further, one might De
prompted to urge that honest men go
ont OF the retail business because there
are dishonest ones in the trade.
Dishonest advertising means one
thing dishonesty in the store. 1t does
not follow that a dishonest advertise
ment is the utterance OF dishonest
store, but II does mean there is dis
honest spot in the store. Tha, spot
most frequently is buyer who thinks
he is putting one over" on the public
because there is a lack OF merchandise
knowledge. or lack Of time in which
to investigate Frequently il is both, IN
the advertising department
Every store, it seems safe TO say,
has or has had such dishonest spots,
but the difference in stores is estab-
lished and maintained by the celebrity
with which these spots are discovered
and removed. If they are not cut out
they ultimately will spread throughout
the whole business.
But the men who operate the depart
ment stores, at least those which have
the right to be considered honest
stores, know how greatly their stores
will suffer from dishonesty within. and
they are, for the most part, doing all
they can to prevent Misrepresentation
appearing in thei. Advertising, or being
made by their salespeople.
d How Benjamin Altman Gut Out Dis
honest Spot.
For example, have been told by a
man who played a part in the incident
that while the late Benjamin Altman
was still at the head of b. Altman &
Co. one Of his buyers put one over
by advertising a certain line Of goods
at an exceptionally low price, claiming
they were all wool. A competing store
: doubted that the garments could be all
wool at the price named. One was pur-
chased by the competitors professional
shopper, and upon analysis was found
to consist of part wool and part cotton.
This competitor, in advertising a sale
| Of garments Of the same general type,
Y made some covert reference to the mis-
representation. Mr.. Altman, always ex-
ceedingly sensitive to all that con-
3 cerned his business, saw the competi-
; tors advertisement, became suspicious,
, investigated, and forthwith discharged
the guilty buyer. He had found the
! dishonest spot and cut it out without
delay. This seems to have been the
consistent policy of Altman's. and, as
a result, people feel perfectly safe in
believing what they read in Altmans
advertising - oltbouQh comparative
ratUes are not unfamiliar IN the
statements of the store.
No Comparative Prices Accepted from
These Buyers.
. Similarly, when | talked a few DAVIS
ago with the head Of one of the oldest
and biggest department stores in New
York City, he told NE: 1--WE have three
buyers here who mean TO be honest but
whose word we never take on the mat
/ ter Of comparative values. Our adyer-
tslng department has standing orders
9 never TO print the comparative values
I named by these buyers without first
q making d thorough investigation. They
4 are too much interested in their mer-
c chandlse 70 recognize the truth"
This merchant believes strongly in
. the use Of comparative values. In
2 deed, although his store has a reputa-
q tion Of many years of honest dealing
e and of satisfactorily serving the public,
r ! have been Informed by members Of
% his organization that on occasions when
b merchandise has been advertised With
Z out comparative values sales were ma
I terially smaller than when the express
e sion, Our former price, had been
?. used.
r Wanamaker's Furniture Sale and Com
paratiye Prices.
. On the same subject it is interesting
I 70 quote William K. Hotchkin, who has
been advertising director for two of
. the most prominent stores in this city
- For three years he was head Of the
advertising department at Gimbel
= Brothers, and for nine years prior he
y conducted the publicity of the John
n rWanamaker store. Mr.. Hotchkin
. told me:
, Perhaps no other department store
a feature IS so widely known, so thor
/ oughly understood by the public, as the
n seml-annual furniture sale at Wana-
4 makers. Their tremendous success alb
. solutely proves public belief in the
70 values offered in these sales. Yet when
. the attempt has been made several
4 times 10 promote these sales without
? the use OF comparative prices the re-
, I suits have been disastrous.
: This" Mr.. Hotchkin concludes
seems 10 prove that the Ualue price
Is considered BIZ the public as q Uer,
y uitdl description Of the merchandise
} The public assumes that John JVann-
maker IS honest and IS tUillinq to &C.
% cent his UdiudtiOn. but then rant
!. him 10 put 1t N print. and lUheH he
Z Is not UillinQ 10 put II IN print, then
:. feel there must be some doubt about
,; Comparative Prices Have a Universal
Appeal.
Comparative prices are necessary Ia
!, the majority Of stores because figures