The sun., 1919-07-23
FAR EAST OFFERS
AUTOMOBILE FIELD
Some Families in Orient Think
Nothing Of Keeping
Three Cars.
LIVE AGENTS ARE NEEDED
American Manufacturers Seen
to Have Neglected Chance
for Big Sales.
By r. II. WILLIAMS.
Written for Far Edster~ Section Of
THE SUN.


Written for Far Eoster~ sectton of
THE SUN.
] A most prosperous condition exists In
all parts Of the Far and Near East for
the sale Of high grade automobiles In
addition to the foregoing countries II
might be we'll to include Australia and
| New Zealand. These fields are being Sc
riously neglected by American manu-
lecturers. particularly with regard to
cars selling from $4,000 to $4,000 Amer
| lean gold.
Very few American manufacturers ad-
| vertise their cars in these markets. and
| those that do only follow half way pol
ICY, whereas a little more expenditure
| would probably AFFORD a larger sale of
even the cheaper machines.
The price Of gasolene is not important.
the salary Of native chauffers per month
/ seldom exceeds $40. All other upkeeps
| are small.
At Pekin. China, saw such well
known foreigp cars as the Napier, Daim-
| Ter, Fiat, Italia. Renault. Panhard,
Hotchkiss. Braier. Rochet and Bertiet.
Not one was a new car: all had seen
service for not less than three years.
For a few years no foreign cars, with
| the exception OF American cars, have
entered the treaty ports of China. 1t is
not unusual in certain important cities
] to see native families maintaining from
1 two to six machines This Is particularly
true in Bombay and Calcutta.
At Shanghai, China, there were such
American cars as the Chalmers, Stevens
Duryea, Packard, White. Lozier, Buick.
| Hupmobile, Cadillac and Overland. Some
| Of these cars are seen in almost every
important city Of the Far and Near
East, and the sales of these cars could
be greater II branch houses were estab-
lished instead of placing the agencies in
the hands Of commission houses.
Undertaking Going On.
The sale Of American automobiles
seems to be retarded at the present
time. as they have been in the past, by
the long route that exists between the
manufacturer and the buyer. This can
only be cured by the suggestion / have
made with regard to the direct branches.
In the Far East, the Near East and
in fact almost every important foreign
market that 1 have visited-and this
= includes those OF South and Central
America in former years-two and
sometimes more commission houses act
as agents In the same city for the same
cars. Each commission house, i am
sure, so far as the factory is concerned
back here in the United States, Is quoted
, OF a one price system. But the under
: bidding that is going on between dealers
: or commission houses Is pathetic, and
e Il all results in disfavor toward tht
h American car. When a sale is in pros
Q pect instead Of these commission houses
( maintaining q one price system all Sort
{ OF prices are quoted, and often prospects
: become disgusted.
n No American manufacturer should d.
n the thing in a foreign country that M
: | would not DO at home. The soonel
: this fact IL realized the more cars Will
L be sold It takes too long under pres
o ent conditions to just take orders with
Q sample cart Is too roundabout a way
n In the Philippine Islands leading
d jewelry store handles about six diner
emit makes OF American cars. They jus
n handle them Sales are few II eaci
e Of these manufacturers were directl!
9 represented with their own salesroom
n and managers they should be able 4
4 sell not less than 100 cars each year II
y this great city OF Manila alone no
l. counting the outskirts
e In the same city a leading plumbtsa:
.t concern handles three makes or Amer
10 lean cars. and II is lead pipe cinci
Il that each OF these manufacturers j
d losing from seventy fve to 100 sales o
3 each car per year by this representation
An experience an
II The writer purchased upon reaching
y Manila a well known make OF American
IS car. He was compelled to pay $4o'
more for IT, and for an early 1917 model
o than he could have secured the car iron
e any reliable dealer at San Francisco o
II Seattle. The freight charges were add!
tional, so that this made no difference
q The commission house earned in add
u ton to the regular commission the apoV
:, sum for simply uncrating the car.
= American automobile manufacture
> should beware of the selt-suggestiol
There Ia plenty Of time There Is no
9 plenty of time. Every day presents fiel
!, that will sharpen the wits OF your com
II petitor. The arrival Of peace will se
u all ports of the world swamped wit
% foreign automobile statesmen. and then
- will be a keener and harder struggl
. TO get started than at present
10 To Introduce American automobiles b
y the mail order process or direct by cor
y respondence or through export agents
=. simply a waste of time. The need u
=, the Far East. as well as every foreig
~ country that have visited Is America
~ general managers in important cities
- men who will remain at these station
=, and command the whole field.
~ The market Of India IS very i'm
=, lportant one and every car sold Their
IN ought to make ten sales with the propc
49, salesman in the field. The best Amer
can salesman could readily get along i
this country because English Is tn
spoken business language. and II the ca
is right. the price right and the salesms
knows his business the results will prov
10 surprising.