The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1921-01-14
EDITOR
MEETING MAIL ORDER COMPETITION

Merchants of the Territory have not been securing and are not
getting the proportion of the business of the Islands to which they be-
Ieve themselves entitled and have awakened to a realization of the fact.
AS result there has been sounded in Honolulu the slogan Trade at
Home and a cooperative campaign has been inaugurated to dis
courage co buying from mail hi1 order houses sns@4 and t. to t enGou ira gTp purchases is from
daiies al advertising campaign began Monday with page display adj
vertsements signed by between 40 and so business houses.
realizing how great is the volume Of business being taken from them by
Mainland concerns, largely by mail order houses. But now, in seeking
the reason, they inquire whether buying away from home is induced by
poor stores, poor stocks, inferior goods or higher prices here than OBJ
none of them, that the stores, stocks and quality are as good and the
prices as low or lower than in larger places on the mainland.
sighted policy on the part of Island residents. Community welfare and
of urgent need the home store is turned to as necessary, if the goods
must be had in a few minutes, a few hours or a few days, they are
purchasing were done at home a greater volume of business would per-
nit purchases by dealers in larger quantities, greater variety and for less
money with consequent advantages to their customers. The buyer
from the mail order house must remit cash in advance or on delivery,
he or she pays as much or more. Too often goods are brought for cash
abroad and unpaid accounts kept running at home.
conditions of which they complain. The reason is one they and the
neglectng their opportunities and the mail order houses do not do So
The answer is that the mainland mail order house ADVERTISES
mail order concern adverises consistently, attracivey, persstently. 1t
uses publications with great calculations and with ,proportionate adver
Using rates. 1t issues attractive catalogs, profusely illustrated, graph
caly descriptive and featuring attractive prices.
ritory? They have not met weapons with weapons of the kind, barage
with like barage. A comparison OF the advertising methods OF the
merchant da@l Of Hawai- Hawai- mel does u not t take "a page and d fill d it up with offerings [g
in a certain line of business and not to describe his stock nor the prices
lit tldtlo IS MOI ulnke w STORES OCdleu Slue by Slue OHe IS
practically all glass front. Within, its goods are attractivey displayed
and each article plainly marked with the price: The other store is a
on the front Home Department Store. AS good goods 1t IS low prices
as you can buy anywhere" Which of those stores would get the bust
ness? There can be no doubt.
Island merchants have not recognized the worth of printers ink
and print paper, of making the newspapers their statesmen. They have
not realized that the preparation of advertising materials is al art
Some of them have even spoken of advertising "only to support the
papers" They must meet advertising with advertising and then the
advantage is with them for if they get persons into their stores it is
the fault of the sales forces if they do not sell the goods, other things
being equal.
The answer to the Honolulu merchants is that there is not 20 much
wrong with the buying public as with themselves. Advertising is the
life blood of trade and the Island retail business is anaemic. 1t needs
a infusion OF judicous, intelligent, well prepared advertising and it will
speedily glow with health.