H. C. OF L. AND TRADE CAMOUFLAGE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10614, 12 June 1920, Page 11

H. C. OF L. AND TRADE CAMOUFLAGE

(To the Editor “N.Z. Times.”) Sir.—For some time past the retail shopkeeper has had to contend with the '•atmosphere" of tho high cost of_ living. Students or psychology will quite'understand that term. The retailer has had to appear to treat this “atmosphere" with contempt (or rather silence). Never before in the history of commerce has the Now Testament theory of “resist not evil” been so put into practice. To-day X sco Mr W. Simm has broken the ice of silence, and made a protest. May I, as a constant student of trade journalism, ‘support him, and add something thereto.

On opening my English mail I found that hosiery prices had jumped between January 20rh and March ‘Jftth 32 pci cent, (one I2s Cd line of socles to be. 16s 6d on the later invoice). In tho April number of a drapers’ journal, the quote was still moro. Now, here is a point worthy of notice; A cable this week informs us that Mr .Anglo-American Selfridgq is reducing drapery 10 per cent. Who is Mr Salfridgo? A firm or a representative of a firm, sent by American money. . to open -an Anglo-American

“store" in the heart of drapery-buying London His mission has been most successful—likewise his advertising. Hut why is the cable man pandering to Selfridge? Know ye not a firm called “Hnrrod’s.” who in eight mouths of last year, exceeded their previous business turnover by over one million pounds’ This Hnrrod’s, looking for fresh worlds to conquer, has had tho temerity to purchase Swan and Edgar’s huge place, with ■ the result that, they arc now rebuilding (or reconstructing) so that when finished “Harrod’s” will have the largest frontage of show windows in the world. And London knows that Harrod’s and Sclfridge’s are the two greatest competitors to each other in England. And Selfridge? What of him* Looking for fresh advertising worlds to conquer, he lets his summer sale devcldo into an nnTi- ,, H.C.L.■'—camouflage. To heaven’s, 10 per cent. list all men who have access to commercial papers study the profit column, of this firm, and they will see that such a “sale reduction", as this, will 'riot make a perceptible differ-, enci tc. their balance-sheet. But !ho idea is good, you see, and cheap,- and will last until the now season’s goods arc opened. COUNTRY DRAPER.