Pictorial Almanacs.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 2010, 29 December 1886, Page 2

Pictorial Almanacs.

To the Editor of the Standard,

Sir, —Now that Christmas festivities are over, I should like, as a storekeeper, to point out to my fellow tradesmen the uselessness of going to the expense every year of importing pictorial almanacs. Because one does it, others do it, and those who set their faces against these presentations are considered mean, I am quite willing to be considered mean, but I must be honest. These are times when the majority of tradesmen cannot afford to spend pounds upon pictorial almanacs, for which they get not the slightest return. When I think of the thousands of pounds going out of the colony every year, and over £6OO out of the Waira* rape alone, for which we-get no return, and which does not benefit tradesmen, I must suggest that we be a little wiser in the future. The whole thing is an infatuation. Do we get any increase in trade through these almanacs ? No. Is it not frequently the case that customers are displeased because they cannot get the picture they want? Everybody wants the best—the most ezpen* sive, and if they are not satisfied the remark is made, “ Well, my money is as good as any other person’s, and Mr has treated me very shabbily in giving me such a thinpr as this.” Nor is this all. What do we find in the majority of homes ? If the picture is a good one the advertisement is carefully out off and the sheet pasted together again. The picture, the customer thinks, is all very good, but who wants a storekeeper’s name dangling on the end of it ? and off it comes. 1 am glad to hear that some of the shop*, keepers have made up their minds to have no more pictorial almanacs. Let ns be honest and pay our debts and not run into needless expense. To the public the loss is trifling, and will not be felt. 1 am., 4c.. Stobikkkper.