The 1907 and 1908 Shows Compared.
Page 17
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EXHIBITORS' VIEWS. Continued from page 192,
"Unless the Public Comes."
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Dear Sir :—With regard to shows, it is our opinion that if there are to be two heavy motor shows in London, they should be held at different times of the year. Also, we think that a combined show of heavy and pleasure cars would be a great deal the best. If makers were limited to mederate-sized stands, and all accessories were kept to the galleries, there would probably be plenty of space. The charges for stands are very high, and the cost of attending the show it very stiff ; so, unless the public comes largely, the result of the show, from a business point of view, is very poor.—Yours faithfully, For WALL/S AND STEEVENS, LIMITED., W. ALFRED WALLIS, Director.
Basingstoke.
Business from "Remote Possibilities."
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Dear Sir :—As one who was on the Maudslay Company's stand throughout the /908 show, and who was also present during the 1907 display, I may say that there were many more satisfactory interviews with good buyers than was the ease a year ago. I was particularly pleased with the way in which the new, two-ton, Maudslay chassis was received.
It appears to me that many of the people who gave tongue, during and after the show, to complaints about the slackness of trade, are those who do not stick to their duties all day and every day, and they appear to fail to realise that the November shows, to which a number of them are more accustomed, are largely in the nature of Society functions. Again, I do not think that many attendants press home their arguments as they might do. Since the show, I have found business in several directions where enquiries have matured from what seemed to be only remote possibilities when callers were talking. It is not, therefore, time spent amiss when one is attentive to the man who is, outwardly, an unlikely customer.—Yours faithfully,
A. MAYNARD ROWLAND. Parkside Works, Coventry.
i8th April, 1908.
An Annual Show Indispensable.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Sir :—With regard to the show, we had more enquiries than in 1907, and people certainly went more deeply into details this year; in other words, they appeared to us to be getting nearer to the buying point. We only booked two orders during the show, but are not the least disappointed, as it is the eleventh year the writer has exhibited at motor shows in London, and we know it is what comes afterwards that pays exhibitors.
Many visitors had already tried motorvans, and been dis gusted with breakdowns, but, on questioning, we invariably found the vehicles had been van bodies on pleasure-car chassis. We should like to make this a criminal offence, penalisable by capital punishment, as such a procedure has thrown the commercial van industry back five years at least, and has to be lived down.
We consider an annual exhibition at Olympia indispensable at present—" the pot must be kept a-boiling."— Yours truly,
P.p. THE INDUSTRIAL MOTOR CO., ARCHD. CAMPBELL. The Feature of the Darracq Exhibit.
The Editor, " THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Dear Sir :—We beg to state that we have found the 1908 show a very con..;derable advance on the one held the previous year. We ourselves did more business, and had more enquiries. The feature of our exhibit was cabs, in which great interest was shown, and regarding which we have had, and still continue to receive, many enquiries. Our light vans, suitable for drapers and considerable tradesmen, also created interest. This department of our Show was of great assistance to us.—Yours faithfully, For A. DARRACQ AND CO. (1905), LTD., A. MORRIS THOMSON.
Prospects Decidedly Brighter : No Business in the Mornings.
The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR."
Dear Sir :—With regard to the recent Olympia exhibition, we found that, during the first few days, there was a decided slackness, but enquiries and business increased very much towards the end, and, in comparison with last year's, we should say that much more business is moving, and that prospects are decidedly brighter. With regard to the organisation of the exhibition, I strongly approved of the earlier closing (9 o'clock, instead of to o'clock as it was last year), but I think it might be seri ously considered whether the opening for the morning is worth while, as we found there was very little business indeed up till about 12.30. The busiest time of all was from 3.30 to 7 o'clock. With regard to the enquiries, I noticed that much more attention was paid to sound design and lasting qualities. —Believe me, yours very truly, W. H. CLAY.
Burton-on-Trent.