Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-23
DIPLOMACY IN TRADE.
How the Pubiic's Patronage is Bid
For. :
A few of the Curious inducements Held out
to Buyers by enterprising
Tradesmen.

dealer, standing on a curb in front OF
South street store yesterday. Dissatls-
faction was in his face. Occasionally
he glanced moodily at his own empty
bazaar and then peered furtively at the
establishment of his neighbOr. Half
dozen people were in the next store.
The clerks were busy. The "barkers"
had their hands full. A sign in the
window explained the unusual influx OF
trade: Extra vests given gratis to
purchasers of clothing" "All shod-
dy," growled the wiry man. "All
shoddy. No good. Big humbug." The
reporter was Interested.
"How are you doing nOwm he asked
the proprietor Of the thriving shop.
beats der spring trade all ter blazes,"
was the answer. "DeeS vests Is vat
does der pizness."
I'VE give premiums, and some very
handsome ones, too, said q tea dealer
on Eighth street, above Wood. "Our
scheme Is to give check Tor every
twenty-five cents worth Of tea or coffee
purchased. The fancy goods you see
on the shelves are exchanged for the
tickets. Some things only require from
five 10 ten checks, and Others over
hundred. That vase can be got for
~ enty checks; the alarm clock calls
for filty, and the big time keeper in the
corner requires one hundred and twenty
five to secure it. Pay! why, certainly.
The biggest tea company in the cOun-
try, the Atlantic aud Pacific, have
agencies all over the United States CIV
ing away china and majolica ware with
their teas and coffee. The North
American spends thousands of dollars
that way, also"
"Caadidly, does the customers pay
for this ware%'
"Well," laughing, "the profit has got
to come in somewhere"
Said a well known dealer in adver-
Using novelties: ats wonderful how
this craze for premiums has grown in
the last five or six years. You can
scarcely find woman who will pur-
chase from store that offers no in
| durements IN the way of checks or
| gaudN plaques. Every new nOveltyiiS
met by the inquiry, Where did you get
| il" and the house presenting II has a
| rush Of trade until some other firm in
! PRODUCES something more seductive
| Almost any promiuC mt retail dry goods
\ dealer will verify this statement, and
! there i not one that does not wish the
| thing had never been introduced. Fancy
| lithOgTaph CARTS at first suihced TO ORA"
| trade, but the stores have We'd with
each other Introducing fresh nOveltie'
| until many Of the things now giveI
away ale real works of art and manu-.
featured especially for ind vliua
| houses
Some dealers have less faith in at
fractions aesthetic and rely for increased
patronage on things tOOthsome. -
| box of candy to every purchaser OF
dCllar's worth or upward" is the mag
| net that attracts customers to severa
! uptown shoe stores. A West Philadel
| phia shOe-dealer gave away over thlr
| Teen hundred boxes Of candy last year
The ladies are the best customers. 81
pleases their fancy-and their palates,
/ e said, sententiOusly. Sometimes thu
foxes are deceptive IN app 'arance, bu
hat is the fault of the ma 1ltacturer
and any undue pr, portion OF space il
! the box must be ascrIOeu to tn shrink
| age of sweetmeats. Still IL draws, anC
| that is the principal thing.
A shoe store at No. 324 South street
recently closed out, had a novel methoC
Of attracting trade. A photograph gal
lery was fitted up in the attic and ever.
purchaser Of q pair of shoes was entitled
TO check for a photograph. Over
| thousand checks were used. Last sum
mer a Broadway, New York, clothing
house gave every customer ticket 10
Couey Island. Much the same ide'
animates the business tactics Of a cigar
dealer at Eighth and Paramount ave
nue.. "a ticket for the Mennercho
| Garden and good Havana cigar for =
cents" Is the legend on big plaearC
that attracts the wandering eye OF TIT
music-loving smoker. =,
A Vine street dentist influences TRADE
| by giving teeth on trial. Now and ther
| a man getsa set hallOwed by the peanu
crunchings and ordinations OF hi
| sweetheart, who has used them before
| This takes, too. Agents, ambitious u
sell, leave sewing machines on trial 10
a month. 1t costs nothing. Sometime
the wicked public takes advantage o
the unSophiscated agent. Certain
females take machine on trial ever,
| spring and fall. These are tue seasons
when the all-absOrbing dress maxim!
holds full sway in city households. AT
ter the work is done the machine 4
found to be unsatisfactory. This IS
case of the public getting square on al
| acknowledged nuisance. Plaster bust
were esSayed by one enterprising firm
They cost too much. Better success
was met bys man in city market wh'
gave his customers q check on the eat
ing-stand for cup of coffee. A LITTLE
store On Girard avenue recently woI
local fame and coined money by givini
plate Of ice-eream to purchasers OF
dollars worth. A jeweler on Frankfort
evenue gives those who deal With hin
check, emitting heholder toa chanc'
on gold watch. A number of watches
have been disposed Of in this way
Philadelphia Times.