Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-02-07
SAVING MONEY.
A Few Facts about the Retail Trade.

wholesale produce dealer. He added,
reAectively: "That is, II they could
save up money to start in with, why,
if a man OF small means and small wages
would save up say $50, he could spend
it so as to make $50 more"
The reporter set out to learn what the
produce dealer meant. One OF firm OF
wholesale grocars braced himself against
q barrel and cogltated moment before
he replied to tho reporters question
"What per cent. do retailers in your
line add to the cost price OF their artl-
cles?' Finally he said:
"That is impossible to state. ldoubt
if the retailer can establish q regular or
permanent sellir 6 percentage. he has
to be guided by circumstances. Com
petition, customers, shrinkage, losses,
fluctuations aud number of causes
must guide him in selling goods. 1t
would undoubtedly simplifythe business
and make it safer if he could establish
definite percentage of profit with which
to handle goods, but / can think OF no
way for him to do. Are we wholesalers
similarly situated? Yes, to great ex-
tent. We also are influenced by many
extraneous circumstances. Sometimes
we actually lose money on what we sell,
on some things we make nothing, and
on other lines secure profit OF from
one to ten per cent So, it we are 30
subjected to irregular influences OF
trade, you can readily appreciate how
the retailer must be influenced"
A salesman in another wholesale gro
cery said: 81 expect retailers sell as
they buy, and they buy all sorts of
ways. Much, you will notice, depends
on the salesman, and he's not going to
lose good customer for the sake of
keeping up price. No retailer likes to
lose money on any goods that will keep.
His soap at s. per box compels him to
sell at 6 cents cake; or, if he has
competitor in the next block, at 5 cents
cake"
The irregularity of prices charged at
different stores for the same goods be-
came apparent when the reporter started
out to inquire into it.
cts easily enough accounted for"
said another dealer. ''The goods we
deal in, and fresh meats are the same,
are constantly huctuating. One dealer
may be more fortunate in his purchase
than another, and so be able to under
sell him. A store that does an over the
counter business can't keep stiff prices.
That belongs to the order trade"
"Where the grocer gives the cook
diamond ring and the waiting maid
silk dress on New Years." remarked a
bystander.
Admitting that such could be DONE"
said the dealer, 81 don't see why it amt
Legitimate. Every man has right to
promote his trade
"What is the average profit of the
re all grocery business in New York
clty?' asked the reporter.
"That is impossible to figure on.
Returns run from loss to 100 per cent.
profit on some things. The only sure
thing about the business is that it is the
most laborious in the city. 1t opens
earlier, closes later, and has more hard
work, attention, care, and anxiety than
any other. Do these differing prices
affect people of moderate means, or
poor people? No, l should say not.
Poor and rich can buy the same guam
tlty, for the same price. 1t is the
quantity purchased at the time that
makes the difference. If you want to
find out what that is, sit down and
figure it out. A person of small means
buys potatoes by the quart, paying s
cents quart or Sc barrel. A man
with the money t. do it gets barrel for
S3.25. A quart of turnips for cents,
or So barrel. The other gets barrel
for S1.75. Red onions s to 10 cents a
quart, or Sc barrel; the other gets
barrel for 81 50. Flour at cents u
pound, OF 50 so a barrel; $3.50 buys the
barrel TOR the man with the money.
Beans II cents a quart, or Sll per
barrel; by the barrel, $3.50. Soap 5
cents cake, or S. per box; by the box,
Is cents, or $40 for a 30 ID. cheese,
while the other gets it for about So 60.
Good butter that the poor man pays 35
cents a pound for, or 81 for a 20 Id.
package, costs the other S., 60. Carrots,
by the quart, or 5 cent lots, will come
to SO per barrel, but by the quantity,
81 50 barrel. A pound of fair Hyson
costs the one 40 cents, or at the rate of
So for a 10 pound package; the other
gets 10 pounds fer S25O But you have
enough there to figure on. Some arti.
cles will come higher and some lower
than the figures you have. They not
only ttuctuate, but the percentage OF
profit grocer puts on his goods is
optional with himself. Canned goods
are sold wide apart, but the man who
buys by the case will save from 20 to so
per cent on the price paid for them by
the can at many places. And so with
numerous other things. When a grocer
sell by the large quantity or package, he
knows Just what he is doing, but in
small quantities he runs indefinite
chances and takes risks.
"The figures given to the purchaser
by large quantities are not wholesale
prices. but prices at which The retailer
can and does sell and handle his goods
at profit. You notice that on the
average the purchaser in small quantities
pays over 40 per cent. more than the
other. Iu some articles, such as spices
and the like, the percentage against the
small buyer is even greater"
"And the retailer pockets the differ
ence?" said The reporter.
"No, that CONVEYS very erroneous
impression. While the poor man suffers
the loss, it is no gain to the grocer.
Ten customers purchasing each barrel
OF potatoes at profit to the grocer of
80 cents on the barrel, gives him S.
profit, whereas ten customers each buy
ing quart Of potatoes at eight cents
would make him but 40 cents profit.
The losses incurred, the risks run, the
use of money invested, and the trouble
of handling and other things have to be
all taken into consideration when you
consider a gro er's price by small
quantity, His increased percentage is
eaten up in the losses and extra ex.
penses."
A coal dealer said he did not sell by
the bucket, but by tie 10O.pound sack.
Coal was 40 cents sack, which made it
come in that shape to IS ton. He de-
iivered coal by the ton al Sc.
"Then man buying it by the ton
saves S2?" said the reporter.