The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-08-22
John WANAMAKER'S.
Store News.

1t is a hard time for mer-
chants, especially for manu-
facturers; and by a hard
time we mean a time when
they are losing money rather
than making. This is the
general fact. Amerchant who
bought his goods six months
ago is sure to be losing now;
a manu- facturer who is at
work on stuff that is already
too plenty is worse off than
the merchant. Such is the
condition of most merchants
and manufacturers now for
a few months.
Wholesale merchants and
manufa cturers, both, are
holding great quantities of
almost everything in trade;
holding--not for better prices
for buyers. Buyers are
scarce, because merchants
have got already more than
they can sell. There is gen
eral stagnation.
But this very condition of
things affords a signal oppor-
tunity for a merchant who is
not burdened with goods
and has the requisite outlet.
He can buy any quantity of
the most desirable merchan-
disc, undersell the retail
market, and still make a
profit. This is our condition
exactly.
We sell in a year more
than four times the quantity
of goods we now have in
stock; and our sales are
going to be more, not less;
because we adapt our buying
and selling to the times we
are in. We spoke of max
ing a profit on these low
prices. Not always. We
are not smart enough to
Judge correctly beforehand
always. When we miss the
best thing, we try the next
best. When we find we
have bought on a falling
market, we hasten to sell at
a loss, instead of waiting
after the ancient fashion; but
the outgoing tide of trade
here carries the wrecks off
so quickly that we do not
stop to grieve over losses.
Time is emphatically money
where events develop SO fast
What is the result, that we
ask you to read of our.prob-
lens and tactics? Why, the
result is that here is a differ
ent condition of things from
what you expect of the gene
raj dulness. 1t is said to be
dull; no trade. 1t isn't dull
here, not even in August o.
a very hard summer. Every
body is holding his or he'
money a little more firmly
everybody is a little more
cautious in paying it out
That is all in our favor. The
harder the time and the more
cautious people become, thu
more readily they go to ;
place where advantage tum
bles to their side Of the bar
gain with the solidest guar
antee (money back if the.
want) on the top of il
We are not old enough ye
to be quite sure of the fact
but it looks as if hard time
were actually good for II
here, as if people might nee
the stimulus of fear to brinl
out the fullness Of their est
mate of what we are steadil
doing in good times and bae
The store is full of mel
chandise; and the prices ar
what our view of the oppoI
tunity makes them, 1t is nc
a time for the quickest thing
of fashion. 1t is a time 70
getting almost all the sui
stantial staple things to wea
and keep house with. 1t
a time to make money b
spending it. 1t is a time fo
caution but the caution is t
be shown in choosing whs
you buy, and the bargai
you make. And surely whe
the bottom appears to b
reached in goods, and tn
top Of the purchasing .rowe
in money, and people ar
trying to be watchful an
wise-that is our time t
advertise, to tell as nearly a
we can what is going on here