The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-01-13
Dry Goods by Mail.

The plan of selling goods by sample
and sending them through the mail to
customers is carried on by large num-
Der of business firms throughout the
country. The facilities offered to peo-
pie residing at distance from the city
no doubt may seem beneficial, but in
the end the persons buying by sample
and having the goods sent to them
through the mail will find that they
would be better satisfied if they bought
what they wanted from the local mer-
chant, even if they had to pay small
advance on the price which the metro
politan merchant would charge them.
To find out what some of the merchants
had to say in regard to this plan, a rep
resentative of this paper called on
member of large firm doing business
uptown, and who make a specially of
selling goods by sample. Inanswer to
question as to whether his patrons were
pleased with the goods that were sent
to them through the mail, he said: "I
have found that we have received very
few complaints from people buying
goods in this way. Our patrons can
tell what goods they want by examin-
ing the samples that are sent them.
They can make their selections just as
well from the sample as if they saw the
whole piece of goods. For instance, a
lady desires dress. She writes to us
and informs us what line or pattern she
prefers. We send her perhaps dozen
samples, each one of which is as near to
the style of goods asked for as we can
judge from her letter. BY this means
the customer can select any shade or
style that may suit her taste" 60 Is this
means of doing business advantageous
from pecuniary point of view?" " We
find that it has increased our trade
nearly thirty per cent, and that it has
brought us customers from all parts of
the country" edo you think that this
plan Injuries the trade of the local mer-
chant?' " This l cannot answer, be-
cause 1 have not given the question
any consideration. A member of
another large business house was inter-
viewed, and said: g think that this
sample business is nuisance, and does
more harm than good. Those who buy
goods in this way would find that they
could buy cheaper of their local mer-
chants and be better satisfied. The
sending of samples puts us to great
deal of inconvenience, and, for my part,
/ would like to see it discontinued. OF
course we are compelled to do it, be-
cause our competitors do. People APP
ply to us for samples and expect us to
send them clippings from every variety
of goods in our store. This we do some-
times, losing considerable money!"
" Would not people be just as well sat
isfied if they ordered what they wanted
without seeing samples?" g Yes, they
would, if they gave full description of
the goods desired; and then another
thing, they would stand chance of get
ting better bargains eff any one
should come to you and ask your advice
about buying by samples, what would you
say?" g would tell them to go and select
what they wanted from the store of the
local merchant, even if they should be
compelled to pay little more than what
the city merchant would charge. In the
end it amounts to the same thing. The
person sending for samples is compelled
to pay postage on several letters, and
when the goods are shipped the post
age or eXpressage is charged on the
bill" Several other concerns were
called upon and questioned in regard to
this plan, and, although they sold
large quantity of goods in this way, they
all pronounced it a nuisance. The only
way that we can see by which the out
of-town merchants can meet this oppO-
sition and stop this encroachment upon
their rights, is by making their stocks so
attractive that their customers cannot
help but buy what is placed before them,
and by keeping abreast with the times
by having constantly on hand all the
latest novelties and newline of goods
Fancy Goods Graphic.