The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-25
THE PRIZE ESSAY
On How to Sell
GoOds,
BY B. F. CUMMINGS, JR.
The Duties Of a Clerk to His
Employer.
WHOLESALER AND RETAILER.
The Re requisites of Successful Sales
man the Same as Those of
His Employer.
BY B. F. CUMMINGS, JR.
WHOLESALER AND RETAILER.
q The Re quisites of a Successful Sales
man the Same as Those of
His Employer.

Among the special prizes offered at
the late Territorial Fair was one of $25,
by Mr.. Spencer Clawson, the wholesale
merchant, for the best essay on How
to Sell Goods" The prize was won by
Mr.. B. +. Cummings, with the follow
ing:
HOW To SELL GOODS.
A moments reflection will serve to
show the infinite Importance of this
subject. 1t not only concerns the sales
man and merchant, but every member
of civilized society; for, as all members
of civiliz I'D communities are compelled
to purchase and consume merchandise,
it follows that all are interested in the
manner in which the merchandise they
buy is sold.
Methods of selling goods may be pur-
sued which are hurtful to the interests
of merchant and customer alike, and
which result in disappointment and in
jurv to the latter, and loss of custom
and final failure to the f,rl'r. 0: tn ;,
merchant may pursue a system which,
while yielding an excellent profit to
himself, will please, crafty and beneh
his customers, make them feel that they
can do better with him than elsewhere,
AMI so secure their permanent patron
age. How to avoid the results of one
method and secure those of the other
is comprised in the art of selling goods.
The process of selling the goods is in
timately connected, indeed begios with
that of buying them; for, as the proverb
has it, Goods we'll bought are half
sold" He, then, who would become a
successful seller of goods must first
learn how to buy them; and it is an open
question among merchants which
branch of their calling, buying or SELL
ing, requires the longer experience, the
shreWder judgment and the higher or
der of business ability. AS the present
purpo however, is to tire It o: the meth
DDS to be pursued in selling goods, il
will be assumed that the sock to be
disposed of has been well bought, is
suited to the wants IF the community
and ouIy awaits skillful and judicious
handling by the salesman, TO yield
satisfactory returns to the merchant.
MARKING THE GOODS.
One of the most important matters
connected with the mercantile business
is the marking of goods. In doing this,
three objects should be kept in view:
Profit to the merchant, ready sale, and
satisfaction to the customer. This last
object is often lost sight of, but we in
sisG that a policy on the part OF The
salesman which does not aim at secur-
ing satisfaction to the customer, is a
Ill I'll
prove disastrous to the dealer. A GUS
toner Will pay for a suit of clothes q
price which will yield to the merchant a
fair profit and yet be Content with his
bargain; but were a sack of sugar
marked to yield half as large profit, a
customer would feel that an attempt had
been made to impose upon him. On
some kinds of goods then, customers
will willingly allow the merchant good
profit, but others they will purchase
only at very small margin above cost.
1t is the duty of the salesman to con-
slider all the circumstances attendant
upon this feature of his business, as,
the amount the capital invested ought
to earn, the probable amount OF the
years sales, the running expenses OF
the establishment, the kinds OF goods
handled, the competition to be me-, the
class OF trade to be catered to, what will
and will not satisfy his customers, etc.
A volume could be written upon this
one feature of mercantile business, but
practical experience and native good
iudgm ut are the only means by which
a salesman can become proficient in it.
Having considered every circum-
stance which ought to influence him in
marking the goods, the salesman should
make his prices and then adhere to
thea. A rumor that house has two
or more prices, according to the Gus
toner who is buving, will spread
RAPIDLY, and soon create a distrust very
hurtfui to it's business. 1t IS unfair,
unidentified, and downright dishonest
to make different prices to different
customers. other things being equal,
sue as quantity, time, etc. Uniform
dealing, one price houses command a
respect ana confidence among GUS
toners which sliding scale dealers
never enjoy.
G lreful investigation has shown that,
in nearly all cases of bankrupt retail
dealers, large proportion OF the goods
on their shelves were unmarked, aud
hencein a condition of confusion which
could not but result in loss and disaster.
The retail dealer who puts his goods on
the shelves without msrking them, is
tolerably certain to learn by bitter ex-
perience, sooner or later, the folly of his
course. And the wholesale dealer who
fails to keep a suitable record of prices,
as e. market fuctuates, is emitting
vital feature of success.
THE WHOLESALE SALESMAN.
Whether employed in the establish
ment at home or sent tout on the
road" in the capacity of what is called
a drummer, the first duty of the whole
sale salesman is to make himself
thoroughly and perfectly familiar with
the entire stock of goods in the depart
ment, or house, in which he is en-
pIoyed. If an article is mentioned, he
shnuld be able to state instantly
whether or not it is in stock. It is of
the utmost importance that he should
be thoroughly posted on prices, and