Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1896-04-02
COMPETITION IN INFERIOR GOODS
The London Ironmonger Comments oil
Il. Frank Ireland's Talk at saginaw.

Il. Frank Ireland's Talk at saginaw.
At the recent meeting in Saginaw,
U. s. A., of the Michigan Hardware
Association, an excellent paper was
read by Mr.. Il. +. ireland, Bedding, on
'How to Overcome Competition in the
sale of Inferior Goods by irresponsible
Dealers" Mr.. Ireland treated his sub
ject in an admirable manner, and as
there are few ironmongers In this coun-
try who are not troubled by the compe
tition OF irresponsible dealers" in
the shape of present-giving grocers
oilmen. and general dealers, we are
tempted to quote some of the more
salient passages of Mr.. Ireland's paper
He took it for granted that the sale of
inferior goods has increased greatly
during the last few years. With less
ened incomes consumers must, and do.
buy cheaper goods, and this class Of
goods is largely handled by irresponsi-
BILE persons. In the State of Kansas
the hardware-dealers seemed to look TO
the State for relief, but in his opinion
that was not the remedy. He would
meet his competitors on their own
ground. He says
II in your locality inferior goods
must be sold, sell them yourself
Don't push cheap or inferior goods.
Carry full stock of straight,
legitimate hardware, and sell it; then
put in cheap goods according to the re-
quirements of your trade. Have the
inferior goods to make comparison
with your best goods If necessary, and
make the price the same as your com
petitor and no lower. Meet him on his
own level. Do not say that the staid
and reliable hardware dealer is never
found in such company
Amongst the weapons essential to en-
sure success he especially enumerated
enthusiasm-believing that to be "bet-
ter than knowledge and better than
wealth" Buy your goods right, show
them properly, talk them earnestly,
and sell at profit; these were also
points OF prime Importance Mr.. Ire
land remarked, further:-
Don't cut the price OF first class hard
ware to meet the price of COMPETE
tors Junk" Price-cutting never
means success. Remember that people
have that consuming, everlasting de-
sire to get goods below the marked
price. Have goods that you can sell
them at their price. . To some u
first-class plated spoon would appear
dear at per cent profit, while the same
parties would call plain nickle spoons
cheap at 33t per cent profit. Be honest
with them. Don't trade upon the cred
ulity Of the public. Have the goods to
suit their pocket-books and sell them
for what they are. Any other course
will prove boomerang. Sell some
good novelties: they draw trade.
Small household novelties, properly
pushed, have built up large establish
ments. BE an up-to-date dealer. BE
ahead OF your back-numper competitor
who runs dust-covered concern down
the street. Everybody knows you sell
nails. Another weapon must be grit.
Have lots OF sand. Mark out a policy
and follow it up. Keep your temper.
Don't get mad. Don't blow What
ever your competitor may do never let
him know that you are paying u parti-
Gle Of attention to him. Do not adver-
tise him or his goods by talking about
him or them, unless it be in friendly
way Make his acquaintance. BE
friendly and accommodating
To some this way of putting the mat
ter may seem very Yankeefied, and not
adapted for British tastes and necessi-
ties. 1t is emphatic, no doubt, but 1t
is good advice all the same, and such
of our readers as are bothered with
cheap competition might do worse than
consider they cannot adopt IL with con-
siderable advantage TO themselves.
--
Society Is hnman nature nj its hast.