Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-27
TRADING STAMP SCHEME.
Portland Retail Merchants Talking Over
Grievances
portland Express.)

This afternoon. shortly after 2 O'Clock,
the retail merchants of the city who
are up in arms over the trading stamp
scheme met in the reception hall of city
building to air their grievances. About
70 OF the merchants were in attendance.
and appearances indicated IL lively
meeting. Lawyer Seiders. who is attor-
ney for the stamp company looked in the
door a moment to see TO what extent the
meeting was growing. while down in the
corridor of the building .nervously paced
Treasurer Osborne of the stamp company.
The plan to be outlined in the meeting,
after plenty of discussion was to appoint
| a committee of nvestigation to see in
| just what particulars the stamp company
had viola ted the contract. .5t-Tf
The retail dealers seem to b in the war
fare to stay. "Of course we realize that
we have signed a contract for year.
said one of the dealers this morning,
but We don't feel that the contract is
binding as the purposes and results of the
same We're. in a measure. msstated to
us when the original proposition was adj
vanced.''
One of the largest furniture dealers in
the Cit said they entered into the con-
tract with the idea that it would increase
the cash sales. which it has not. I'VE
have to give stamps to those who pay by
the way just the same. and naturally cash
customers object. Another thing that OPP
crates against the system is the. low fig
ure at which we have to sell Large con-
signments. For instance. if a party
comes into the store and wants to buy a
large lot of furniture it is rarely that we
can let them have it at the regular prices.
They invariably want comfortable dis
count for cash and this we have to give
them. and then. on top of that. they
| want stamps. which we positively refuse
to give them. AS we understood the
scheme from the start the stamps were
n h and
those who paid the full market price for
goods. To give them a discount and a
stamp too. is crowding the mourners a
trifle. we think. On our cash sales alone
we pay the Trading Stamp Company be-
tween $40 and $75 a week.
Another merchant said he understood
there We're to be no other companies in
the field. Now the Merchants Coupon
Company has swung out the banner, with
the result that practically all the mer-
chants are in one scheme or the other.
and all are placed on the same level-all
paying five per cent of the cash sales into
either the coupon or the stamp company.
One dealer said the only reason he signed
the contract was to prevent competitor
from adopting the same plan, but now
theNall have it, and one dealer has prac-
Ucally no advantage over the other.
Itappears that the Trading Stamp Com
pany was very careful to make yearly
contracts with all their patrons, so that
they Will be Obliged 10 continue the plan
for that length of time. The Merchants
Coupon Company makes no contracts.
leaving the patrons to continue or discon-
tinue whenever they please They have
made one exception to this rule. however
IN the case OF clothing dealer in Monu-
ment square with whom they have signed
papers for Il year on condition that no
other clothing store in Monument square
should be allowed to adopt the plan.
tcW days after the signing of the con-
tract, Il solicitor, not Knowing what had
already happened. sold 5000 or 1000 stamps
to another clothing dealer near by, where
| upon the hrst dealer with whom the con-
| tract was made set UP righteous howl