The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-09
1t Pays a Druggist to Give Customers What
They Want

Nearly every one who sets out to buy
| any advertised medicine at the drug
store knows what it is to be met with
the assertion: mo. we haven't that, but
here's something else just as good" Per
maps the remark is added: I'VE put II
up ourselves" or, ITS a larger bottle
for the money"
What the druggist says usually sounds
quite reasonable, and as often as not the
purchaser goes out OF the store with a
package of something different from
what was asked for.
If this only happens once or twice II
doesn't seem to amount TO much, bu:
when a dozen people in one day go to
the same store and ask for bottle OF
Zones Tonic" for example, and are
given something else, and when this re-
suit is multiplied by thousand drug
cists in q thousand different towns, the
proprietors of Jones Tonic" naturally
get to feel pretty mad about IT,
They argue in this way: 1--WE spend a
srea. deal OF money advertising IN the
papers 20 let people know about out
tonic When they go to drug store
TO get Il, it is our advertising which
sends them, ard ii is no more than fair
to us that the druggist sell them what
they ask for"
Seine druggists agree with this view,
ana some do not. One druggist says:
Business is business. that's all. There's
no earthly reason why I shouldn't sell
preparation I put up myself in prefer
ence tc selling one that is advertised in
the papers. I know what mine is made
Of. and think i: is just as good, II not
better. Why shouldn't 1 say so, and sell
Il il I caa?'
Many millions OF dollars are spent ev-
cry year in the business OF making and
selling proprietary medicines. and in
spite Of frequent skept,cal sneers, some
OF these remedies are originated and pre-
pared by experienced physicians and
s,<illtul chemists OF genuine scholarly
attainmAnts. Some druggists who pos
sess a comparatively small capital are
inclined to look upon proprietary con-
Germ as If Il were big trust or powerful
enemy 20 be resisted. but On the other
hand. an increasing number OF drug
sis:s take the view thar a widely adver-
Used proprietary remedy Of real merit
IS a powerful ally % the retail drug
gist.
one druggist who was interviewed 'on
he subject said: Il always sell people ex
ac:ly VIVA. they ask to- Il l have =
When any one simply asks for a coed
tonic or a good cough medicine or any
thing in that general way. IL = is thing
pG, up myself, sell then, Saa; II can.
BIZ If any oEe asks especially TO-
'Jencs'' sell him Jones' aE5 nothing
else I know that people don; Ike %
be switched off on % a different thing
from what they ask for. They may take
the something e,se. bat they're not salts
fed. and they go somewhere else 81
otner time. and you lose part q their
trade know this is 50. fo- I've watch
ed il. I know that substituting sone-
thing e,-e q; what people ask fCr
doesn't pay the Drugs; il he long
rla.-
Ta.s sounds ike far play ani ssoi
business sense con5inei- The draggiss
has a perfectly legal right - sell re
soo5s lie favors. o. w1ich pay hin ne
bes- profit; yeS IL ne advertising q a
certain proprietary article IS ,ae direct
means o. ssa3.-g 9 customer % lis