The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-01-31
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
A CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE OF MOD.
ERIN COMMERCIAL LIFE.

OF Date For the Mailing of Catalogues
Circulars and sampies-Tho Reasons
For the Discontinuance of Their Use.
One of the curious circumstances of
modern commercial life is the passing
OF the one-cent stamp. 1t is rapidly
going out of date for the mailing of
catalogues, circulars, samples aud
other matter sent through the post
Office in large quantities by business
houses, and many concerns have ceased
to use it altogether. A few days ago
reporter dropped in at the private
Office of one of the leading retail
establishments of this city, says the
New Orleans Times Democrat. and
observed bushel basket of freshly
addressed envelopes in one corner. A
busy clerk was decorating each with a
two-cent stamp.
Those envelopes contain small
printed folders" said one of the
partners in the house, announcing
some winter novelties. There is not
q scratch of pen on any of them and
they could be sent just as easily for n
penny apiece. Az there are 5000 in
the lot, it would mean a saving of
just $50 in to-day's postage bill -
why the mischief don't you do it.
then?" asked the visitor.
because we have learned" said
the merchant, ''thatit doesn't pay. 1t
is one of the economies that don't
economize. Nowadays the average
busy man rarely opens an unsealed
envelope bearing q one-cent stamp.
lie knows without looking further that
1T contains advertising matter and
throws it into the waste basket at
once. Even if he opens it he does
so with a mind already prejudiced,
because the stamps proclaim that the
Enclosure is printed
"But why should that prejudice
him?" interrupted the reporter.
Because it destroys the individual
lty of the communication. Every man
likes to feel that he is addressed per
sonally, and if he knows in advance
that he isn't bad effect is made. It
is the difference between talking to
him in his private Office and talking to
him as one of crowd from platform.
This may seem like splitting hairs.
but advertising has become such an
art at present that absolutely nothing
must be overlooked. We put two
cent stamp on the envelope, Which in
sures 1t at least being opened. Then
we must depend on the attractiveness
OF the folder to interest the recipient.
I'VE have reduced the matter to n
very exact business basis" continued
the merchant. Take, for instance.
this particular bunch of mail. The
folders are gotten up quite hand
somely and cost us $l25 for the 5000.
or .! cents apiece. [ calculate that
four-tifths of them would be thrown
away If they went out with one-cent
stamps. That would be q clear loss
OF 500 for the Enclosures, $40 for
postage and, say, SIS for envelopes,
addressing and so on, making total
of S155. The increased cost of the
two-cent stamps is $50, but we are
certain that they will land one of the
folders in the hands of each person on
the list. The net saving is S1O5.
There is no sentiment or imagination
about the transaction. IT is a clear.
cold matter of arithmetic. We
formerly used the one-cent stamp
wherever we could, but experience and
close observation have taught us that
it was bad policy"
The reporter talked to several other
business men on the subject ard found
them of practically the same opinion.
The change is largely DUE" said a
well-known wholesaler, ''to the in
creased cost of advertising matter in
tended for distribution through the
mails. Not long age most business
houses contented themselves with very
simple pamphlets giving prices and
perhaps embellished with few small
cuts. The whole thing was cheaplv
gotten up, printed on very ordinary
paper and cost mere trifie. Tie
modern booklet as it is generally
called, is quite different affair. The
cover design is drawn by q first. class
artist, the illustrations are freouentlv
equal to those Of the magazines. and
the mater is probably prepared by a
high-priced expert Needless to saw.
the mechanical work must be in
accord, and the expense of such a
publication is serious item. Here.
for instance, is one of our special
catalogues, with pictures Autographed
in six cOlors. The silk ribbon drawn
through the back alone cost more than
the old-time price list, all told. When
we incur such an outlay we must be
reasonably certain that the booklet is
at least seen by the people to whom
It IS addressed, and under the circum-
stances it would be foolish TO use n
one-cent stamp. That would Mt once
suggest something cheap and com
mon
But we use two-cent stamp at
present." he continued, go carry
even a simple little slip giving certain
shipping directions to our customers.
Our idea is that it catches the eve Of
the man we are after. A good many
busy men have their mail sorted by a
confidential clerk before they see il.
and unsealed envelopes with one-cent
postage are apt TO be thrown aside
then and there as Of no Importance.
II u has q twO-cent stamp. il ia fnirlv
certain TO remain in the batch that
reaches the head Of the house.
Samples Of dress goods were formerly
sent in unsealod envelopes. almost in.
Yariably, but they were 50 ant TO slim
out and get lost that the practice has
been generally abandoned. Some Of
these samples are quite expensive. and
1t doesn't pay to take chances"