The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-05
THEY DIDN'T ADVERTISER

The New York Sun a day or two ago
contained the following news item:
Since Christmas there have been ten
failures reported Of concerns that made a
speciality of goods intended for holiday
presents. Some Of these concerns carried
large stocks, and Were entitled TO the
designation big. In one or two in
stances the stocks were valued az more
than s250.000 The noticeable thing about
each Of the collapsed concerns is that il
did not advertise in the newspapers.
The stores that did advertise were
crowded with customers from the com
mencemcnt of the holiday season to the
hour of closing the night before Christ
mas. They all report the greatest holiday
business in years.
There are some storekeepers who as
sert that they do not need to advertise.
My grandfather made money as a meT-
chant, and he did not advertise" they say;
or they may put it on the ground that
their goods are Of such high merit that
they ought to attract custom because Of
their worth And then there are other
merchants who do not advertise because
they "caunot afford t."
All three ideas are erroneous, as applied
been a great advance all along the line
since grandfather" kept store. The
methods which he employed are fifty years
or more behind the times In the days of
"grandfather's" fourishing mercantile ca
rcer. the newspapers were not delivered
at residences They We're PLACID on
counter at The printing office, and subscrib-
crs went to the office and got their pa
pers Would that sort OF business go
now?
Long ago purchasers had the time and
patience to go to the office for their news
papers, and around from store TO store
and search for The articles needed They
do not do that way now. They have
neither the time not the patience. Wide
awake, progressive publishers and store
keepers have taught them an easier and
more satisfactory way of getting their in
formation and doing their shopping. The
daily newspapers are now employed as
| drummers They go into every house
hold. where they are cordially
welcome. They carry a descriptive list
Of things offered for sale, tell the prices,
and where the articles are TO De Iouhd
Before the prospective purchasers leave
| home. the mind has been made up re-
specting the goods wanted, the prices
charged are known, and also
where the articles are to be
had. In many households the
advertising pages of the morning papers
are the first read at breakfast by the Ia
dies of the family; and if man wishes to
purchase some certain article his first idea
! is to look into the newspaper to see who
has advertised that article and what it
costs.
The time is past when the customer ca
| tered to the storekeeper. The boot is on
the other leg now. and it is the customer
who must be looked up and informed re-
! speeding the things which he or she is in
! vited TO buy.
The cannot afford it" idea is pretty eff
fectively answered in the case of the ten
| New York failures. Would il not have
paid those store keepers to advertise If adj
vertising would have filed their stores
with customers? And is it not reasona-
bic to suppose that it would have had that
effect, since the stores which did adver-
tise were filed?