The evening times., 1900-09-13

SOUTH AFRICAN TRADE.
.ps 'rhes Vow Exist De
~crih.d in Detail.

10 the Siale Department, quotes an article
in KahloMs German Trade Review
dealing with tade conditions in South
Africa lie thinks it viii be of interest
10 American firms. The article follows
The inilu0 of commercial travellers
from Europe and America into South
Africa has been especially noteworthy of
late years. In 1898, about SEQ licenses
were granted TO commercial travellers in
the Cape alone. Although commercial
travellers enjoy certain privileges on the
railways, inasmuch as they may travel
first class at second-cla rates and are
granted reductions in respect to their lug
gage, yet their expenses are as rule
fairly high
The cost of license in Cape Colony is
$121 annually: iii British BechuanaIand
$48; in Natal, from January /, 1899, $f8.
Some German firms have already adopted
the system Cf other competing countries
and pay the agents who introduce their
goods fixed salary besides commission,
with additions for travelling. advertising,
etc. Travellers for single firms or for
combinations OF firms have to be support
ed literally by their principals, if they are
to be successful The South African Com
merciai Travellers Association was re-
Gently formed in Cape Town, TO protect
the interests of travellers; its members
soon numbered 800.
The travellers of larger houses as a rule
visit only important wholesale and import
ing firms; these are situated principally at
the ports. and in some of the larger inland
towns. owing to the keenness OF cnmpeti-
tion, some commercial travellers have sold
goods on credit TO small inland firms: but
there is considerable risk about business OF
this kind as many of the smaller firms are
not supported by sufficient capital and are
too ready to engage in larger transactions
than their means justify, and il is not ad-
Yisabte to depart from the usual plan OF
selling only TO importing firms or agents.
The usual tour of commercial travellers in
South Africa is as follows: Cape Town,
Port Elizabeth, Gran-Reinet Middleburg
tCape Colony, Grahamst0wn, East Lon
don, King Williams Town. Queenstown
Durham, Pietermaritzburg Pretoria. Pots
chefstrom, Kimberley Boemfontein Beau
fort, west, Cape Town, or in the inverse
direction, direct from Cape Town 10 the
north and back by the eastern route Many
commercial travellers start from DeIagoa
Bay and visit the TTansvaaI before going
south. Expenses amount to from sl216 TO
$l4-59 per day along the lines of railway.
and are correspondingly more on other
routes.
Commercial travellers and representa-
tives should be furnished with complete
assortments OF patterns and samples The
more familiar types meet with ready sale
The establishment of sample depots is said
to answer. Americans especially attach
Importance to exhibiting their samples to
example machines and ag-
ricuturai appliances are shown at work
whenever practicable. Although the OUTLAY
IN establishing such depots is often very
haxy
ratIve ii they are intelligentIy and en-
ersetcally managed. In this respect. as
Well as IN the selection of agents and rep
resentatIFes, economy Is a mistake
Great attention should be paid to ad-
FertIsing, which plays a great part in
commerce II South Africa as we'll as in
O her Erstish-spea king countries. Poor
ly prepared placards and catalogues say
little for. the goods they refer 70 and
their manufacture. Exporters should.
Ike those OF other countries send suit
abie circulars or cards with each con-
sIgnment of goods. when the nature OF /
the goods allows OF this course Adyer-
tlsements for outside Of buildings. etc.
should ne weather proof and made Of
sheet iron or similar material CataI- /
ogues and price lists should be we'll
printed and on good paper. and if pro
Flded with illustrations these should he /
printed in the best style An importer
will not throw aside q we'll prepared /
catalogue, but will keep il for frequent (
Inference. so that a durable binding
should be provided.
Price lists. catalogues. etc. of what /
ever kinds. should be drawn up IN Eng
lish and German. If they are intended to .
reach the Boer population, the .TaaP (
dutch African dialect} should be used.
All these points. on which local repre- /
the country well in /
each particular case-would be able to /
give the best information should be /
serupuiously observed by manufacturers |
and exporters. or their interests will /
suffer and the work OF their agents he /
rendered difficult or impossible.
complaints are freQue ntly heard OF
careless and faulty packing of goods or /
dered. The following rules should be
observed:
Packing should never > left to inax- |
hands. and should be effected
n exact accordance with the wishes Cf the
customer. and only such material as he
specifies should be used to fill the inter
=tices between the articles in a package
+, for example, an importer requests that
bottles of acid should be packed in car
Donate of lime, it will not do to pack them
n shaVlngs- Only good. strong boxes
'hGuid be used for packing, about forty Or
ifty inches square, and under no circurl-
itanceS should boxes be selected which
ire tool rage for the goods they are 10
contain. and empty spaces should ALWAYS
le avoided. Several smaller boxes are
'refer&b bic to one large one At port /
owns there are facilities for unloading |
tic, but packages have often to be sent
ong distances in the interior b. wagon |
when they are subjected 10 rough hand
ing
The external covering OF the goods in
he boxes should be as far as possible wa
erproof, and each separate package
hould be wrapped in good packing paper.
The articles themselves should, whenever
practicable, be packed in cardboard boxes
nd the like; for example knives and scis |
ors should be fastened on cards Instead I
# being wrapped in untidy looking brown |
'aper- Articles got up in this wav are
aoTe attractive to buyers, and remain
resentable, even though subjected to fire.
uent handling
Terms on which business is done vary |
II South Africa as in other countries
'Tedit of from three to six months is as !
rule, accorded to firms of gcoi reputa-
ion. Some houses settle against bills of
aiding at thirty, sixty, NINETY, or one
uEdred and twenty days sight; Others
ay cash through German or English
ouses on sale OF the goods. The amount of
redit TO be given should OF course ne reg
Hated according TO the circumstances of
ach case. and manufacturers who have
ever before done a direct export trade To
outh Africa should make Thorough
tudy of the market and all relative cir
or else leave direct trade to
experienced exporters. The chief poir- is
nd always will De, to supply the CUSTOM