The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1903-01-14
SHOPPING BY MAIL.


can get bargains, and it is difficult tc
convince them otherwise. The great
center of this mail order trade is Chicago
and therefore the following from Chic.
ago paper is particularly timely:
THE goods supplied by most mail or
der houses are of inferior quality, us
ually second or special under goods, man
ufactured especially for that trade. Ar
industry that has proved very profitable
to few Individuals, but serious loss to
the people in the small Towns who think
they save something by going around
their own local trader Empty stores
and empty decaying houses and barns
in the smaller places are the results of
these mistaken people who by the big
mail order houses are dubbed country
Jay trade" This is very much in evil
dence in the mining towns where very
little local pride is felt. The trader in
small place can sell just as cheap as
the mail order houses do, when the ex-
press and freight charges are taken into
account. But usually they do not dare
to fill orders to their customers with the
inferior make OF goods that the mail or.
der fellows do There is no condition of
our country so seriously detrimental to
the welfare of the country people as the
big taking mail order honses Of the large
cities. but the 'chep guys of the
small places think il 1t only comes from
away it is better than home grown" or
furnished by the home dealer; SO he
| cheapens his own surroundings with his
money"
This is severer arrangement of the
mail order house than probably many
OF the home merchants themselves would
venture upon, inasmuch as people might
say they were prejudical. Coming, how
ever from Chicago paper, and evident
ly written by one who knows, it is we'll
worthy OF consideration. While 1t is
true that sums yearly sent out of Baker
City to mail order houses are as large
and eat into the home trade, that
very fact that in Baker City at least it is
not general custom is significant.
Usually the sending away for goods is
desultory practice on the part of most
people. The housewife, after bomb
ment of circulars. may see something she
wants 80 cheap" and off goes on or
der as trial. We venture to say that
in 80 cases ont of hundred the goods
are unsatisfactory in some way, and pro-
badly in a few more trials the shopper by
mail returns TO the home merchant
thoroughly cured. If shopping by mail
were such good thing as advertised the
business has been long enough going to
demonstrate its merits conclusively.
The bulk of the country or provincial
city people would be trading that way.
But experience shows that in the long
run this way of doing business is not
satisfactory Naturally the Chicago and
other mail order house will thrive. Their
territory is the civilized world and a new
crop OF suckers are grown every day.
But the home merchant il he keeps his
stock up to the standard, and deals
honorably with his customers will never
suffer seriously by reason of the "shop- |
ping by mail" Most people who have
tried 1t are glad in in the end patronize
the home merchant. They get tired of
being buncoed all the time.
With the building up of such ex-
cellent establishments in Weiser as
Sommercamp's, Morris Sommer's
Cordelle's, Alexander's, Wallis and
our hardware establishments and
other places, in dry goods and hard
ware, which are the main lines that
take money away, we believe
the mail order business to foreign
houses is declining in this vicinity
although still existing to some extent
Our home merchants are keeping
pace with the growth Of the country.
If not in advance of it, and the pur-
chasing taste of the people is under.
going a change which cannot be met
by the mail order class of goods and
that manner of purchasing is giving
way to desire to inspect and know
hat desirable quality of goods is
being obtained for the money. and
The people find that to do this it is
necessary to visit the very excellent
establishments growing up in Weiser.
ana why should it not be SO?
Money sent out OF the country is
gone entirely and steadily depletes
The cash circulation, where there are
lot corresponding sources of draw
ng money into the country. The
home merchant buys property,
'uiios residences and brick blocks
md creates permanent taxable re-
ources and adds to the fixed proper
y assets of the county, and 1t is {
reciprocal business proposition to t
leal with him, and business competi. t
Ion is the guarantee that he is sell. v