The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-14
SALT LAkER OPPOSES
TRADING STAMP SCHEME
To The Salt Lake Herald:

To The Salt Lake Herald:
The writer is aware that trading
stamps are much in use among ali
| classes of merchants and presumed 10 be
OF some benefit TO the consumer and
merchant alike. However, from long ex-
perience with retail trade have arrived
at the conclusion that 1t is merely graft
OF trading stamp. companies. accrLing TO
their benefit only
The stock in trade of one of these COM
panies Is based upon the purchase by
the merchant OF 5000 stamps 1t 3l2 per
cent of the face value. costing $3.50. If
every buyer Of . goods Is given his or
her proportion Of stamps. one book of
5.e@ stamps will represent 500 in pur-
trading stamps from the merchant and
buying $500 worth OF goods. would be en-
titled tn 5000 stamps. But how many pur-
ehasers of goods relatively. would earn
such an amount? Indeed how many
would earn or be entitled to one-flfth of
that amount? Very few
The incentive for saving these stamps
Is that the holders are entitled TO pre-
minms in value BASED upon the number
TO be redeemed. For instance. the holder
of one stamp can get the magnificent
prize OF one Steek pen. The buyer of 50
cents worth of goods can get common
lead pencil which any merchant would
be pleased to give the customer for the
mere asking. saving car fare to the clamp
companys dispiay s. rooms. If the customer
saves $50 stamps representing purchases
6onbon box. either of doubtful value.
| This. in autshell, is the principle on
which the trading stamp proposition is
based.
The large majority of customers of any
store are small buyers. Out Of leo Gus
toners probably not over one-fourth
would deal with any particular store In
I way to earn any great number of
stamps. Most customers are but Indiffer-
eHt patrons. at best, and the trading
stamp Is not A sufficient incentive TO
make any great percentage of them steady
Gust toners. such as the promoters of
In fact. il is well known that fully 50 per
cent OF the trading stamps distributed
are never redeemed. Who loses IN this
transaction. and who is winner? The
merchant is being played for The sucker
and il he has not investigated the fake,
nibbles quite freely.
The progressive merchant of today, who
has tried the trading stamp feature will
testify that there is vastly more good OBJ
tanned by placing in the hands of patrons
the best goods to be obtained for the
money approaching at all times that no
merchant can succeed unless he has good
patrons. A good patron is one who trusts
his or her merchant. feeling that value
Will be given. The radiating lpIluence or
such a policy IS far-reaching. and II is
the substantial road to more prosperous
conditions. A good merchant also has a
principle in business. a policy Of fairness.
that permeateS every department. This
policy is one entirely beyond the dollars
and cents in the business. but. of course,
he must make money to succeed. His
success comes naturally from his high
/ ideals which are so fair that his GUS
toners are bound to be impressed. The
best dollar is the one earned IN the beSI
manner and the exalted position of such
| a merchant besides being right. Is Of
much greater value than any a1veTtising,
/ IN my opinion. received through the use
of trading stamps. Yours very truly.
s. M. b.