The Frankfort roundabout., 1908-02-22
MERCHANTS
ieSpOIISibIe for Present Mail
Order Evil
cILlTIEs FOR ATTRACTING
CUSTOM ARE AT HIS CON-
MAND.

tie influence of the big four-pouni
alouges sent broadcast over the
and by the houses located in the big
cities, and which, strange to say, re-
fuse to sell goods to the residents OF
the cities in which they are located.
There is no mysterious element in
these bulky paper books. From cover
to cover they are filed with pictures
and with prices and descriptions of
goods. 1t is the power of printers
ink that is the only magnet, and this
magnet can be used by merchants
everywhere. The publishers of these
great catalogues do business running
we'll up toward the fifty millions year.
ly. All their success has been in the
ink they use, and the way they use
1t. Because these concerns receive
patronage that should go to the home
merchant it is the home merchants
fault. He neglects to do Just what
the houses which publish the big cata-
logues do. He may not have the
money 10 get out such great list,
neither the means of carrying great
stocks of goods. Yet he possesses all
the means necessary to gain the
trade that goes to these great Cor
Germs. He can buy goods just as low,
has less expense, and while the big
catalogue goes to a customer only
once in year or two, through the
medium of The Roundabout the mer-
chants can go to all the people OF
the community once week at the
lowest expense.
AS to the matter of prices. the big
catalogue is an educator. 1t tells
the people of values. These values
are associaten with classes of goods.
The merchant in the home town can
turn this information to his own ac-
count. The merchant can show the
goods and can explain the difference
between grades. 1t is evident that If
trade is to be held at home it must
be upon a business basis. Sentiment
cuts a mighty small figure in matters
where dollars and cents are con-
cerned. The average farmer would
rather buy goods from the home store
than from some distant place if he
is only sure that he getting a square
deal.
It is up to the merchant to let him
know that he is getting this square
deal. There are towns in the west
ern agricultural sections which
few years ago were getting only half
the trade that was to be had in the
district. Merchants became convinc-
ed that they were weak somewhere.
They found that they were not adver-
tising rightly and commenced a cam
paign which has resulted in driving
the catalouge houses out of business
as far as these towns are concerned.
The newspapers of these towns tell
of the enterprise of the merchants.
The merchants themselves will tell |
you that they do not fear the mail |
order houses, as they have educated
the people to trade at home. The
people who were mail-order house
patrons will tell you that they know
that they can do better by buying at
home, that they are convinced that
their interest are best protected by
the home merchant, and that since
they have thrown off the mail-order
they have thrown off the mai-order
habit they are saving more money.
The mail-order house is great buga-
boo. 1t is not near the evil that many
suppose 1t is. II is harmful only in
accordance with the lack of enterprise
On the part of the home merchants.
Where the merchants are awake, are
lp-to-date, and advertise rightly, there
S no complaint as to the mail-order /.
'ys. EN-.
Each editor can do his share in
the merchants as well as
he people in business methods, in
principles that are helpful to the home
own. The live merchant can hold 4
lis own. Business is based upon such
principles as give the competent mer-
liant "a fair show in the competition
or trade. No one person has mo-
lopoly of the right to advertise. The K
way is as open to the small merchant t
IS it is to the big one. The principles f
involved apply to the small business I
IS well as to the large business. The Il
'nly magic used by the catalogue c
ouses is that found in advertising o
nd in prices. 7
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