Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1908-10-19
MAIL ORDER MENACE
Residents of a Community Should
Patronize Local Merchants.
GET MORE FOR THEIR MONEY

Some Suggestions by a Drummer on
Combating the Evil That Were Fol-
lowed by an Eastern Merchant With
Good Results.
II hardly knew the old place at
first" remarked the drummer who was
in a small eastern town and had drop
ped in to see Brown, the merchant
MY, but you folks have slicked up the
place since l was last here"
Yes; we have organized an i'm
provement society lately, and we've
been busy, can tell you" replied the
merchant. ut takes the women folks
to start the ball a-rolling in a thing
Of that kind, and it has opened our
eyes to what can be done when all
take an interest in the work. Bust
ness, however, isn't booming to any
great extent"
Mail order people cutting into your
trader" asked the drummer.
That's about the size Of it." sighed
Brown.
"Well, it's a shame. You merchants
pay taxes and contribute to the sup
port Of the community and are active
in building up the town, but instead Of
approaching this fact the residents
send a great deal Of their money to
the big city stores"
II wouldn't care SO much If they
saved anything to speak Of by it or If
they got any better goods, but they
don't"
"Of course they DON'T" agreed the
drummer. II sell goods enough to
know that. Somehow people in small
towns think they can buy best through
the mail order houses, and that is
where they make big mistake"
you can't convince 'em of that"
said the merchant.
"Well, it's as Barnum used to say
The people love to be humbugged.' 1t
stands to reason that the mail order
houses cannot spend the millions they
do on advertising and give as much for
the money as you fellows Mt home
can, and people in many localities are
waking up to that fact. Let me give
you few friendly suggestions while
we are on this subject" continued the
drummer. You ought to make q
close study of just what people around
here want from time to time. Never
let them ask twice for an article If you
can possibly help it. This doesn't mean
that you must carry million dollar
stock. Simply carry what you are
pretty sure will be wanted-what the
mail order houses are putting out to
certain extent. And let the community
know what you have in stock. When
they read the out Of town catalogues
and see something they want they
conclude you haven't got 1t, and away
goes coin that should have been spent
right here at home. You probably had
the same article in stock, and for less
money too. If you don't advertise,
you might as well close up shop"
Eyes, I advertise occasionally" said
Brown.
occasionally won't do. 1t Is per-
sistent advertising that wins out for
the merchant. You want to spend
every dollar you can afford to in ad-
vertising in your local paper and keep
right at it. The mail order houses lay
out thousands Of dollars on pamphlets
and circulars and catalogues, and you
may be sure they are past masters in
the art Of making them attractive.
That's how they get the trade they do.
You can do the same thing in your To-
cal paper and in other ways on
smaller scale. 1t doesn't cost for
tune to get out catalogue. It's Of no
use to go on advertising the fact that
your name is Brown and that you are
doing business on certain street.
That doesn't interest the general pub
lie. Give 'em prices. Tell 'em what
you've got to sell. Make q certain
day Of the week always bargain day
and give people some reason to come
to your store. You may lose money
on the venture at first, but you keep
at 1t and you'll get big results before
long. Let the residents here know
that they are not only hurting you. but
the town as well, by sending their mon
ey out Of it.
It'll consider your suggestions" said
the merchant thoughtfully. "Guess
will advertise more and try the cata-
logues too"
That's the game. Let people know
how you feel about this matter. Put it
to them fair and square and have the
stock to back you up. The mail order
houses are draining the country Of
money that should be spent at home,
and it is about time the residents Of
small towns realized it. Thousands Of
dollars are sent away every week for
goods that could have been purchased
cheaper in the local stores. The first
duty of every good citizen is home pro-
lection. Funny they cannot reason it
out that the more they spend in their
own town the more money they are 60
ing to keep in circulation there and
the more prosperous it will make the
community. Manufacturers looking for
site on which to erect plant are not
going to locate in a town where half
the stores have To Let signs on them.
Why, If everybody traded out of town
just to save few pennies, there
| wouldn't bq much left of II in n short