The Huttig news., 1908-01-25
TRAPS FOR UNWARY
TRICKS OF MAIL.
 ORDER HOUSES.
GOODS PRICED BELOW COST
Articles of Standard Value Frequently Sold at Cost to Create False lm- pression of Cheapness-Un-
 thinking People Victims.

Ac IuCOIy upOu WulCu q 6IedI
 Humber of mail order concerns pro- | ceed is to select certain number of articles, those of standard values and | well-known, and mark them down to wholesale prices or lower. This is for the purpose of batting" as we'll as to give the impression that regular | dealers are selling goods at prices too high. On many widely advertised goods which are in constant demand the mail order house advertises prices
 much lower than the actual cost of the goods to the house. This is done with view of catching customers, killing off the trade of local dealers, and with hopes of selling other goods at enormous profits. Then the ad vertising part of the deal is of some value.
 People like to buy goods at the lowest possible cost. They get i'm pressions of low prices from compari- son of goods of which they know the selling price. If a certain rife is al- ways sold in the gunstores at $14 and the catalogue house sells the same at $11, the average man realizes that he is getting bargain, even though the concern may lose a half dollar in the transaction. But the man is also inn pressed with the idea that prices are just as low on other goods of which he has little information as to values. It is knowing this fact that causes the mail-order houses to resort to this trick. Then there is difference in quality of goods. In the different lines there are different grades. It is not long ago that United States district court grand jury returned an indictment against large mail-order house on three different charges of fraud. In each case there was mis- representation. One of the charges was that "pure white lead" paint, sup posed to be manufactured by the con- cern, did not contain a trace of white lead, and was manufactured by con- tract by another concern. The other charge was that jewelry was misrep- resented. In the matter of jewelry there is great chance for fraud. That which is called solid gold may be not over one-tenth gold, little better than brass. Gold always has cer- tain value. Whether it is in jewelry or in a coin of the realm, the value Is just the same. It's purity and weight is what counts. It is curious how intelligent people who know of the fixed value of gold will take the word or mafl-order schemer as to quality, when the article is sold at a less price than the metal which it is claimed is represented in it can be bought for in the markets.
 Low prices are generally quoted upon goods which the average people understand, and are acquainted with, and the loss is made up on the classes of goods which allow the practice of deception, of the value of which the people little know. People who patron ize mail-order concerns should under stand that in the majority of cases they are paying more than they would be compelled to pay if they made their purchases at home. Then there is involved the principle of sending money away from the neighborhood where it is earned.
 If the people who patronize mail order houses would only buy such goods as they know are priced below cost to the concern, the mail-order houses could not continue in business year. But these concerns know that MT. Barnum was about right when he said that the American people like
 to be humbugged." They transact their business accordingly. The home merchant must go ahead on a differ
 ent basis. He depends upon his repu- tation for square dealing. He knows
 that he must be honest, whether he is inclined to be or not, or that he will soon be compelled to get out of busi- ness for lack of patronage. The mail- order concerns look for new crop of suckers" every year, and they find
 more or less of a crop.