The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-05-07
MAIL ORDER COMPETITION.


e The hardware dealers in convention
at Cedar Rapids recently listened to
some sound business advice from a
Sioux City dealer upon the subject of
catalogue house competition This
gentleman told them plainly that to
solicit trade among the farmers on the
plea that the local merchant paid the
preacher, was to do business with
their grandfather's brains He insist
ed that the consumer is going to puy
where he can buy the cheapest, Is
going to hunt the best bargain and ne
advised hardware dealers to either
get out of the game or meet the devil
with fire and advertise. In speaking
of the necessity for this he said:
"The consumer figures his buying
out on exactly the same basis. He is
glad to purchase his goods where he
can buy them the cheapest and he
alone must be the judge of the quail
ity of the goods which he purchases.
If he gets 'stung' when he purchases
his goods of certain firm, he mas
the privilege of not buying any more
goods from this firm, but II he does
not get stung, and their business
methods are satisfactory to him, there
is no retailer in existence who has
him that they should purchase goods
in his store because he is a home
man and because he is paying the
preacher and a few other such state
ments that you viii hear in almost
any town today. All these statements
have little weight with the customer.
He has a perfect right TO purchase
his goods wherever he desires"
In discussing the quality argument
the Sioux City dealer declared that
the facts are that the retail dealers
today in many towns are attempting to
do business with their grandfathers'
brains. The new features which have
been installed into the mercantile
world have given excellent opportuni-
ties for concerns to get rich because
they would adopt methods which the
people demanded. He continued:
, If we are in business to sell goods
the best thing for us to do is to adopt
methods which are attractive to the
consumer who desires to purchase
goods. We might better conduct our
business along some other lines, as
we are in business as rule for the
money which we can make out of it,
We are all in a business for a selfish
motive by adopting. some other meth
cd, no man can sdteal because he is
compelled to Adolf such methods. II
the mail order Houses are selling an
article at a lower price than the re-
taller is and they are furnishing an
inferior grade, ii is up-to the retail
dealer to demonstrate this fact, but
the mere assertion which he makes
to the consumer Will not convince the
consumer. - Fs@ 49,
"The best thing Tor the retail dealer
to do would be to advertise the same
article at the same price and then
display the higher quality when the
consumer was about to make the pur-
chase"
There is no longer any doubt that
methods of conducting a retail bust
ness must be revolutionized in i'm
portant particulars if local merchants
are to hold their own against the
mail order concerns. Local dealers
must display their goods to the best
advantage and secure customers as
the catalogue houses do by liberal
advertising. Failing in this they must
expect to see their goods remain on
their shelves. ....-, ...