The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-02-21
HOME TRADE PAYS.
Some of the Disadvantages Of
Buying Goods by Mail.
By Proper Newspaper Advertising
the Local Merchant hay Compare
Successfully With Big Outsider.

the Local Merchant HAY Compare
Successfully With Big Outsider.
In recent talk Elmer S. Patterson
Of Chicago, noted town boomer. made
the following pertinent remarks con-
cerning the mail order trade and kin
dred topics:
1.-The mail order house has no advan-
tage over the local stores. The cata-
logue house sends out catalogue to
the farmers once or twice year. The
local merchant may reach him daily in
the local press. 1t costs at least 81
apiece to get out the catalogue. The
local merchants send out little for ad-
vertising Z cry new customer costs
catalogue house at least 81. The local
merchant secures his patronage at
less figure. A mail order house has
large force Of clerks with large ex-
pense in large city, and its goods are
shown by pictures and printed pages
in catalogues. A local merchant can
show his goods in his window daily. A
local merchant has the advantage. He
can give you goods on approval and
exchange them easy. 1t takes time to
make an exchange with q mail order
house.
catalogue houses do not undersell
the local merchant. This is true. One
item is but fair test. Take ten arti-
cles or compare business OF two
months with a local merchant and
mail order house and see. Catalogue
houses do not run an illegal business
They run q legal one. If they did not
they would have been excluded from
the mails long ago. as every CONNER
cial club is on the lookout.
1.-THE mail order house receives an
order for q parasol for baby cab
from woman on rural route. This
Is enough. The mail order house at
once surmises there is baby in the
family. It must have clothes. 1t will
grow. in another year more clothes
are needed and still more the following
year This child must have father
and mother, and probably other chill
dren are in the family: They need
household articles and. being on a ru-
raj route, live in the country and need
farm implements. Holding the letter
up to the light, it is noticed that the
paper is branded and is of good quail
ity, so the people must be well to do.
Merchants may so into the cata-
logue business. Get out circular
every so often. Have the type stcreo-
tyDed. Save the plates, and when You
have q dozen or so you may get out
catalogue at nominal price.
"You must take care Of your custom
ers even if you lose money. No mer-
chant should turn down customer.
He should see him provided with the
article desired. A quick sale is better
than having an article on hand for
long time.
IF farmers do not come to town,
something is wrong. Investigate 1t by
asking them. If it is because lumber
has advanced and can be bought cheap
er in q neighboring city because there
Is but one lumber dealer in your town,
organize a new lumber company conf
prising the merchants.
"All selfish motives should be cut
cut Do as much business as possible,
but don't get jealous If your neighbor
does more. An unfair merchant IS q
traitor to his town.
"a large store in small town does
not hurt the small stores. 1t takes IN
large trade radius. If your town Is
four miles in radius and you draw
trade from five miles surrounding it,
the ratio is 9G to !. If you increase the
radius one mile, you increase the trade
radius almost 4G per cent. A new de-
partmcnt store with improved methods
will increase the trading radius. II
merchants in ncighboring cities get
the advertising space in local papers,
it Is because the local merchants don't
want it and the outsiders do.
"The town does not stop ut the city
limits. 1t takes in the farmers in the
surrounding country. A market day Is
good thing for small town. a bar
gain day also, when farmers may sell
their goods at auction. The refunding
Of railroad fares also draws. Get up q
banquet for the farmers. Have re-
vival in Il country church. Get people
to come 10 town by giving them prize
contest
"Iet the parcel; post come. Let 1t
live. 1t will prove good thing. The
local merchant may get better adv:n-
tages out Of it than the mail order
house If he takes advantage Of it.
merchants should spend 4 per cent
Of their earnings in newspaper adver-
tising. The majority spend less than
z per cent in Small towns"
Evolution ard Transformation.