The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-04-13
written by Seymour Eaton Of Philadelphia mo. o

Most department. store advertising may be
divided into three classes: bad, very bad and
damned bad
Bargain advertising is in the first class 1t does
sell goods but if well done it could easily make
three blades OF grass grow where grows now
The worth $20-now- $12. so" bargain offer has
been done to death. The people buy the $3.50
article because ST. is as much they want to pay
because they have seen the goods; because they
have intelligence enough to know that they are getting
good value for the price, but for every one who buys
there are two others shoo-ed off by the rolI-up
tumble-up throW-up-y our-money hurrah.
An honest bargain properly announced is always
good advertising. If controlled newspaper page 1
Should use one-hird Of it, down the side for leeiti-
mate bargains. should put the word Bargains or
Todays Bargains" at the top and with the descrip-
tons Of the articles should give selling prices onlv
say nothing in figures about values or cost prices
use that space for describing the goods 1 should
make the descriptions as brief as possible leave
everything the Imagination of the customer except
the selling price; and now and then should omit
that let the customer come to the store to find out
Then should make these bargains look like charity
by very contrast by using the remainder of the page
TO advertise my resularpriced, always cloth
ing and dress goods and carpets and furniture and all
that sort Of thing and should make this department
SO full OF Life and spirit and enthusiasm for the goods
as to make my counters irresistible.
The store that breaches is in the second class.
Preaching isn't advertising It may be entertaining
and instructive; it may analyze to nicely the ethical
policy of the store it may impress the weak-minded
with the fact that this store great public benefactor
apowerfu influence for good in the community a sort
OF merchandise university which ought TO be endowed
by the State But preaching doesn't sell goods; it
doesn't even draw crowd
The formal refrigerator, my brass plate is suffi-
Gent advertising is in the third class 1t has all the
dignity and drawing power of corpse. Mark you I
am not cnicisine the idea. The idea is fine. To be
chosen people clothed in purple and fine linen to
bask in the sunshine of wealth. or of aristocracy or
Of fame to eat where it eats to drink what drinks
to wear what it wears to buy where it buys to talk
what it talks to dress your poodle dog with what it
dresses its poodle dog; to be somebody exclusive,
even one or two removed or second hand; that is
greatness and people pay big money for greatness,
even for the varnsh veneer. It is the >adver-
Using that is bad. 1t might easily quadruple the
trade and yet keep within the boundaries the elect Ex.
elusive people don't think You don't on their
tails They follow leader like lot of sheep Your business
set The rest easy The others will pay the privilege
of standing in line
Embalm and bury the brass.pate advertising Use the
space to talk to your customers Some them read adyer
dsements plebean should happen to read about
your eoodnd wander into your shop by mistake let him do
the worrying.
lQ.Alplayvatls