The Democratic advocate., 1909-10-15
HELPS TO HOME TRADE
HOW TO COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY WITH
MAIL ORDER HOUSES
Local Merchants Need Not Fear The
LOng.DISianCe Seller

There afe two ways for the country
merchant successfully to compete with
the mail order houses One 10 By com
bination with a large number of other
country merchants and manufacturers
In establishing plant similar 10 the
mail order concern, except that all
sales are made through the local
tradesmen. This has been tried sue
cessfuily by a numebr OF western bust.
ness men.
II local merchant is not disposed
to go into such combination. how
ever. he will fnd It possible to com
pete with the mali order house indi-
yidually. One plan Is 10 order several
OF the leading articles on which tho
mail concern compeies with him and
by showing these TO customers that hs
thinks are buying OF the foreign house
demonstrate to them that he can sell
goods equally as good for the same or
even less price. As n matter OF
fact. be has most OF the advantages
on HIS alde--the columns OF the local
papers for advertising, personal &C.
quaintance In most cases with his Gus.
toners, local pride and the fact that
n dollar spent with him stays al home
aud thus helps the community. All
these are powerful helps, but moro
powerful atill Is the fact that he can
show his goods before selling. while
the mall order house cnnsunly show
its catalogue descriptions.
The truth rs that the method OF adj
vertiaing employed by the mail order
house lR most expensive one. The
catalogues are profnHely illustrated.
and these cuts cost money. The mere
preparation OF the matter aud printing
are no small items when 10 these
is added binding procuring of lists of
names. which must be constantly cor.
rected to cover deaths and removals,
mailing and other necessary work. the
cost is seen to be- something enorm.
GUS. The postage bill alone on a sim
gle shipment Of these catalogues
mounts into the thousands All this
great expense Of advertising muGt. OF
course, be- paid BY the customer In
comparison tho country merchants
ads. In his LEGAL paper are inexpcp-
sive.
The mail order houee makes It's app
peal on price, Yet II has bcen proved
over and over again that article for
article the home tradesmhn can match
these prices II he desires 10 sell goods
Of as inferior a quality or can actual
ly underEell the foreign concern
have before me reports OF two specific
cases. One is th9t Of Mr. A. s. Atkin-
son. merchant OF Cherryyaie. Kan,
who IN interviewed In the Agricultural
Southwest Mr.. Atkinson says
The catalogue houses are great
competitor today ln the mercantile life
of the country, but 1 do not worry so
much about them as do some mer-
chants, knowing that I can sell ag
cheaply as the mail order house For
example, one mail order house uses
the same goods as ! do in n suit. They
sell their garment for $3.50 as against
sf.4S for ours feel no hesitation In
saying that ! can compete successfully
with retail catalogue firms"
The other case IL reported By the
Cleveland Trade Bulletin and con
Germs shoes. The name and location
Of the Individual merchant are not
given. but these do not matter ~ the
facts can be verified by any one who
desires 10 do so. The instance cited
Is as follows;
"Ashoe retailer was recently shown
an illustration Of a shoe sold by a
mail order house for $l60. This shoe
had rubber gorlng over the instep:
was q heavy soled kid with patent
leather tip. The description under the
illustration was 80 constructed that
it would lead the reader 10 believe
that the shoe WAS the exact counter
part Of those selling In retail stores
al 81. This retailer became inter
ested and ordered a pair to satisfy his
curiosity. When the shoe arrived az his
store 1t was found to be about the
average $1.l0 stock In the uppers, while
the soles. counters and insole we're
the very cheapest materials; IN fact.
this same retailer was showing q
plain shoe without gingerbread,
which would have given the wearer
a great deal more satisfaction than
the one sold By the mail order house.
for $3.50.
In the retail shoe business, at least.
there is little fear OF any great COM
petition from mail order houses. A
mail order house carries shoes in
few widths only, and there is a great
disadvantage in fitting shoes hundreds
OF miles away
The same Is true Of other lines OF
goods. A long distance fit on a suit
OF clothes is as unsatisfactory as on
a pair OF shoes. The local merchant
has practically all OF the argument
on his side except the mere question
Of price. Let hju convince his cus-
toners that he can sell rs clleaply
as the catalogue house, quality for
quality, and his battle Is won. The
two instances cited show how this
may be done.
The day is past when any sort Of
merchandising will win. The slip
shod, half asleep ways of generation
ago are out OF date. II is just as
with farming The only farmer who
stands chance today Is the chap
who studies and hustles The only
merchant who is now in the game Is
the one who advertises, exercises care
f.. L. A.. 49,