The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-02-05
The HARDEST FEAT
OF SALESMANSHIP
GETTING THE BUYER INTO THE
SAMPLE ROOM IS THE RUB
MucH TIME is LOST IN MANY
CASES BEFORE BUYER CAN BE
INDUCED TO GO.

H If some continuance could be invent
ed by means of which a retail mer-
chant could be FASTENED to a sample
room, the inventor could charge any
royalty on the patent h, pleased and
i the statesmen would cheerfully pay Il.
4 This he could well afford to do and
still make big money The delay and
| loss of valuable time incident to in
ducing a prospective customer to look
over a line of samples is something
! immense to contemplate.
T. The dealer seems not to realize the
plain fact that in the end he or the
I consumer must pay the freight" In
| figuring the selling price of any arti-
Gle, of course the jobber takes into
consideration the expense of distribu-
| ton. Now these unnecessary delays
referred to will consume at least one
third of the time of any man who uses
a sample room, and a large part of
the time of those who carry their sam
pies to the stores.
But the waste of time is not the only
part of this unfortunate condition of
| things. The wear and tear on the
nerves OF a salesman is something
1
mans soul and from which he be-
comes either a commercial traveller or
seeks a less strenuous life Working
with balky horse on a steep, rocky
hillside is picnic when compared with
the difficulties and trial of patience in
cident to getting some dealers to a
sample room. Tha agony of the sales
man is rendered more acute from the
e.@ - A1-r.A l. ~
intentional on the part of the mer-
chant
1t is not unfrequently the case that
when a salesman enters the proprietor
becomes suddenly very industrious. He
will pick up a buster and go to work
brushing off goods which have not
heard tell of a buster for many past
moons. Then he will begin to open
case goods, sweep around the stove or
will take enough time weighing out a
nickles worth of lard for a little darkey
as it would ordinarily take to kill a
pen of hogs. If a woman comes in he
will dwell for an hour on the selection
of calico apron or a set of rumblers.
1t is distressing, too, to think that
all of this time on the part
of the salesman as well as that of
the merchant, is lost to the world.
Nothing whatever is or can be gained
therefrom. The merchant may feel
that it will show less eagerness on his
part to buy and as a result he may
get better prices. Whether or not there
is any grounds for this opinion he
might ascertain by his own experience
with these hard cases who provoke
the life out of him before they buy
Let him ask himself the question if
these gain anything by their trying
his patience.
Several reasons which may be as
signed for delaying a salesman, be- |
sides as stated, that of some dealers |
who think it places them in better
light to get better prices. Among |
these it may be said that there are so
many men on the firing line that the
merchant feels he cannot spare the
time to give every one a look There
is some reason in this, but still if the
dealer holds out any idea of going, it
is. obviously to the advantage of bosh !
parties for him to do so at the earliest
possible opportunity.
Then there are some who are afraid |
to trust themselves in the sample room
lest they buy when they do not intend |
to do. Again 1t may be said that moth
ing is gained by this procrastination |
Delaying matters will certainly not |
stiffen their spinal columns. While |
some few keep salesman waiting |
from pure, unadulterated "cussedness," !
and this is no joke.
But these are pha.es of craftsmanship |
with which the man on the road has
always had to contend, and likely will |
continue to endure. Therefore he must |
adapt himself to it and make the most |
of the trying situation. In sense it
is to his advantage from a pecuniary
standpoint. For this undoubtedly adds
to the complications of the profession,
and thereby requires higher order of
talent. OF course the more difficult |
the undertaking the harder 1t is to find |
men to do it, and the compensation is
likewise increased. On the other hand,