The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-07-08
OF "YOUR
MONEY BACK If NOT
AS REPRESENTED
BY o. A. CHARLES.

more people into sending their money
away from home to buy from Mail
Order Houses than any other of an
equal number of words written is this
badly misused, very much overworked
sentence, Your Money Back If Goods
Are Not AS Represented"
Let us analyze this statement-let
us see what 1t really means, us used
by the Mail Order Houses. "Your
Money Back II Goods Are Not as Rep.
resented" In the first place they say
"Your Money Back" they do not say
when you will get your money back.
1t may be in a month or six months
it usually is six months.
Let me cite case showing how the
mail order concerns handle the
"Money Back" promise. A man liv-
ing in city in Ohio was building a
house, and the contractor coaxed him
to send to a mail order house for the
builders hardware. After consider
able persuasion on the part of the
contractor he consented and together
they made up the, order, which
amounted to $500. OF course the
money was sent with the order. The
goods were six weeks in coming and
when at last they did come and were
opened up and examined, 1t certainly
was very inferior grade of builders
hardware. The door locks, knobs
and hinges looked like common cast
iron without any finish.
The man who bought them was
very much disappointed and at once
wrote to the house, saying the hard
ware was not as represented and Dot
at all satisfactory.
The mail order house did not say
"return the goods and we will refund
your money" Oh, no! They wanted
to argue the matter-wanted to ex-
change the goods for others. This
was argued by correspondence for
several weeks, when finally, getting
tired of the controversy, the buyer
sent the goods back and demanded
his money, plus the freight he had
paid.
Now here Is the point wish to en-
phasize: 1t took three months, a great
deal of correspondence and finally a
threat to put the matter In the hands
80 Pnr nallaottAn IN
the mail order house to refund the
money.
Here Is the sequel to this same
case: When the builder saw that the
mail order house hardware would not
do, he went to the best hardware
store In his home town and bought the
best grade of builders hardware they
had and then his bill was Just $3.45
more than the mail order house price
for the junk they had sent him.
The above Is true recital OF what
actually happened, for the writer Ia
next door" neighbor to the builder
and examined the hardware and saw
all the correspondence.
Now here is another view OF "Your
Money Back If Goods Are Not as Rep
resented"
In reading over the descriptions oi
goods in mail order house catalogues
did you ever notice how carefully the
descriptions are worded? Haven't yor
noticed that they are hedged in by
shrewdly concealed conditions?
In describing piece of furniture
for example. Do the catalogues tel
you that the parts are pegged ol
glued together instead of mortised'
Mail order house furniture is either
made in their own factories or In fac
tories the output of which is con
trolled by mail order houses, and in
variably you find these goods mad,
with chestnut substituted for oak
pegged or glued together.
The description in the catalogue die
not say made of solid oak with part!
mortised together" The goods yo,
received would be "as represented,
yet YOU know dresser made o
chestnut, glued together, is not a first
class piece Of furniture, yet 1t is a
represented In the catalogue.
Still another view of "Your None,
Back If Goods Are Not as Represent
ed"
You usually do not buy an article
of merchandise until you need II
Then II you send to mail orde
house for II and even II 1t isn't "a
represented" aren't you going to keel
It and say to yourself. 81 guess 1t will
do" rather than send 1t back am
wait till you settle with the mail OF
der house so you can buy anotherf
Yes, you could buy another from
your home merchant as soon az 20,
, found the mail order article was ur
satisfactory, but the mail order hous
r has your money and, unless you hav
I more cash than the majority Of u
, have, you do not care to make fuI
their investment for ono article I'll
:, you get your money back--that ma
not be for six months.
One mail order house claims the
have sold goods to more than one-hal
the families In the United States