Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1911-10-05
LOCAL MERCHANT
FIGHTING NOW
Big Wholesalers Help Him XIII
Mall Order Game.
GIVE Him LITERATURE. I"
With Which hs Bembards the Women
Folks and Shows Them the Foolish
ness Of Spending Time and Fare to
Shop In the City.

Folks and Shows Them the Foolish.
ness Of Spending Time and Fare to
Shop In the City.
At last that bugaboo OF the local
merchant. the mail order house. is
meeting brisk competition from the
home tradesman, and with mail order
methods at that, says James kells In
the Chicago Tribune.
Just as the japanese lowered the
pride of Russia by using the white
mans implements Of warfare. 80 the
small town stOrekeeper. who has felt
himself downtrodden the postal
magnates of the big centers, has
adopted the usages of his enemy and is
beginning to ''cut In"
Catalogues, "Paris fashion" posters.
follow up letters and price lists. all
the pet weapons Of the big mail order
houses by which they command rural
trade, have been seized by merchants
to keep the money Of the countryside
at home. The rural free delivery mail
routes are now being burdened with
the literature of nearby mercantile
firms. which clash effectively with
gaudy pamphlet outputs Of the big
city plants"
Intensive retailing" Is one Of the
names coined to describe the new sys-
TEN. In results it is claimed that 1t
will beat intensive farming. Certainly
the field Is as vet raw. and II the in
ventors have read the American house
wife rightly the reaping will be abun-
dant.
For example. we'll say that J. B.
Sellers is proprietor Of the Beehive
department store In Jokopolis. la. Far
from being beehive, his establish
ment has more resembled deserted
grotto or cave Of the winds. Mail
order competition has cut heavily into
bis business. His former customers
have been assailed by booklets filed
with pretty pictures. tempting price
figures and selling arguments" which
are as the song of the Lorelei against
his own circulars. crudely printed and
crudely composed.
The building Of the interurban trolley
helped him some. enabling farmers
wives to get into town and within
reach OF his attractive displays OF
"resl goods" But the thrall Of the
pretty pictures is over them; also
the idea of getting their garments
direct from the big city. In turn the
wholesaler In the metropolis feels the
decline of sales In the Beehive. This
Is the natural effect. which pinches
early But now the wholesaler. like
a husky big brother. comes to the
rescue of Mr.. Sellers and by the same
blow resuscitates his own total of
profits.
The wholesaler. with money at his
command and in close touch with the
heart Of things. Is III position to buy
talent and brains. This he does. and
soon the machinery which Is to ac-
complish the checking Of mail order
competitors IL In motion.
A procession Of catalogues, posters.
order blanks. "typewritten" letters
and follow up" communications be.
gins to flow toward the clientele OF
Mr.. Sellers in Jokopolis. Every one
of his former customers. as well as
prospective ones. receives a brand new
consignment Of mercha andizing 'litera-
ture"
This literature Is even more attrac'
dive than any that has come before.
At first the curious housewife Is under
the impression that another big mail
order firm has obtained her name for
Its list.
Imagine her amazement wnen she
observes that ON the first page Of the
colored cata logue. right under the New
port girl and her bunch Of orchids. are
the insignia Of the Beehive department
store, JOkOpOlis. She is startled again
when she receives q typewriter letter.
addressed In her own name, inviting
her to examine the stock Of Chicago
made garments now on display at the
Beehive. 1t Is all personal. and the
word "you" Is underlined.
Perhaps she puts of her visit to the
Beehive through press OF household
duties With jolt she Is reminded OF
her duty to herself and to the fashion
able ensemble of the community by a
second. typewriter missive. which ex'
presses deepest disappointment that
she has not called and urges her. above
all things. to be sure to pay her visit
at the earliest possible moment. Be-
fore she has time to pin on her hat an
other envelope arrives containing "pic-
ture samples" Of fall suitings obtain
able at the Beehive. On her way to
town on the car she picks up news
paper and there notices Beehive ad-
vertIsement. But II differs from the
usual dull announcement In thick. inky
type. An attractive girl picture
takes up most Of the space, and the
announcement ia couched In skillful.
city departme store English.
And that IL the way Mr.. Sellers sue
ceeds In stirring up trade among the
strongest adherents to mail order
goods in his district. The catalogues
and circulars he secures In big ship
ments from his wholesalers. Before
these are sent from headquarters the
address Of the Beehive Ia printed on
every one of them Advertising "cuts'
for newspapers and even lantern slides
for moving picture theaters are sup
piled by the big brother" In the city.