The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-04
mr.. OSTER TALKS ON
CREDIT SYSTEM IN
FURNITURE BUSINESS
Has No Patience With IRE
sponsible ''Shyster" Who
Deceives Customers
RELIABLE HOUSES
STRIVE TO PLEASE
Mr.. Oster Says They Employ Expert
HOusefurnishers for Purpose of
Making Sure That Customer
Will Be Satisfied

1.-The shyster furniture dealer should
be driven out of business by wave OF
publicity exposing his fraudulent credit
methods and cheap, rickety furniture, IS
the solution offered by Philip Oster.e of
Oster Bros, one of the largest furniture
establishments in Birmingham.
This cheap furniture, which is sold at
what we call three prices" said Mr.. os-
ter meaning selling at, three times the
value, is foisted on the Woodworking peo-
pie of Birmingham on an alleged credit
plan, which is really nothing but lease
on the furniture. and the small monthly
payments are just so much rent, which
IL not promptly paid means forfeiting all
previous payments and the loss of the
furniture.
such a condition of affairs should not
be tolerated in this progressive city and
our firm is doing Its best to educate tho
public of Birmingham to the evils of in
discriminate furniture buying. Our store
is open to the rich or poor and the same
service is extended to both.
Il wish to say that In this modern
age 1t is practically impossible to do bus
mess on strictly cash basis, and we
arg ever ready to extend credit to anyone
of steady employment and good reputa-
ton. Unlike the fraudulent system above
quoted, however, our credit sales are made
at the same price as the cash sales
There is absolutely no difference in the
quotations. We extend credit for the
convenience of the public with no extra
charge and without the fear of foreclosure
upon non-payment. There is nothing ar
btrary about our credit privileges. They
are made TO satisfy the customers and
every convenience is extended to them
to help them.
This is not only true of our firm, but of
the rest of the large furniture dealers OF
Birmingham. They are men of integrity
who are doing a grand work in improv-
ing the conditions of worlSingmens homes
by an honest credit privilege and selling
their furniture for its real value II is
only the small dealer, the one who rarely
advertises that the workingman should
beware of. Let the man who wishes to
furnish a home come to any of the large
dealers and he will find that honesty is
not altogether extinct
Il will give you an example of the
way a young prospective bridegroom, we
will say, is treated by our Arm. He comes
usually with his prospective bride and
with a lot of fancy ideas of how to fur
nish home. They examine all the fur
niture to their hearts content, pricing
this and pricing that His ideas do not
coincide with hers, and both their ideas
do not suit us, for we know that IL car
ried out dissatisfaction would result. AMI
we avoid that il possible Now, we have
highly paid men who are called expert
home furnishers. They are paid not for
the number Of sales they make but for
the number of satisfied customers they
gather for us. Well, one of these experts
approaches the young couple and proceeds
to find out from each their particular
taste and If they lack taste he educates
them and harmonizes their ideas so. that
each will be satisfied. Then he finds out
the extent of their finances and with this
knowledge he proceeds to pick out say
four room arrangement which will be
tasteful, substantial, economical and suit
able to the finances of the buyer.
Our experts are instructed not to push
sales of this and that. They are sup
posed to think only of the customer. In
fact, we loan the expert to our customers
free of charge to advise them on what
to buy and what not to buy. We are not
in business for the sentiment of the thing
nor are we philanthropists, but the pro-
gressive business man of today realizes
what valuable asset satisfied customer
is and every effort is made nowadays by
the up to date business man to please
customers and to give honest and legiti-
mate service to everyone"