The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-10
HOW FORD FEELS
The PUBLIC PULSE
GREAT SYSTEM OF AGENCIES
KEEPS HIN IN CLOSE ToUcH
WITH THE AUTOMOBILE sITuA-
TON THROUGHOUT THE EN-.
TIRE COUNTRY.

When the Ford Motor Co. an
nounced in its page advertisements
last October that 1t would build TO-
900 Model I cars for 1912 few people
believed that such a production was
warranted, said Henry Ford recently.
Z fear that most Of them thought we
were drawing the long bow and that
we didn't expect really to build that
many cars, but we were never more
serious, for the facts and figures in
our possession told us that at least
5000 Fords Were in demand. And let
me say at the outlet that | think there
will be a shortage of Ford cars next
July just the same as there was in
July, 1911, after we had built So, 900 for
the July season.
I'm planning a $4,000, 900 output for
the 1912 season we naturally
weighed with great care in 1912. with
a network of Ford branches through
out the country and auxiliary selling
forces in some $500 dealers we had our
fingers on the pulse Of the automobile
buying public. For four consecutive
years, the sale of Ford Model r cars
had at least doubled annually. But we
didn't depend on the chance of the an
nual doubling Of sales.
What we based our 5000 produc-
tion for 1912 on vas actual figures and
statistics. When the branch managers
from all over the world came to our
annual meeting of the Ford union
which is really a conclave of the selling
force of the Ford Motor Coin Detroit
last July. every single branch manager
handed in his estimate of the number
of cars he wanted for his territory in
1912, double the amount he had asked
for and sold in 1911.
"Of course these branch
being scattered all over the world, and
being most carefully trained and con-
sentative in estimating the public's de-
mands, we naturally placed implicit
confidence in their judgment. If it had
been only two or three who said they
could double their 1911 business, we
would not have felt the whole world
demanded twice as many Fords as it
had in 1911, but when England, France,
Australia. Canada and the United
oGAACS rum east W West SAID LlEOuSn
these dealers that they wanted double
the allotment Of Fords for 1912, we
naturally supposed that the report was
well founded.
Our branch managers unquestiona-
bly, have their fingers upon the pulse
OF the automobile world SO firmly that
~ltheysknQw absolutely how to judge
prospsc@ from seaso to season.
Then there was another great con-
dition which moved us to increase our
1872 production OF 10000 cars. That
was the tendency of other manufacture
ers of low-priced cars to put their
prices UP instead of down. OF course,
that meal just so many more sales
for US.
"We have always believed in re-
vision downward in the price of auto
mobiles. Just as fast as the demand
caused us to increase our production,
we made corresponding reductions in
the price Of the car. With every re-
duction in price, we find hat we in
crease the scope of our business inn
measurably. In fact, I believe that
this last reduction of $50 on the price
of the touring car, making this years
fully equipped touring car $500, will
make it possible for 100000 more peo-
pie throughout the world to buy cars
than could have paid last years price.
OF course, not all of those 100000 will
buy, but we have put the price within
their reach"