United labor bulletin., 1912-12-05
WHO PAYS THE COST?
Buying Goods on Installment.

| How many of our trades organization
members have ever stopped to consider
the enormous expense the merchants OF
our city are put to in selling their
goods on what is known as the Install
ment plan, or in other words, weekly
payments, and the great length of time
these merchants are required to wait
for their pay. 1t is very safe guess,
not one in fifty; and yet somebody must
pay for ali this, for no business man
who invests his money. to say nothing
about his time, not only expects proht
on his investment within a reasonably
short time, but also interest on his
money when small weekly payments COW
ering long period of time are made for
his goods. Who pays for this? The pur-
chaser, of course, no one else.
The house of F. NJ. Franklin & Son,
wholesale and retail dealers in furniture
and all household goods. have ware
house at 2015 Blake street, this city,
filled with goods which they do not sell
on the installment plan, or on weekly
payments, but for spot cash only. The
warehouse is their own property, which
means no landlord to come around once
month to collect big rental. Then
there is railroad trackage direct to their
door, which means no carriage expense, SO
that every piece of furniture, carpets,
beds and bedding purchased by them
from the manufacturers by the carload
| is delivered to them direct from the car,
and this saves another large item of ex-
pense and avoids double and often treble
handling of goods before 1t finally
reaches the home of the purchaser The
result is that F. NJ. Franklin & Son are
able to. and do sell their goods and de-
liver the same for price far less than
| jobbers or middlemen. commonly called
retailers. can possibly afford to do. Who
ha hnn nf al
chaser, of course. Spot cash payments
enables the seller to turn his money in
vested in his business over and over
again in the course of year, while the
installment man is kept busy and put
to large expense in maintaining COM
pany of bookkeepers. credit men. col
Electors. and very often detectives, whose
business it is to hunt up some family
who has moved away and forgotten that
little, and sometimes big balance due
the installment house on weekly pay
ments. Again, who pays this expense!
MIR. and Mrs. Reader. you know. It's
the man who buys on installments or
| weekly payments. F. NJ. Franklin a.
Son have nothing of this kind to contend
with they are in business to sell their
goods at such rock bottom prices as is
consistent with fair. honest and just
dealings between man and man. which
is what organized labor stands for.
We have nothing to say against the
installment houses. They are often
mighty handy to have around. but we
have much to say to our fellow crafts
men who are our brothers in the ranks
OF wage-earners when 1t comes to mat
ters which involve their pocketbooks.
especially when II is within our power
to render a helping hand. and when we
call attention to the house of F. NJ
Franklin & Son we can speak of firm
well and favorably known to very many
of our trades unionists. and who should
he stiIl better known and patronized by
them. Their motto. "Once customer
always a customer" is a mighty nice
proposition to boast of.
Here is a suggestion which we believe
is well worth considering: When fur
niture. beds. bedding or anything else in
the household line is needed do not COM
pei yourself to feel that you must have
II right then and there, on the spur of
the moment, and because. perhaps. your
funds may not be sufficient TO pay cash.
rush of 10 the installment house and
contract a big bill Take it easy, its
money in your pocket Wait a few
weeks. and instead of making weekly
payments toward supporting stan Of
help which has no earthly connection
with your wants. lay the money aside.
and then with the cash in your pocket