The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-12
PREMIUM STAMPS
The Merchants sTorn-Up .
Over the Situation.
Plans to Inaugurate an Oppos-
ing System.

Ing System.
The premium stamp business in To-
peka just now threatens to become
epidemic. Since the reintroduction,
by one Of the largest Topeka stores,
OF this business disturber and trouble
producing factor. the retailers have
held repeated meetings trying to de-
eide what was best to do.
To investigate the situation in 9TH
er cities a committee of business men
was dispatched to visit Davenport.
Iowa; Decatur. Ill. and Muncie. Ind,
cities in the Topeka class.
The report of this investigating
committee was in a general way de-
cidedly adverse to the introduction Of
premium stamps.
In Decatur, I'LL. the largest store
kept out of premium stamps. contin-
ued to give the best possible values to
its patrons and allowed its competi-
tors to do their own sweet will, SO far
as stamps were concerned Their busi-
ness continued to increase.
The committee found the same con-
dition existing at Davenport. in con-
nection with the largest department
store there. In that city 80 out of the
$50 retail concerns use stamps.
In Muncie, Ind. the merchants have,
according to the report gone "crazy"
over the stamp proposition; are losing
money; are tired Of it; and would like
to get out of the stamp business.
In Wichita three of the big depart
ment stores are In the stamp business,
are heartily sick of it and are trying
to get out OF 1t.
Notwithstanding the committees
report, a large number of retailers IN
Topeka assembled this week and de-
ctded they would go into premium
stamps. Another meeting will be held
tonight.
None of me merchants favored the
premium business except as q mat
ter as they termed it, of self defense.
ness on the part OF both buyer and
seller to expect or give something for
nothing. Those who oppose the plan
believe it lowers the dignity and char
acter of the store.
They seem to think they are driven
to it.
It il believed that the merchants
generally in Topeka are making no
more than a fair profit, to which they
are most assuredly entitled and that
AuyVAluE WHICH WOulO SAVIOR OF q sac
rifice of their legitimate earnings
would be at the expense of lower bus
mess standards and of Generalization
to business and city interests, yet
these merchants who are going into
the stamps seem to think that they
must succumb to this sort of thing to
fight what they believe inimical to
business.
The Mills store was not represented
at the meeting and it is understood that
it is not likely to go into premium
stamps.
Mr., Whitney. manager of the War
rem M. Crosby store, said today that
they were contemplating a merchants
cooperative company OF dry goods, fur
niture houses, grocers and other con
Germs that will take in all the stores
that wish to enlist in opposition to the
stamp enterprise. the stamps to be
redeemable at any Of the stores in
the organization.
The jewelers. have agreed to stay out
of the stamp business.
No druggists are apparently going
into the scheme.
There is an understanding that none
of the clothing men will go into it.
Mr.. Auerbach, of the Palace Clothing
company. said: "I am out of it-always
have been.'
The shoe men are not going into it.
CO
said: I'VE remember the stamp propo-
sition IL years ago as being such
nuisance that we do not care to go
into the proposition. The intrinsic value
of the prizes is not sufficient to create
much demand for them"
T. r. Paxton of the Paxton 4 Pax
ton store SAID: Eyes, we are in on It.
We DO not like the proposition, but
we fee! we snould get in line with the
Others"
William Green, Fraser Bros. and
other grocerS say they are not going
into the plan.
w; A. L. Thompson said that he did
not know that any hardware men
were getting into it and that he Is
opposed to the premium stamps
Mr. Courtney said he knew of none
OF the milliners getting into the plan:
that he radically opposed the pre-
On the other hand the premium stasnn
people can cite instances OF big stores
going into the stamp business with an
parent success.
William Connors. vice president Of the
Crosby Brothers store, states that the
tra0ng stamps at that store are provfne
popular He said today:
we were the first store to install tI,e
Profit sharing system. We heard ti,at
other stores In the country found the pisn
to De appreciated by the trade in Renera1
and to be the means Of increasing bssi
ness. = s.s1- -,4
In our Investigations we spent Il.
oI ume ana money with the object a.
,s nnding out which Of the various Systems
every case the an9wer was IN favor ne
the system We have adopted. -
We have had the system in use = trff1e
pressions We hear from our c1,stomer. ~ - -
cannot but believe they aDorOys 49,
stamp From PRESENT ind1cations I. looks
e e.: =. y one q the "'sest ss'nss - svfT