The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-22
Simondetti, After Studying
Situation, Urges New
Way of Trading.
POINTS TO GERMAN
EYE TO LITTLE THINGS
Thinks Americans Neglect to
See Value of Small
Openings.

Some Of the problems that American
merchants and manufacturers will meet In
seeking trade in South America and In
retaining that trade after the close OF
the European war were set forth yester-
day by Ernesto T. Simondet,i of is Broad
street. formerly editor and publisher OF
a Latin American daily newspaper, who
spent months touring South America to
study trade conditions.
Simondetti pointed out that IT would be
easy at first to sell lots OF goods to
South America, but II Americans wish to
retain that trade permanently they must
make special efforts to appeal to Latin
Americans
The Europeans position in South
America he said" is weakened at present
by the war. but Americans cannot
wrest from them the markets long held
without consistent and painstaking work
OF adaptation to the needs of the South
Americans What this work means Is
evinced INST strklngly by the results
,otalned IN the ! st thirty years by Ger
man exporters. Their advance has been
most marked in high grade manufac-
led goous, that Is. In those goods
which can carve their way into internal
tional markets only after the keenest
competitive struggle
Germans seize Openings.
German exporters have followed up
the smallest advantage and have been
willing to manufacture goods especially
to nll the wants and satisfy the tastes
1T only OF South America In general
but OF the inhabitants OF each country
In particular. Neither English nor Amer
lean manufacturers have been able to
increase in a larger degree than the Ger
mans because OF their reluctance to adapt
the goods to the requirements II the
different markets in South America.
"A few years ago, for instance. It was
found that there was a demand FOR sew
ing machines in the district OF Venezuela
settled by Indians. The Indians were poor
and could not afford to buy the machines
made 10y the American manufacturer
whose representative had gone 10 in
vestigate the possibilities for opening
UP market in that district.
After consultation with the home Of
flee the representative decided he would
not bother with the Indians. His Arm
was amply satisfied with its sales OF
some OF It's standard models and could not
see any advantage in making special
machine to obtain the indians trade.
"A representative OF a German manu-
facturer followed the American into that
district. studied conditions and then sent
long cablegram home. In a short time
a shipment of sewing machines arrived
from Germany. Almost every household
In the district was provided with d hand
sewing m chine OF an old type which cost
Just exactly 81, or what the German
representative found to be the maximum
they could pay.
This price allowed little proft for
the German house, but the Indians grad
-
those machines had opened up new hort
IONS TO them As they made more money
they became better consumers Other
Germans patiently nursed their trade and
the only goods that the Indians learned
10 know were German goods. Conse-
quently to-day the Germans control the
trade OF that district"
Sees Drawback In "Obstinacy."
simondetti next referred TO what he
termed the obstinacy OF many American
manufacturers In sticking to the ways
followed In shipping goods to the home
market"
Let me cite an instance" he said
Some time ago an importing house In
Chile ordered a certain quantity OF rope
from an American manufacturer. The
order specified that the rope should be
packed in coils OF a determined weight
much lower than that OF coils handled
In the United STATES Inc manager OF
the rope factory thought his Chilean
customer did not know what he was
about. so he shipped the same sized coil,
he sold TO American customers.
When the rope reached the Chilean
importer 1t was found 10 be unavailable
for its nnal destination was 800 mile,
of in the mountains and the rope hac
to be carried on the backs OF mule,
and llamss that could only bear coil.
OF certain weights, t. e., those specified
in the order OF the Chilean importer.
Again, an American salesman in Bra
gil was trying to introduce American
pianos into a market where German
pianos had been sold exclusively for man!
years He received a trial order with III
specification that the pianos should b.
shipped in tin lined cases, But the fac
tory shipped pianos packed in cases line
with tar paper. The salesman was wit
the Brazilian dealer when the pianos ar
rived. Loyal 10 his house. he tried l.
persuade his client that the America
way TO line piano cases was much tn
better way, because II was the one use
IN the United States. But the Brazilian
merchant knew what tho effects or
long journey through tropical seas an
prolonged stay IN a tropical land coul
have on pianos unless they came In Il
lined cases Besides, he had offered I
pay for the different lining. After tina
he continued 10 buy German pianos tina
were shipped TO him exactly as he wished.
Some Tanales In Trade Marks.
--'hrouGh their neglect to register trad
marks In South America American manr
Il.