The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-04-23
The CONSUMER
MISCALCULATES
Often Pays More For Catalogue
House Goods.
ONE FARMERS EXPERIENCE.
Influenced by an AlIuring Picture Book
For a Time - Yards Of Red Tape
Used-Buylng From a Picture Album
Is Reckless Form of Gambling.
See the Goods Before Purchase.

See the Goods Before Purchase.
copyrighted, 1914, by Thomas ]. Sullivanl
Figures do not always indicate the
price of goods sold by mail order
houses as scheduled in their price lists,
as the catalogue houses are careful
not to mention the extra cost Incl
dental to placing the order and the de-
livery Of the article ordered.
The consumer is governed by the
low catalogue price rather than the
delivery cost, the latter means, of
course being the correct way Of deter
mining the cost of the article
Consumer Buys Costly Saw.
AS an example reproduce herewith
a conversation which recently took
place in western town when con-
sumner entered the local store and in
quired the price of a saw. The price
of the saw was 81, the merchant told
him.
"Great gunsp' declared the consum-
er. 81 can get the same article from
catalogue house for $780,"
81 can't buy it for that price," said
the merchant, "but will give it to you
on the same terms as the mail order
house, just the same"
"All right" replied the consumer.
''You can wrap it up and charge it to
me, and when ] settle in the fall | will
pay for it."
"Hand Over the Cash"
ooh, no, you DON'T" said the dealer.
'We are doing business on the same
terms as you do business with the mail
order house-no charge accounts. Hand
over the cash, please"
The consumer handed over $3.50.
"Now," said the merchant, SO cents
for the money order and cents for
postage"
what the
"But you must send letter and a
order to get the saw, you know"
The consumer, although desiring to
bolt, kept bravely to his agreement
and paid the cents.
Now the express charges, 45 cents,
if you please"
well, by graciousw he said and
gamely paid it, with the remark. "Now
that I have met all of your demands
hand me over my saw" a.4s
Man Made Mistake.
"Hand you the saw Why, man,
where do you think you are? Just rec
ollect that you are in Texas and am
located in Chicago You will hsV We to
wait about fifteen days for me to make
the delivery" And, backing up his
words with actions, he pocketed the
money, put the saw back on the shelf
and .smilingly turned to wait on the
next customer.
The consumer pondered, and after he
got through with his deductions he
said: "The saw will cost me S2O3
That is 8 cents more than could have
bought it for in the first place, and
am deprived of it's use for fifteen days
besides. No more mail order house for
mew
Incident Worthy of Emulation.
The incident related above is one
which beth the merchant and the con-
sumner may read with profit, and If
more of the merchants adopted the
same tactics as did the Texas mer
chant they would have fewer mail or
der buyers among those who should be
their customers.
And there is much more to this
question than price and delivery; there
are often dissatisfaction and inferior
and damaged goods to contendwith. In
the case of goods being damaged en-
route the buyer has either the prospect
OF a lawsuit with the railroad coma
pany or correspondence fight with
the catalogue house, neither of which
is very inviting,
Not infrequently does the buyer,
rather than to so to ak the expense
nAW efCuUtC 18&1aSAtdl 10 Inc SAEAdG&C
Of the article, allow himself to be iD~
posed upon by accepting the inferior
and often valueless article. an article
which he is actually ashamed to own
or use 4.sssL4 ass
The Only Safe Way.
There can be but one right way to
buy goods. and that is to have the
goods In view of the purchaser. Buy
ing from a picture Is reckless form
of gambling in which the advantage
is entirely with the seller. He knows
what.your money is. Yon do not know
what his goods are. Hence it is heads
he wins and tails you lose.
Thatsthe catalogue house always gets !
the Better of the bargain is evidenced
by the fact that; annually the large
mail order houses declare dividends
the enormity of which appalIs and be-
wiIders the conception of ordinary in
dividuals, who count their profits and
savings In pennies rather than in mil
lions
There is but one right way TO buy
goods. and that way is to see what-you
buy before you pay-for it