The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-02-04
By. Commercial Agent Garrard Harris
Guatemala City, in the United States
Daily Consular and Trade

ny commercial Agent Garrard HarTlS,
Guatemala City, in the United States
Daily Consular and Trade
Reports.
Il want to go into the export trade;
tell me a few pointers as to how to make
a success of IT." writes a business man of
the United States, and adds that he has
heard Others say it is not very satisfac-
tory, but he IS willing to try 1t.
Assuming that competent travelling men
are employed, that they get the orders,
ana arrangements are satisfactory as to
credits, etc., the best pointers to be given
are instances of what not to do and the
citation of instances where other houses
nave lost money, customers, and time. In
the first place. it is fundamental to know
how to pack the goods properly and to
snip precisely what is ordered.
What is the thief of your objections
70 doing business with the American
housesT' l asked a Guatemala importer.
They won't ship just what I order; they
VIII substitute goods: and they are not
careful as to packing, although there is
Improvement in that line now" he an
swered. And to Illustrate with an Incl
dent current:
Latest Styles In Neckties Not Wanted.
A business house in Guatemala had as
customer an old-fashioned gentleman who
llVed about 70 miles in the interior. He
mad been wearing a certain sort of ready
made necktie for years. He came in to
get a supply and his merchant did not
nave them, but he gave the one he had on
TO the merchant and asked that two dozen
like 1T be ordered. The order was sent
to a house in the United States the mer-
chant had been dealing with to a limited
extent. There was q certain clasp on the
Tie the old gentleman particularly liked.
lie owned a big coffee finca and was a
good customer. SO the merchant wrote ex-
pliclt instructions to have the ties made
Just as per sample, and stated that the
price was no object. The house in the
United States wrote that the ties desired
Were out OF style 20 years before. and they
We're sending two dozen Of the very latest
Fashion in ties. They came, packed in
rather a heavy wooden box, and the mer-
chant had to pay duty on the wood at
silk rate, having gotten the box out of
the custom house before he received the
letter. He sent to Germany and obtained
precisely what he ordered, receiving it on
the return vessel; and the ties We're neat
ly packed In a light tin box of almost
fe~atherweight.
That is one instance of how American
houses lose trade. They should ship just
exactly what is ordered.
Silk Goods by Parcel Post.
Another story is going the rounds about
a merchant In Quetzaltenango, who or
dered a considerable bill of silk from a
house in the United States, STIMULATING
that 1t was to be cut in 10-yard lengths
and shipped by parcel post, as he would
save customs duties on packing and also
freight. The shipment did not come as
per order. 1t was packed in a double
strong and heavy wooden case which
weighed nearly as much as did the silk,
and which weight was paid for at the
silk rate, the tariff being on gross weight
Of the package and not merely on con-
tents. He is now in a lively controversy
with the house hat d~isregarded his ship
ping instructions, and certainly will not
be inclined to favor the concern with fur
Their orders.
Flour Sold on Trade-M artts.
Another Illustration of the vagaries of
the trade: A year or so ago there was
a brand of flour that was we'll liked and a