Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1915-12-11
COME ssions ST a
Mail Order Man
BY Mr.. NJ. o. X.
RcFeia,ionr by One Whose Rzpcri-neeIn
the Buaincsr Covers Pnnz- Prom
Oihcc PoV 20 Srn~-1l M.n7grr
SOME TRICKS OF TIE GAME.

We all know that. ma a business
proposition, it is impossible FOR any
concern TO give customers anything
unless thcrc is payment Tor it
IN other words. nobody lives any
thing for nothing.
II isn't possible TO give more than
n commercial value in merchandise
for the amount paid. II isn't possible
TO do profitable business unless mcr-
chandise IL sold for price that is
greater than the cost and the expense
OF handling. A profit must be added
in all cases.
Some concerns can buy goods at
slight advantage over others. II de
ponds on the quantity ordered at one
time more than anything else No
manufacturer will sell merchandise to
one concern cheaper than 20 another
unless there is some compensation.
These price concessions generally
consist OF a small cash discount or a
small discount for large quantities.
1t was always nv custom when con
tracing for any article to make a
price CONTRACT for m cr0r;aous qrqn
tity. | Away paid cash. with your
money, Therefore this was possible.
and | obtained also a cash discount.
In this way tEn manufacturer. or the
! jobber, had no selling expense. in
| many instances the manufacturer dis
| posing on this sort Of contract to my
pf.r Of
discounts and price concessions on
small articles frequently did not
amount to more than a fraction of
cent on single article. But in buy
Ing | was out to get the very best
prices and make the very best deals
I could.
But I worked out ways for making
even more money for my mail order
concern. | cut down the value Of the
article in the mailing. arranged
with the manufacturer to produce an
article. looking in ev ny way TO tie
person who knew no better, Ike the
genuine article, but it wasn't
| produced what we're practically
counterfelts. | cheated the people
who bought those articles
Here's how I did It. Take, for ex-
ample, tin cup. a tin pail or tin
| plate-in fact any article made OF tin.
l would figure It out like this. In
the first place we would use tin Of a
certain less weight, thinner and not
so good. Where the top curls over
the manufacturer formerly put a
wire around. hidden from view. but ii
was there. This wire made the ar
ticle stronger. II would stand wear
better and longer.
| would take the wire out. would
make a lighter handle or, In some
way cut down both the quality and
| the quantity of material used In max
ing the article.
So in this way | cheapened the
| article | lessened the cost of max
ing, which made a better profit for me.
OF course, the article was not so good
and would not wear SO long as the
honest, old. fashioned kind--such as
your local dealer buys for his stock
But IN my catalogue the illustration
made It look lust az good" and that
was all that | cared for.
Certainly, the sooner ii wore out, or
got smashed or broken, the sooner you
would be compelled 10 send for an
other. Oh, yes, l thought that all
out, too.
In wooden ware figured the same.
would order a quantity, making
them up from a cheaper grade of
wood II It had hoops I would have
1t M lie with q hoop less. The sides
and bottom would be thinner. In
some way would cut down the guam
tity and value of the material used
for the making, 90 1t would cost less.
So this Is how could cut prices
on such things. l did cut prices
on some articles. things like these
and because of the manner in which
they were made. But the manufactur-
er would not put his brand on such
STUFF Not he. He would say: III
put your brand on that article. I'd
be ashamed to have my brand on 1t.
I'd be ashamed to let anybody think
that I'd turn out that kind of junk"
Then he would stamp my brand
on 1t.
What did care. got your money
In advance as payment for the ar
ticle and what would you, way out
In the little country town, know
about how it should be nader II
would last all the quicker" and then
you would order another. Surely,
that's how It was figured.
Now, think II over. Gool; on some
OF the articles you have bought and
see If the name Of the manufacturer
is stamped On It.
nearly forgot one thing. ] beat
that game, too, In a certain clever
manner, because there's more than
one way of fooling you.
would create a fancy name for
4 fake manufacturer. There would BIO
no such concern. 1 would stamp