Arizona republican., 1916-02-06

was given it by the leading club
 women of Arizona who were present
 Eugene Rodewill had been requested tc
 prepare an article on the subject to be
 read at the convention but owing to
 the Washouts the paper did not reach
 Tucson while the Federation was in
 session. In order that the various
 clubs might benefit by his valuable
 suggestions the article is reproduced ir
 tbe official club organ. It follows:
 Whatever influence that is brought
 to bear on the merchant, in order to
 render service to the consumer, must
 be of a practical nature. If he is to be
 told that the mail order houses give
 ms local patrons better value for their
 money, he must be shown this in a
 practical manner. When a customer
 merely tells a merchant that he or she
 can do better elsewhere, the merchant
 looks into tie matter casually and
 considers t as general kick If the
 customer brought a few articles pur-
 Chased elsewhere into the merchants
 store and laid the invoice open before
 him, the evidence would be there, and
 
 ready to get busy and look to his
 source of supply and see why he can- not sell as cheap as his competitor.
 The local merchant has the best Of it from the start in competition with outside competition, but he generally does not know it. His chief fault is that he is not properly organized and does not carry the stock. It is ridicu- lcus to think that a letter is as good as personal visit in any line of mer- chandising. The local merchant has the personal visit in the form of his enticing store. while the outside mer- chant only has his literature. The local man can send out his solicitor, give his crafty salesman an opportun ity to argue and bargain, grant priv ileges exchanges, and the greatest things in all power to draw trade in the form of Service.
 To improve all local conditions l | would show the merchant. and this can be done with a little organization on | the part of the consumers, and at i practically no expense.
 In the first place, a special pur- chasing committee should be named | from the closes buyers among the | ladies who know values. In standard | brands the matter is easy. and it is in the just as good articles where the ability and skill will come into play.
 Say tEat a committee of five careful buyers is selected from a club, one to bo appointed as chairman and another as recording secretary to take ac- count of the transactions. Their time to be devoted to purchasing locally i1 adjacent towns and the large mail order houses. This committee will figure on time taken to receive the goods and arrange their calendar ac- cordingly. The purchases will be made for the club The articles need not necessarily be large but of va riety. For instance a small article is purchased each of hardware, dry goods, fancy and staple groceries, and in fact i any number of subjects that the ladies think are not properly merchandise0 in their town. Accurate account if kept of price, time required to get the goods delivered, amount of transporta- ton paid, cash or credit, exchange .rivilege, effort required in making the ! purchase, and observance if the article Is standard advertised brand or not I Every consideration should be given in making the purchase in getting stan { lard and advertised brands and un- lnown brands and own brands ivoided. '
 The committee will bring all the 1 articles to the regular meeting togeth- T with their data. All articles should je numbered and no names appear on / hem The corresponding numbers J ,hould be in the hands of the secrc- I ary of the committee. Then judg- nent is to be passed by the entire Hub. This will be done in a sys- ematic manner. First the cash price 4 'aid including transportation should A 'e placed on a blackboard opposite ach competitive article. For instance . can of Royal Baking Powder is pur- nased at the lowest priced local mar 2 .et-the same thing purchased from V he largest nearby town and another rom mail-order house If the in- iVidual consumer uses large uuanti- ies in her home the quantity rate houid be deducted. But to make the \ Jhole proposition feasible it would ot be wise to go into quantity and ulk purchases any more than the onsumer regularly buys, except on a oi 1eets or months supply. The com k 1ittee's purchaser should guard her S, urpose carefully and not let her mis- W ion or purpose be known while shop sl ing il Deduction should be made in oper n Tub and merchants invited to be P resent A good assortment of goods IT tandard and advertised brands will E ominate and prove to the merchant cj I'd consumer what they both should "t c glad to know. M I would suggest that deduction be S lade by points on the blackboard or rge sheet of paper in view of all.
 The total basis of each articles mer- of s should be by ten points. as follows: re , points to the local or foreign house 1T wing the lowest price. SC Two points to foreign or local house sI ithin ten per cent of the lowest price One point to foreign or local house ithin fifteen per cent of the lowest ci rice. x One point to the foreign or local cf ouse giving credit CT One point to foreign or local house ri wing exchange privilege without eX- q, a expense or argument. e>