South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-01-10
INCREASE SHOWN
IN RETAIL SALES
Figures Show Business Was
IS Percent Better in
November 1914.

showed an average increase OF 10
per cent in November, 1915, over
November, 1914. This decided i'm
provement in local business condi-
tions is revealed by the second an
nual merchandising research report
of the Associated Advertising clubs
OF the World. which has just been
received here.
Department stores enjoyed an in
crease OF q per cent in retail sales;
clothiers, 26 per cent; hardware
dealers. Is per cent. and jewellers
seven per cent. The increase in jew
elry sales is regarded as particu-
larry significant and indicative OF
prosperous conditions as people gen
orally buy Injuries only when they
are prosperous.
South Bend was selected by the
research committee as one of the
marketing centers in the United
States and information obtained
from local merchants is included in
this comprehensive report.
Demand Increased.
Consumer demand in 1915 as indi-
Gated by retain sales throughout the
United States increased approximate
" l6 per cent over 1914, and collec-
tions improved materially. according
to the second annual report of the
merchandising research committee
of the Associated Advertising clubs
OF the World. which has just been
received here in the January num-
Der OF Associated Advertising, the
monthly magazine published by the
Associated Advertising clubs IN
compiling the report November was
taken as an index month to business
conditions.
The investigation touched nearly
200 leading market centers in every
part of the United States and in a
number Of Canadian cities, covering
stores selling both luxuries and ne
cessities. Grocers, jewellers, depart
ment store owners hardware deal
ers. clothiers and druggists, repre-
senting the six lines of business in
vestigated. willingly opened their
books 10 the hundreds of inyestiga-
tors who interviewed them.
One Thousand Investigators.
Encouraging increases in sales in
all lines investigated were reported
practically everywhere in the United
States. and the average increase
ovr 1914 in business in all the thOus-
ands of stores that participated was
shown to have been 1888 per cent.
Business conditions in 1915 as COM
pared with those in 1914 following
the outbreak of the European war
We're decidedly improved
No less than 1000 investigators
called upon and interviewed mer-
chants in leading marketing centers.
In each city at least three represent
ative merchants in each of the six
lines investigated were interviewed.
Assurance was given that names of
individuals or firms would not ap-
pear in the report. the object being
to present only figures showing per
cCntages Of increase or decrease.
The investigations were made by
commercial club secretaries and
members of local advertising clubs.
under the general direction of Mar
Martin OF Minneapolis
Increase i'm Advertising.
Sales. local advertising, collections
and the amount Of stocks carried bv
merchants in November. 1915. were
compared with those of November.
1914, and November. 1918. 10 get the
facts for the research report Bust
ness experts conCede that "as is No
vember. so is the years business in
retailing" and November is recog-
nized as an index month in The bust
ness world.
The frequency with which the in
vestigatiOn showed that sales rise as
advertising is Increased in a COM
munity-that increased sales and in
creased advertising 20 hand in hand
lis an interested feature OF the re-
port. An average increase of %
per cent in local advertising through
out the country is disclosed. Retail
ers increased the stocks they were
carrying 4.S1 per cent
Consumers Buying LuXurics.
Satisfactory increases in jewelry
sales were reported in practically
every city the average jewelry sales
for the country being 1S.9 per cent
higher than those in 1914. This
shows that people everywhere are
buying luNuries. which is taken as d
certain indication of good business.
for necessities naturally come first
and luXdries afterward
An interesting fact which the re-
port divulges is that while the Jew
eler's sales increased more. proper
tionately. than those OF the grocer.
the grocer. as a rule. collects what
Is due him with much greater ease
than any other kind of merchant.
Collections Above Normal.
In addition 20 the fact that CON
sumner demand-retail sales--showed
a healthy increase. collections also
were better the average for the
whole country being 90 points
above normal as compared with
1914. The point system OF scoring
collections, as used i'm the report.
consists Of assigning 40 points for a
report OF poor collections. so points
for a report Of normal collections.
and so points for report OF good
collections The reports Of the retail
RS are thus given numerical vaMe
for the purpose OF tabulation and
averages.
49, OF