Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-02-04
The Rockville Idea.

To the wide-awake merchant the page
of Personals" in his home paper presents
a series of nightmares The terse state
ment that MRS. Howsit and Mrs. Whosit
made the trip to Cyclopesbure Wednesday
warns him that beyond doubt the Howsits
and Whosits have become dissatisfied with
local trading conditions and are buying
elsewhere. II the dealer is a natural born
pessimist, he may even come to hate the
whistle of the railroad train. 1t means a
loss of patronage for him because every
day customers are being carried away to
distant shopping centers. If. however, he
is big enough to grasp this unfavorable
situation and systematically endeavor to
meet II. he will not only greatly benefit
himself and his community, but he will also
win the eternal gratitude of the Howsit
and Whosit families, who do not at all
relish their monthly shopping expedition
to the city.
But just how to provide the necessary
remedy for this growing condition is a
question. It should occupy the combined
attention OF all merchants of the town,
working together in fraternal commercial
body. without petty Jealousy or personal
feeling. Solve it, and the number of mail
orders Will be decreased to minimum
ignore it, and the local trading field is di-
vided against the home dealers. The con-
sumner has every right to fair prices, reliable
quality and reasonable variety from
which to choose. Almost any person, ex-
cept the frenzied bargain hunter, whose
patronage is usually Improbable prefers
to buy at home il these three requisites are
fulfilled.
Local merchants have awakened to the
price question, and they are selling goods
as cheaply as their strongest out f-town
competitors. Lack Of variety must. there
lore, be the reason for so much buying
away from home. Mrs. Howsit can't buy
ten dollar grade OF silk sweater at home,
so she goes to Cyclopesburg, and not only
buys sweater. but new hat, pair of
shoes and divers other articles that could
have been purchased just as well as at home,
but she thinks that while she is shopping
she might as well get everything she needs.
Mrs. Whosit, on the other hand, may want
an eight dollar coat, while the cheapest
thing she can get here is a ten dollar Grade,
so she goes with Mrs. Howsit and MANAGES
to buy a considerable number of staple
articles before she starts home.
No one expects the smaller merchants to
carry the same variety as the large city
stores. The demand does not warrant the
necessary investment. and the consumer
doesn't care for it. Too large a display
often muddles a buyer. The merchant
should size up his community, anticipate
the coming demand of all the different
classes of people and then let them know
that they can buy the goods they want at
the same price which they would pay away
from home.
Local merchants will do we'll to impress
upon the people of this community that
they are perfectly willing and only too
glad to send special orders for any GOODS
which they do not carry in stock. II a
man wants fifty dollar overcoat, latest
style, he will be able to get ii as cheaply by
ordering through local merchant from a
standard house, as he could buy il in the
city. Make the people understand this,
satisfy those who desire the cheapest goods,
carry tasty variety as dissimiar to your
competitor as possible. and then, Mr.. Home
Merchant, the local editor will soon be
running more advertisements and fewer
Mrs. Howsit and Mrs. Whosit made the
trip to Cyclopesburg Wednesday" on the
tparOOnaIb &c