Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-10
BUSINESS BETTER
IN LEADING LINES
Associated Advertising Clubs
Made Thorough Investi-
cation Of Conditions

Salem in six representative lines of
business showed an average increase in
November, 1915, over November, 1914.
This Improvement in local business con-
ditionssis revealed by the second an
nual merchandising reasearch report of
the Associated Advertising clubs of the
world which has just been received
here;
jewelers. here enjoyed an average in
! crease of 15 per cent in retail sales over
1914. This is regarded as particularly
| significant and indicative of sound
business conditions as people generally
buy luxuries only when they are pros
porous. Salem was selected by the re-
search committee as one of the market
ing centers of the United. States and
information obtained from local mer-
chants is included in this report.
Consumer demand in 1915 as indi-
Gated by retail sales throughout the
United States increased approximately
16 per cent over 1914, and collections
improved materially, according to the
second annual report of the merchan-
dising research committee of the AS
sociated Advertising Clubs of the
World, which has just been received
here in the January number of Associ-
ated Advertising, the monthly maga-
zine published by the Associated Ad-
vertising clubs In compiling the re-
port November was taken as an index
month to business conditions.
The investigation touched nearly
To- IL
part Of the United States and in a
number of Canadian cities, covering
stores selling both luxuries and neces-
sites. Grocers, jewelers., department
store owners, hardware dealers, cloth
iers and druggists, representing the
six lines of business Investigated, will
ingly opened their books to the hun
dreds Of investigators who interviewed
them.
One Thousand Investigators.
Encouraging increases in sales'in all
lines investigated were reported prac-
tically everywhere in the United
States and the average increase over
1914 in business in all the thousands
of stores that participated was
shown to have been 1893 per cent.
Business conditions in 1915 as com
pared with those in 1914 following the
outbreak of the European war were
decidedly improved.
Not less than 1000 investigators
called upon and interviewed mer-
chants in leading marketing centers
In each city at least three representa-
tive merchants in each of the six lines
Investigated were interviewed. Assur-
ance was given that names of individ-
uals or firms would not appear in the
report, the object being to present
only figures showing percentages of
increase or decrease.
The investigations were made by
commercial club secretaries and mem
bers of local advertising clubs, under
the general direction of Mac Martin,
Of Minneapolis.
Increase in Advertising.
Sales, local advertising, collections
and the amount of stock carried by
merchants in November, 1915, were
compared with those of November,
1914, and November, 1913, to get the
facts for the research report. Busi-
ness experts concede that Gas is No
vember, so is the year s business in re.
failing, and November is recognized
as an index month in the business
world.
The frequency with which the in
vestigation showed that sales rise as
advertising is increased in com
munity-that increased sales and in
creased advertising 60 hand in hand
is an interesting feature of the report.
An average increase or 2.5 per cent in
local advertising throughout the coun.
try is disclosed Retailers increased
the stocks they are carrying 4.S1 per
cent.
Figures Show Actual Gains.
The following tables shows average
percentages of increase in sales and
advertising in the United States in
the six lines of business investigated
the figures under collections indicate
the number of points collections are
above normal as reported by the mer-
chants.