The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-07-19
DISTRIBUTION Is
MARKETING SOLUTION

After an exhaustive study of apple
selling of the past several years, T..
H. Shepard, editor of Better Fruit,
says that marketing concerns fail in
their tasks, not because of overproduc-
tion, but for lack of proper distribu-
tion.
81 have given this matter great
deal of thought and study for years, ="
says Mr.. Shepard, "and have done
much research work, endeavoring to
collect statistics and present facts that
would be of value, but utnil recently
could find no arrangements of the diff
ferent towns with reference to their
populations sufficiently classified to be
of value. A few months ago picked
up an American newspaper directory
and found a list of every town in the
United States in which newspaper
was printed. In the list are numbered
total of 1855 towns, of which
9,298 are smaller than 8, 900 population.
81 have kept record of every car
load with destination, as reported by
the Fruit Growers Agency during the
month of November, the heaviest ship
ping month of the year, representing
Is per cent of the tonnage of ithe
Northwest, and in addition have taken
the published list of towns tQ which
the Northwestern Fruit Exchange has
sold for the past seven years. All OF
these towns | have carefully checked
up in the newspaper directory. Out of
the 2,086 towns of over 5000 popula-
tion, have discovered that |, ,791 were
not sold any apples-86 per cent. Of
the $500 towns of population below
3, 600 that supported newspapers, | find
that only 81 have bought carloads of
apples-three per cent. Thus, out eof
the total of II ,089 towns of the coun-
try with newspapers, we Northwestern
apple shippers sold only GIL Of them.
"In my research | have also investi-
gated the number of towns that have
produce or commission merchants. /
find this number to be about three
times that ssof towns supporting news
papers. Thus my research discloses
that 98.3 per cent of these towns of
the United States have not bought of
our apples in carload lots.
81 do not maintain for moment
that every town in the United States
or thatIevery town over 5000 popula-
tion, can be sold apples direct in car
lots, but it does seem and undoubtedly
is true, that there are hundreds. yes
thousands, of towns that have not been
sold in carlots that can.
with this immense list of towns
unsold it seems worthy of suggestion
that the selling agencies and associa-
tion directors follow the methods
adopted by big jobbers and manufac:
turers of putting out a sufficient num-
ber of travellers or personal represent
atives to cover the different states and
territories thoroughly. If the town of
medium sized population can be sold
the fruit direct, saving the etxra
freight and unnecessary expense of
extra handling and profit, the con-
sumers of that city will receive their
fruit just so much less per box, thus
creating a greater consumption. Fur
thermore, it will mean that the bigger
cities and distributing centers will be
relieved of overcrowding and pressure,
consequently better prices can be Sc
cured and maintained.
~ firmly believe that if evey ship
per of the Northwest will accept the
information of the research and the
suggestions offered and then get busy
to incrase his distribution, we will hear
little more complaint of overproduc-
tion, and | am equally and firmly con-
vinced that every Northwestern fruit
grower will get better prices, if the
SuppestionS are followed. ~