New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-24
Merchandising
Now Reflects
War Economy
Changing Currents Of Buying
Show Luxurics Are Being
Displaced
Especial Correspondence

CLENELAND, NOV. Cup 10 ABOUT
six months ago the problem of mer-
chandising was simplicity itself. All
the dealer, whether wholesale or re-
tail, had to do was TO order as many
goods as he figured he could sell in so
many months, get them from the man.
ufacturer or the jobber, as the case
might be. by dnt Of much intelligence
and ceaseless persistence, and then sell
them at a profit, because Of constantly
approaching prices.
All that is changed, and largely by
psychological rather than material res-
sons. The business world has an en-
tirely different and far more cautious
point of view than it had six months
ago High prices brought their own
cure by limiting demand in many in
stances. Overproduction did the bust
ness in other instances, and govern
mental fxation Of maximum prices
completed the story. So far raw ma
tcrals have been affected most, but in
due process of time it is believed that
declines will slowly spread to finished
products. Hence, speculation as an
element of merchandising has been
eliminated. Merchandising is back to
the normal way of ordering goods as
needed, and only as needed, with a con-
slant eye to turn over Of stock.
The Psychology of 1t
The real problem is the study of the
psychology of the situation, for that,
after all, is the compelling and DOM
inant factor in both buying and selling
to-day, and promises to continue so.
The thought Of the times is to caution
and conservatism and to a decreased
use of Injuries and essentials.
This trend of thought promises TO have
an increasing result in the way Of les
scning demand for certain articles, and
just what these articles are, or are
likely to be, can be discovered only by
the application of much analysis and
common sense along the lines of "two
and two making four, rot sometimes,
but all the time" as the Thinking Ma
chine said. For real prescience and
forethought in business consist in
knowing thing before it happens, and
not afterward.
One illustration tells the story Of the
day. Casseroles are coming much into
favor and chatting dishes and their ac-
coutrements are going out. Nor is the
reason far to seek. Consumers these
days have suddenly got back to liv-
ing on facts and not on fancies. Chat
ing dishes were largely the artificial
creation Of still more artificial society
to whom midnight suppers, after theatre
entertainments and futile and foo.less
afternoon teas were things of Joy and
adventure. The atmosphere was that
OF fppsnce and of the frills and fun
merry OF life, and these things are
being relegated to disuse for the nonce
by that very society which once revclled
in them as badge Of distinction. Such
conversions are usually sweeping and
complete, while they last. Meanwhile
the modest casserole is a thing Of
utility, Of economy and Of convenience,
being much Endorsed by all common
sense principles. Hence it grows much
in favor.
Sporting Goods Affected
Another form of cautious merchan-
dising to-day is that Of not taking any
chances on goods which practically do
not sell at all save in certain kinds OF
weather. Ice skates, Of course, can be
used only when the weather is cold
enough to form heavy ice on lakes and
rivers. In some ATTITUDES, say from
So to 81 degrees north latitude. there
is no certainty Of there being cold
enough weather by the first of the new
year TO cause a demand for skates, such
as are used by the average skater on
natural ice and not in the Kinks. So
the canny retail trade is not laying in,
as is their usual custom, u stock Of
ice skates to have on hand when the
holiday season arrives, for ills Q curl
GUS fact that unless skates In such lati-