The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-04-19

Bringing About Understanding Be-
tween storekeepers and Customers.
Fair and even moderate prices OF
food and food products these days of
aSnormal conditions are so greatly in
creased over prices which were stand
ard a'year or two years ago that many
housekeepers whose family purses
have not been fattened' in proportion
to the advance in prices are experience.
ing difficulty in providing, even with
rigid economy, the necessities of life,
and many others are stretching the
weekly or monthly allowances over
these periods only by taking advan-
tage of every opportunity to save.
The retailers are, as a general rule,
selling at prices which give them no
more than a reasonable profit above
cost and expenses OF operation to
which they are entitled; but one of
the big items figured in cost is the ex
pense of credit and delivery. This ex-
pense is of course greater in larger
centers, but ever in the small com
munities it IS a factor which con.
tributes to making food and foodstuIfs,
already dear, wen dearer to the con-
sumner.
Any plan whereby the retailer may
be enabled to sell food products even
a fraction cheaper without cutting into
the reasonable profit to which he is
entitled and which he must necessar.
lily have to maintain himself in bust.
ness, will, undoubtedly, be welcomed
by b 9TH the retailer and the consumer
everywhere; and the Cash ana Car.
ry" plan, which Is being employed in
some of the larger cities Of the oun
try would appear to commend itself.
The Cash and Carry plan-which
is simply the doing away with deliv.
cries 50 far as that is practicable.
and paying cash not only eliminates
the n expense Of delivering. ones
goods at his kitchen door, but also
the more considerable expense Of
bookkeeping. credit and collections.
of which the greatest Is that of credit,
since that term always implies a Ger
tain percentage Of losses, which must
likewise be figured in by the mer'
chant, else he could not continue In
business very long. In other words.
the man who does not pay his bill pen
allies the mar who does pay.
1t would appear, that In any com
munity the retail merchants would
willingly give their customers the
benefit of these costs-of delivery and
credit-cutting down the prices OF
food products, If they might have the
cooperation Of their customers IN the
Cash and Carry" plan, which would
mean that the customer would either
call at or send to the store, pay cash
for the goods purchased, and carry
the goods home with him.. In the
handling Of heavy goods there must.
of course, be deliveries made.
AS an example Of what saving can
be effected through the Cash and
Carry" plan, n Of the largest diaries
in the United States operates 1856 milk
stores or depots in New York City.
This big dairy corporation recently
advertised what is termed "the bigger
service" and announced that on April
LIST the Cash and Carry" plan would
become operative. To all those who
carry. their. containers to any n o!
the 1875 milk stores, milk is steld at 10
cents q quart, for cash. If the milk ls
delivered, as the corporation is willing
to do if that should be preferred, the
price for the same grade OF milk is
IA cents a quart. Through the Cash
and Garry" Pan the consumer saves
four cents a quart.
Another system Of food stores In
the metropolis, operating on the Cash
and Carry" plan, will, on each one
dollars worth of goods purchased.
give the customer IA cents either in
lash or in additional goods, If the Gus
toner will carry his purchases with
him and have the stores the expense
Of delivery, fourteen cents on the dol
lar Is certainly worth saving.
81 WAR