The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-04-23
CASH AND CARRY"
PLAN A SAVING
ELIMINATE COST OF DELIVERY
SYSTEM AND OUTS OUT
CREDIT LOSSES.
opportunity For Community Workers
TO Establish Plan Everywhere Nv
Bringing About Understanding Be.
tween Storekeepers and Customers.

fair and even moderate prices of
FOOD and food products these days of
abnormal conditions are so greatly in.
creased over prices which were stand
ara year or two years ago that many
housekespers whose family purses
nave not been fattened in proportion
10 the advance in prices are experienc.
ing dliticuity 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 advau-
tase OF every opportunity to save.
ne retailers are, as a general rule
selling at prices which give them no
more than reasonable profit above
cost and expenses of operation 10
which they are entitled; but one of
the big items figured in cost is the en-
pehse OF credit and delivery. This ex-
Pense is or course greater in larger
centers, but even in the small com
nunities it IS a factor which con-
tributes to making food and foodstuffs.
already dear. even dearer to the con-
sumer
Any plan whereby the retailer NAV
be enabled to sell food products even
a traction 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)th the retailer and the consumer
everywhere; and the Cash and Car
~" plan, which is being employed in
some of the larger cities Of the coun-
try would appear to commend itself.
The Cash and Carry" plan-which
Is simply the doing away with deliv-
cries so far as that is practicable,
and paying cash not only eliminates
the one 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 alwass 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
| alizes the man 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 on 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, one Of the largest dairiss
in the United States operates 1875 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
1st the Cash and Garry" plan would
| become operative. To all those who
! carry their containers to any one Of
the 186 milk stores, milk is stold at 10
cents quart, for cash. II the milk Is
delivered, as the corporation is willing
to do IL that should be preferred, the
price for the same grade of milk is
IA cents quart. Through the Cash
and Carry" pan the consumer saves
four cents q 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
cash or in additional goods. IL 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.