Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-14
roth EXPLAINS PLAN
FOR WARTIME RETAILING
Would Make Charge for Delivery
and Also Charge for
Credit.
PRESENT PLAN DIsCRIMINATEs
Many Merchants Now Make No Con-
ccssion to Patriotic Citizen Who
Pays Cash and Take His Own
Purchases Home.

Purchases Home.
According 10 the plan of s. w. Roth
OF Chicago. who will tonight address
the Southern Retail Merchants A"so-
citation. which is in three days con-
ference at the John Marshall High
school. many men can be released for
war service. while merchants will
watch with smiles their cash and gross
sales climb while their deliveries and
credits will do the Humpty Dunpty act
The Roth system of retailing. which
was recently explained by its author
to a meeting OF 1000 retailers in New
York City. proposes to make those
people who want delivery OF goods p y
for that delivery at fiat rate. while
AT the present time the plan of putting
the price on goods high enough TO pay
for deliveries imposes tho burden OF
the delivery expense equally on those
persons who carry their own goods y
similar truth persists when no cnarg,
is made for credits those paying cash
sharing the burden OF credits with the
debtors
Mr.. Roth's plan which he Will de:
scribe in full tonight, PLACES fla:
rate OF cents on all deliveries This
makes the person receiving the dcliv-
cry the sole payer for that a-vicc And
his plan puts a charge of / cent on the
dollar 70. all credits. thereby making
the debtor pay for the acc ,mnodation
and not those who pay c:sh.
ELIMINATES FREQUENT
DELIVERIES TO SANE: FAIRLY
This obviously will result in tho
elimination OF frequent deliveries TO the
same customer in a day. he b.4.ins all
the days demands at one lime I, proGt
bY one delivery at a fiat rate Mr. Roth
stated. and supported his statements
with letters OF testimony. that in many
cases deliveries had been decreased
from 90 10 - per cent, Will. the same
thing held true of credits This de-
crease OF deliveries. OF course. relieves
truck drivers from 80 10 30 per cent
And now IS the time of scarcity OF la
Dor.
This plan carries with It the marking
of prices in plain figures. This is
thing. according 10 Mr.. Roth, tina; all
merchants should be honest enough TO
do 81 any time. II will save the time
OF clerks and customers, just as the fiat
rate for deliveries will decrease the
Unnecessary deliveries and credits Mr..
Roth has hundreds of letters from men
who have been operating his system.
stating that the pan had worked won
ders in the increase of total and cash
sales and the corresponding decrease
OF useless deliveries and credits.
The address OF welcome to the 3oC
members of the association in attend.
ance here by John C. Easlcy. president
OF the Richmond Chamber Of Gem.
merce. evoked wonderful applause
when he asserted. in the presence OF
the patriotic merchants from Virginia
Georgia and the two Carolinas, thai
the South has taken and will take a
prominent part in the world war, and
the South will be found among the
leaders in commercial cndcavor" His
first reference TO President Woodrow
Wilson was the cue for an outburst OF
cheers. The meeting was not called %
order by President n. T. Purdy tin
after the lusty singing Of America -
ECONOMY. EFFICIENCY
COOPERATION, UNDERSTANDING
President Purdy addressed the con-
terence on the object of the ;hree-day
convention. He, played up and down
the together cord Tor the sake OF
efficiency. economy, cooperation and
unit rstandinC for the sake Of SOP.
ping the unnecessary flow OF the an
nual sum OF SIS, 900 in fruits OF
Southern trade into other States. He
explained that the conference would
result in the development OF the per.
sonal touch and A personal friendship
the object OF the conference being tc
AL ha
closer relations between buyers and
sellers. and to discuss better methods
of meeting the drastic war conditions
He also explained that by campaign
OF education the retail! trade OF the
vast sum Slipping in insidious channel:
out OF this section could be retained
in the South. The point was made tina
no good advantage can come OF send.
ing hundreds OF miles 10 other cities Il
purchase what could be obtained :,
better advantage at home from loca
retailers
Mr.. Purdy also made strong an
peal for the maintenance of the high
est trade standards on the part of tn
retailers. telling his hearers that re
/. tailers might regard the future hope
fully
DADNEY WELCOMES
RICHMOSD'S VISITOR!
1t was the province OF W T Dab
ney. business manager Of the loca
q Chamber OF Commerce and secretary O
q the association in conference, to te!
= the audience what they are here for
He placed high estimate on the sim
I. pie interchange OF ideas and experi
i ences, and then called attention 10 III
large attendance in spite OF the heal
Z transportation and everything els
that might have been q stumbling
( block in the way Of attendance ther
being 700 members OF the association
e and about 300 having promised thei
Z presence. He predicted great interes
and benefit flowing from the confer
ence. and reminded the men that sjmi
q lar meetings in the North and Yves
were always attended by the mos
prominent retailers.