Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1918-10-17
THE DELIVERY
SYSTEM OUGHT
10 Be CHANGED
Conservation in Delivery Talked of
by Merchants of Other
Communities.

tive delivery as a means of saving
man and horse power during the war
is urged upon all retail dealers, es,
pecially grocers, by Dean Frank T.
Stockton Of the University OF South
Dakota, who has Investigated the
operation of the system in South Da,
kota cities, Writing in the September
number of the Alfalfa Journal he
said, in part:
The United States has acquired
the reputation of being a was1eful
nation. Military necessity is now
bringing home to US a realization OF
the virtues OF economy along every
line. We are learning how TO
economic on men, food and materials
of all kinds. Part of this saving has
been brought about by individuals
watching their consumption more
carefully and part of it a been al
fected by better business organization.
While much has already been done
to conserve things essential 10 mill,
tary success and TO reduce the cost
II living, a great many things remain
to be accomplished.
Retail store keepers have been
numbered among the MASTERS OF the
past. Many OF them are still to be
tound handling certain details of their
businesses in a most uneconom!eal
way, The most extravaganza thing of
which they are guilty today is UNI
doutediy the individual delivery sys-
tenn. This plan calls for duplication
Of equipment. the overlapping OF de
livery routes, and uaeconomical use
OF I~nan-power. horses, auto trucks.
gasoline and other items, BY !mprov-
.ng this part Of The marketing process
4 great saving could be affected for
me nation.
In the e%adeavor 10 eliminate waste,
ONE retailers have gone 10 the ex-
IRENE OF abolishing their delivery sys-
TENS altogether and asking their
customers to follow the -cashand-
carry plan, which requires purchas
ers to act as their OWE delivery BOYS
II is their goods for less, thus benefit
ing people who trade with them.
Even if this argument were absolutely
sound, the great majority of the on
Sunlefs would prefer 10 be saved the
annoyance and trouble Of running
downtown every line they wished
groceries, meats, or other articles corn
monty ordered by phone. These
same customers would also be glad TO
pay for having their things sent out
TO them and il the right sort OF de
livery system were used the extra
cost would be exceedingly small. 1t
is q vast of the peoples time 10
make every purchaser his W
grocer's boy. 1t is doubtful, more
over, if the "cash-and-carry'' plan
saves anything 10 the grocer be-
cause. where 1t has been tried in GER
tain stores, the afternoon trade has
been SO greatly increased over the
morning trade that additional clerks
have been required for the rush period.
It also demands economy. The aboli.
ton OF delivery destroys service.
Fhe system of individual delivery
properly handled, will make possible
both elements the public requires.
'The economies inpoived in union
or cooperative delivery would seem to
be obvious. Concrete illustrations.
however, are often more convincing
nan the statement OF a general fact.
Let us, then. see what has been the
experience with cooperative delivery
/ n the towns of Aberdeen. Armour
Huron, Miller, Rapid City, Watertown,
and washington Springs. Under the
old system of individual delivery in
these towns the total equipment used
consisted Of 81 horses, . autos, and
a3 men. The union systems OF today
employ IS horses, 10 autos, and SO
men. few dealers in these cities
still retain individual delivery. largely
through the fear Of losing u few
cents worth or trade. Even when WI
add their labor force md equipment
TO the figures last given and assume
that they bring the totals up to tho
conservative estimate OF s horses
is autos, and as men the savings
already accomplished through /
partial use Of eo-onlrative dolivedy ar,
quite apparent. III ia interesting Il
note that iii ten ofStlae towns lsarnes
union delivery, when FIRST started
Was used by 40 dealers. Today ii
tlaase ten towns So deslers are GO
operating
asThe movement for union delivery
nv South Dakota II q tomf,arativels
n1W one Tllh. 8 ssVss first adsant
tsnT1. aranflyN VunnhitvS4n SlNrtsvx.