Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-02-25

Putting the punch into retail busl-
ness is the purpose OF Frank stock
dale. of Chicago merchandising expert,
who gave the first of series OF 1--WE
lectures Monday evening at the Mar
shaIltown Club. The attendance at the
first address was large and included
many women interested in the retail
business Of the city. Mr.. Stockdale
impressed mis- auditors with his thor
ough knowledge of his subject and his
happy manner of delivery. His max
inns of business interspersed thruou'
his talk were as full of wisdom as the
old saws of Ben Franklin.
Stockdale has made a most eNha ust-
i've study of retail business. He has
diagnosed its Ills and offers remedy
Whether or not his cure is the real
panacea his audience was convinced
that it would at least improve the con-
dition of the patient.
Monday nights address was on
Meeting Today's Competition Mr.
Stockdsle began by predicting that
within the next two years the change
In the retail business would be greater
than ever before
Five Kinds OF Stores.
He classified merchandise houses
as follows: Specially stores, where the
merchant offers for sale one particular
line OF merchandise such as groceries.
hardware, dry goods. or drugs: depart
ment store. a collection of specially
stores selling over counters; depart
mentiZed store. where 4 few specialties
are sold. but not in sufficient number
to be classed as a department store;
catalog store. collection of specially
stores selling by mail chain store, col
lection of speciality stores under diff
ferent roofs
The catalog and department stores
are developing more rapidly than the
specially store, and at the expense OF
the specially merchant. The depart
ment store. however, is trying TO get
back TO the basis of the specially store.
John Wanamaker. the great Philadel-
pha hant, was quoted as saying
Of his place OF business. This is not
a department store. it is a collection
of speciality stores
Conditions Rapidly Changing.
Business is becoming more central
lied, tending toward the larger cities
and this Mr. Stockdale declares was
due to changes in Transportation. ad
vertisinG and strength of competition.
The retail merchant. he said. must
meet this competition with organiza-
ton. using the same weapons his
great competitor uses.
The retail merchant. he declared
must organize his business: apply the
same methods TO mis- business that have
been successful with his competitor
and advertise.
The retail marchant today. to be sue
cessful. must be a buyer, a seller. a
financier and q manager. Some are
good buyers but failures as sellers, or
a financiers CT managers Others are
exceptionally successful as sellers but
fail as buyers. Some are excellent
financiers or managers but failures as
sellers or buyers.
Secret Of, Organization.
The retail merchant generally at
tempts the impossible. seeking 10 be
buyer. financier and manager and it
is seldom one man is successful in this
many sided role. The big store picks
experts to handle the different lines
for which they are specially fitted. The
retail merchant as rule. said Mr.
Stockdaie, fails to appreciate the value
Of efficiency in business.
He gave a definition Of efficiency as
given him by a salesman, as buying
from Hebrew and selling to Scotch
man at profit
Buying and Selling.
The buyer. said Mr.. Stockdale, must
be a pessimist and the seller an optim-
ist. He quoted an Iowa merchant as
saying the merchant must buy in cold
| blood and sell with enthusiasm. In
the case Of a majority of merchants.
he said, the reverse was true, for the
| retailer usually bought with enthusi-
| asm and then sold in cold blood. The
| fundamental principle Of buying he
said, was to get the right goods at the
right price.
| The story Of the leading retail mer-
chant OF Ottawa, Canada, was cited as
an example OF good merchandising.
The Canadian began his business ca
reer with a pack on his back and to-
sday owns the Largest store in Ottawa.
His principle of merchandising, as ex-
pressed 10 Mr.. Stockdale. follows:
| Il never allow myself to become en-
| thusiastic about goods until I own
| them. then I think they are the best
goods in Ottawa
Mr.. Stockdale's addresses should
prove Of great benefit to the retail
| trade OF the city. The large audience
Monday evening was greatly impress
ed by the address and the attendance
| is expected to increase as the series
progresses. He will speak tonight on
Problems of the Retailer"
Insane Veteran to Hospital. /.
| Charles C. Currier a member OF the