The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1920-07-02
LOCAL MERCHANT
SELLS CHEAPER
OFFERS LOWER PRICES THAN
THE EASTERN Gaia.
LOGUE HOUSE
ACTUAL SAVING 10 PER CENT
Montana Development Association to
Wage Campaign to Keep Within
State the Huge Sum Annually
Sent Away for Merchandise

BllllngS.-That in these times OF ex
ceptionally high taxation the local mer
chant can and does undersell the east
ern mail order house Is the contention
of the Montana Development associa'
ton and the organization is sending
out a series Of four sample advertise.
ments to all Of its members in substan.
tiation Of this statement.
In n column Of these advertise.
ments is listed merchandise taken from
mail order catalogues with description
and prices; this is compared with q
corresponding column in which is list.
ed the same merchandise at prices
quoted by Montana merchants. The
actual saving to those who buy at home
10 shown to be about 10 per cent.
The lists are not s~elective, but are
average lists including such staple
clothing, dry goods and groceries as
would be found in any average order
Of from $50 to 500. The fact that
local merchants are actually selling
cheaper than the catalogue houses IL
not very well known. the association
contends, but the factors which have
brought this situation about are easily
discoverable, it is declared.
Continually rising prices, and the
fact that Montana merchants are, and
have been for the past year, selling
certain lines Of merchandise at less
than replacement value, is given by the
association as one Of the eason why
the local merchant can and does under
sell his eastern competitor. Another
reason assigned is the unusually heavy
burden of income and excess profits
tax which falls upon the mail order
houses. OF top of which tax they must
earn a substantial dividend for their
stockholders.
Montana business men, members Of
the association, will be asked to lay
these facts before the people of Mon
tana through the advertising columns
Of the daily and weekly papers in an
effort to keep from going cut of the
state the huge sum annually sent to
catalogue houses. Merchant members
Of the association will also be urged to
study the current mail order catalogues
and convince themselves of the fact
that these eastern houses no longer
are formidable competitors.
The advertisements which the as
ISOLATION is sending to its members
first appeared in the Columbus News
some weeks ago. James r. Amin,
editor Of the News instituted a "buy
at home" campaign in an unusual way
and the merchants of Columbus were
quick to accept his challenge that
eastern mail order houses, as a matter
of fact, sold goods cheaper than the
resident merchant.
Mr.. Amin, in a four-column editor
ial, set forth the usual arguments in
favor of trading ut home, but it was
his admission that money could really
be saved by buying from the catalogue
houses. which brought forth some
startling price comparisons by the bust
ness men.
"Mr. Amin protests that he believed
that mail order houses were actually
underselling the home merchant when
he wrote the editorial" said Robert G.
Line, Columbus merchant and promi-
nent business economist. "but he no
longer believes It. One business man
Of Columbus offered him or any other
citizen, IA suit of clothes, If he could
show where any money could be saved.
by ordering the average bill of staple
groceries and dry goods from the mail
order house. and no one has as yet
claimed the suit.
"The fact is that the modern mail
order house, although handling an i'm
menSe volume of business, labOrs under
a heavy overhead expense which
makes its cost of doing business fully
equal to that of the average city store.
There are other factors also now oper-
and those who wish to do so will have
no difficulty in convincing themselves
that none can be saved by buying at
home.
'~This will appear a. a startling
statement to many. The belief that
the mail order houses sell considerably
cheaper than the resident merchant Is
prevalent. It used to be true, but it
is true no longer. Rising prices and
our present system Of taxation have
changed the old order and the homo
merchant needs no longer fear eastern
competition if he will point out force
fully the real facts in the case to his
patrons.
"To prove this. II Is not necessary to
select items here and there which are
being sold exceptionally close by the
retailer. An average order will prove
1t. The consumer can make the COM
parison as well If he will take the
pains to find out the local merchants
prices and then refer to his catalogue
for comparison"
Montana merchants need not he
afraid of getting the worst Of it when
the prices are compared" concluded
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