New-York tribune., 1920-11-28
Retailers Find
New W ays to
Cancel Orders
Return Part of Shipment
for Examination With a
Check for ''Account i'm
Full and Win Argument

A cancellation of order or return Of
merchandise, under any other name,
has the same effect upon the manu-
facturer or wholesaler on the receiving
end. passing the buck" back to tho
seller has developed to a high art Of
proficiency among many retailers In
this day Of falling prices, If stories
told IN wholesale circles are based on
fact, and the vehemence with which
such tales are related impresses one
with their sincerity.
Prevented by one method from
avoiding accepting goods on which the
price may have declined between the the
tlme Of placing the order and the de-
livery date, retailers have opened
other avenues to ply this unjust prac-
nce. it is asserted
A new method of canceing and re-
turning goods has been uncovered by
the National Association of Sweater
and Knitted Textile Manufacturers
which has been one Of the foremost
commercial organizations In lighting
the trade evil.
"In three distinct instances" says
the secretary Of the association, "in-
volying different firms, the same abuse
"'to - s'r|ttSu, anu usually unQcT the
following rcumstances:
"A customer purchases merchandise
from manufacturer and about the
time the bill becomes due makes some
complaint about part Of the mer-
chanclse and ships some Of it back to
the seller. Whether he ships it back
Immediately or after protracted CORE
apondence with the manufacturer or
with the understanding that he is ship
ping the merchandise to the manufac-
turer merely for the purpose of giving
the latter an opportunity to satisfy
himself that the merchandise is wrong
is lmmateral. The customers en-
oeavor is to get part of the mer-
chandise back to the manufacturer and
at the same time send check for the
difference. This check usually is
marked in full payment to date or
alongside of it or attached thereto is
statement of account in which, after
arriving at the figure on the check, the
customer has an item called 'mer-
chandIse returned
"The manufacturer, possibly not
scrutnizing the check for anything
more than figures thereon, accepts the
check. Later, when he examines the
merchandise and finds it in accord
ance with the order placed by tho
buyer and attempts to compel the Gus
TONER TO accent 1t and pay for it. he
IS met with the contention that the
matter has been thoroughly adjusted
by the receipt and acc ntance Of the
check by the manufacturer,
"in one instance it has coma 20 the
attention of the associations complaint
bureau, established to handle such
cases, that the customer complained
about the merchandise and finally pre-
vailed upon the manufacturer to take
II back and examine it. No sooner had
the manufacturer expressed willing
ness to cooperate with the customer in
this manner than the customer imme-
dlatcly Forwarded a check marking it
IN full payment accompanied by a
bin in which fthe returned merchandise
WAS marked as such
we are advising our members to con-
suit with their attorneys as to the ef-
feet Of accepting check so marked or
indorscd, under the laws of their par
ticu ar states. The abuse is still in its
'arly stages and can be checked if
manufactGrers will refuse to accept
such checks"