Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-28

t The conclusion drawn is that tn,
stores that We're selling necessities II:
a rulesenjoyed a large business. Tx
others found business not so good.
| Price Cutting Huge Factor.
There Is no question but that th'
/ Christmas shoppers We're keenly alive
/ to prices and the stores that enjoye,
tho largest trade were. as rule
those that had made reductions II
prices more Or less in line with the
downward trend in their lines. Witt
the possible exception of three of the
fourteen that said their business was
az large or larger than year ago. al
the other eleven had advertised re-
auctions
Two other essential points in mer-
chandising have been demonstrated
by the Christmas trade, according &c
the statements OF store owners. One
was that the stores thnt came out
boldly and reduced prices and tool
other was that those that did thi.
and also kept up their stock of mer
chandise likewise got the business.
| Those stores that chung 10 the oio
prices. We're. as n rule. those that Nil
not have the largest trade
Dry Goods Turnover Large.
In the dry goods lines. which In
cludes also women's ready TO wear
the turnover seems to have been es-
pecially large. Out of seven sucl
stores. five reported business large
than In 1919. one said his was ahout
the same and another reported de-
crease. One who reported an in.
creased business said It was tn
largest holiday business In the his,
tory OF the store.
1t was In this line prabably that a.
sweeping or larger reductions were
made as In any one other line. Tt
this fact. perhaps. was due the large
| trade these stores enjoyed.
Another very important fac
pointed out by these merchants was
that buyers had heen holding of
waiting for lower prices for dr.
goods AMI garments and they did not
buy until they thought the prices
were about right at Christmas time
All thru this lsne is seen evidence oil
buying necessities, the things foi
every day wear, and an absence oil
buying fancy stuffs and so-cailed
luxnries.
These merchants. as a rule. found
the trade surprisingly large. especial
ly the last few days before Christ
mas. And with them the question o.
profits was not so much considered
as was the getting rid of the mer-
chandise In order. to replace 1t witt
new goods at lower prices.
Clothing and Shoes.
The mems clothing trade seems te
have enjoyed a good to fairly gooc
Christmas season. The buying was
especially good the last weel, and fr
this line also was seen the buying OF
necessities and the close scrutiny OF
prices. One store reported a much
larger business than In 1919
Retail shoe dealers found the
Christmas trade satisfactory. One dis
larger business than In 1919. anoth-
er's trade was about the same and q
third believed the business for the
month would equal last year.
r. ardWar0 and fuFniture.
The furniture stores found business
good, fair and poor and the hard
ware men reported both good and
poor Christmas trade.
Judging from the expression OF
furniture dealers. high priced. expen-
sive articles moved slowly, but there
was a run on musical instruments
One said Christmas trade was slow
as a whole, but the year would be
better than 1919 altho falling off bad
ly I'm November and December. An
other reported Christmas trade so pei
cent below 1919 and still another had
a Christmas trade practically equal
to 1919.
One hardware merchant saw In his
Christmas trade business that was
practically equal to 1919. and the
month would be larger. His trade In
1919 was the largest for December In
the history Of the store. Others re-
ported business about the same OF
under last year.
Jewelry and Drugs.
Drug store owners found Christ
mas trade somewhat below last year
and confined mostly to city trade. A
great deal OF country trade was
missed, owing to weather and road
conditions, and in these circumstan-
ces may be found the reason for fall
ing off In these lines.
Jewelry stores found business they
said. practically equal. or slightly be-
low last year, but on the whole quite
satisfactory.
All thru the Christmas trading sur
vey It was found that buying started
slowly, but steadily gained and In
the last week and especially tho last
three days there was a tremendous
rush and volume of business done.
The merchants as a whole are OPP
timistic. Those who seek to analyze
the situation believe that In taking
their loses they have cleared the way
for more stabilized business nex'
year and in their price reductions
have paid for a good will in trade
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