The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-05-26
BUYING AT HOME.

BUYING At HOME.
A Taylor county jeweler has solved
the way to the hearts and pocketbooks
OF his customers. He keeps a popu-
lar mail order catalogue on his coun-
ter and meets the prices, quality for
quality, on anything quoted. The
merchant who follows such plan as
this is bound to win in the end. His
fair dealing is sure to build up his
trade.
This way Of meeting mail order COM
petition might recommend itself to
other trades than that of the jeweler.
There is entirely too great a loss in
|every community from the habit of
shopping by mail. Women use it part
ly for convenience, but mainly because
they think the goods advertised are
cheaper than those bought in the
stores, in their own town.
There has been a great hue and cry
all over the country about profiteer-
ing, much of which is just. But there
are two sides to every question, and
the merchant has his side, too. The
merchant in the small city has two
serious problems to face; one is that
of the mail order house; the other
lis deferred payments, which frequent
ly become debts which are never paid.
The Retail Merchants Association,
recently established by the Chamber
of Commerce, has found one way to
get rid of the class of trade which au-
Dramatically raises prices for every
body. It is a well known fact that the
man or woman who pays cash has to
pay many of the debts Of those who
run bills and then refuse to pay their.
indebtedness. The bad bills" must be
met in some way, and so, automatically
prices go up, in order that expenses
may be met and a margin OF profit
remain. The Retail Merchants Asso-
citation, if it keeps to it's creed, will
put an end to that kind Of profiteer-
ing on the part of the public.
The Taylor county merchant who
keeps his mail order catalogue and
sells value for value, has solved the
other problem of the small town mer-
chant. His plan is good one, and
might well be emulated by other mer-
chants. Where it is impossible to sell
at the same price, frequently the sale
might be made by pointing out the
fact that the expressage or freight,
tackled on to the original price, will
bring the out-of-town bargain" to the
same price as the purchaser would
pay at the store, in her own town,
where she also has the privilege of
careful selection.
There is one fact, however. which
many merchants overlook; and that
Is that they lose much of their trade
to out stores, through indif-
ferent clerks. The woman who orders
by mail is never subjected to incivil-
ity. The catalogues are attractively
gotten up, the text is enticing in the
way it is presented. and the letters are
always courteous.
There is one store in New York that
has built up a wonderful trade
throughout this country, not only be-
cause OF the grade of goods it carries
but the uniform courtesy of the atten-
dants. One is never affronted in that
store by the cheap methods of many.
where the clerks fawn, nor are they
insulted by the open Indifference that
one frequently meets in other retail
stores. The main requisite of the
clerks is courtesy. They are most of
them we'll trained young women, and
they serve with such dignity and such
patience as might be lesson to any
Of us.
The life of a clerk is not easy. 1t is
one of the most difficult jobs in the
world. Constant dealing with people
who are in a hurry and who do not
know, half the time what they want,
lis no easy job. But neither is it easy
to be a lawyer, or doctor, a brick
mason, or a carpenter, journalist. or
la preacher. No work is easy, that
pays. But to do anything well gives it
interest, and there is nothing that pays
so well as courtesy.
The Journal would advocate Buy
At Home Movement. But such a
movement must be cooperative. If the
merchants expect the people to buy at
home they must meet them more than
half way, for it must be remembered
that it is the merchants interest that
is being primarily considered.
If every merchant in Pensacola would
meet, in so far as is possible, the prices
of the mail order houses. on the same
class of goods, and would inaugurate
a system of courtesy in his store, and
if for one year the buying public could
be induced to buy in Pensacola when
ever they can find equal value here.
Pensacola would find that a wonderful
era of prosperity had been entered up
on, and there would be better times
for both the buyer and the seller.