New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-08-27

other way Some manufacturing or
CARNATIONS that had maintained their
own selling Offices have discontinued
these Offices and have turned the SELL
ing of their products over to sales
agencies working on a commission
found to be a cheaper method of SELL
ing, because the selling agent, by
handling wide range of products, can
afford to accept smaller commission
than a sales force handling only one
line of merchandise
1t is felt that the recently enacted
mileage bill, which was signed by the
President a little more than a week
ago, will afford manufacturers and
wholesalers an opportunity to cut down
overhead to some extent. 1t is esti-
mated that the purchase of mileage
books now authorized by the new law
statesmen about 25 per cent less than
it was under the old system of rail
fare. But more of a saving will be
made through the fact that statesmen
will now be able to cover a wider
range of territory for the same amount
OF money and thus increase their sales
The amount of saving through this
method, of course, depends upon the
individual salesman. At any rate, man
ufacturing and wholesalings concerns
in the main are planning longer and
more intensive selling trips for their
statesmen than. they have for the last
two or three years.
Another development that has re-
suited from the keen competition is the
fact that many concerns which former
~ sold their products mainly through
jobbers, depending upon them to dis
tribute goods to the retailers, are now
going direct to the retailer with their
merchandise. This is particularly true
IN textile fields, and has been the sub
Ject of much criticism by the jobbers
Regardless of this criticism some Of
the larger firms are now sending their
representatives direct to retailers off
the beaten track and are drumming up
trade in many of the remote sections.
Ihere is point, of course, where profit
in handling small orders is eaten up
by expense, but in the present condi-
ton of affairs, where large orders are
lnfrequent, it is figured that a sales
mans time can be profitably spent in
picking up these small orders.
Still another development in which
attempts to put crimp in "Old Man
overhead" are being made lies not in
the selling, but in the producing field.
hiS 10 ltie CO-ODeTaClVe DuylnT move
ment, which, although not new, has
gained more prominence in recent
months This is being done chiefly
through trade associations or groups.
One organization of garment manufac-
tuners, for instance, maintains a de-
partment where needles, tape, thread,
machine parts, cost accounting books
and other record forms, and even type
writer's, are handled. The savings, of
course. are small. but they help in re-
ducing expense to some extent. That
even these small savings are welcomed
by manufacturers is evidenced by the
fact that the volume of business trans
acted by this department, has in
creased 100 per cent over what it was
year ago. Another group of manu-
facturers of women's high grade gar
ments has already made three pur-
chases of lining silks on the cooper
alive basis and is planning to purchase
staple goods Of various kinds through
this method. The plan operates on
the theory that cloth manufacture
are willing to shave prices for single
large order where only small ex-
pense in selling is involved. The the
DRY works out in practice, as the lin
ing silks referred to were bought at q
saving Of more than 20 per cent from
current market prices.