Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-10
BUSINESS CONDITIONS
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE
Upward Movement Persists,
According to National Dry
Goods Association.
RESERVE BOARD FIGURES
Statistics Show Orders Outstanding
on February - Amounted to - or
the Total Purchases Made During
1921.

NEW YORK. April o.-Rusness
Improvement persists and. according
to the April Review OF Retail Trade,
compiled by the National Retail, Dry
Goods Association, promises steady
II slight hettcrment compared with
last year.
The Federal Reserve Board Hgures
OF trade FOR the country at large at
INC close OF February, derived from
computations embracing reports from
81 '"adinS department stores. show
"a decrease OF net sales during Feb
ruary as compared with those OF
February. 1921. amounting to 1911 per
cent For February and January of
thiS year, as compared with net sales
during the corresponding period in
1921. the decrease vas II ner cent.
stocks in hand February IS, as com
pared with that date last year, were
! per cent greater, and they were
~ per cent greater than at the close
of JANUARY orders outstanding on
February 2S amounted to a. OF tho
total purchases made by all stores
in the course of the year 1921.
These hgures-notably the percent
ages applying to net sales during
fcnruary and January-must ba in
terpretcd in the light Of the cost Of
!iNing index figures assembled by the
National Industrial Conference Hoard
showing "A decline OF lOl per cent In
price value Of goods and services at
retail from February. 1921, TO Feb
ruary. 1922. IL Is apparent in view
or the reduced prices. that the In
crease In volume OF merchandise sold.
noted III these dispatches at the close
OF 1921, steadily continues. and that
the so called buyers" strike" re-
ported then as definitely OF the mast.
N I'M b -
hdencc on the part OF the consuming
public. In fact. there Is now in evil
donce II perceptiblc increase OF con-
hdence accompanying III. renewal of
business activity.
Certain basic industries including
iron and steel and construction,
show return OF activity Unemplov-
mcnt was diminishing up to tho
time OF the miners strike, and the
huEing capacity OF the public mean
whi!e Increased. Seasonal condi-
lions by no means account fully for
the Improvement in retail business.
friccS continue to be low and the
pubic responds 10 the attraction they
orer. lieplenishing orders by retail
ers are restoring confidence among
Wholesalers and producers, who note
particularly the receipt OF many re-
neat orders 1t u date much later
IMAM Is usual In various sections.
Shortage In ItndIo Supplies,
vast volume OF business is being
i0rteited at this time in the field OF
wireless telephony because OF short
age OF supplies and equipment. Al
though the Westinghouse interests,
only single member OF the Radio
corporation OF America. are produce
ing s2.OO0.o00 worth OF Instruments
monthly. the avalanche of demand on
Inc part OF the public leaves this and
"a tanr
hind the potential sales.
This paucity OF wireless merchan-
disc bears most heavily on depart
meht ana similar stores. In the analy-
sis of the radio trade situation made
by the bureau OF research OF the Ma
tional Retail Dry Goods Association.
Immediately upon stabillzation OF
business, the bureau OF research an
nounces, department and other Amer
lean stores engaged in general mer.
chandlse trade can be looked to for
yearly sales amounting TO 10000 600
"A modest per cent of the $1,000
100000 in retail trade done by all
such stores in the course or one year
IL Is pointed out that practical. sat
iSfactory radio sets with maSntfer
and otherwise fully equipped. cannot
be provided at the low charges for
present experimental OUTFITS. This
puts them on II par with the phono-
graph, most largely sold now by such
stores and amounting in volume 20
S3oO.oO0.Oo0 annually. The research
bureau dwel!s emphntIcally on the
feature OF service In connection with
wireless as being q prime essential
10 the great volume OF business i'm
pending. but so far baked by lack
OF supplies, and observes that DEPART
!ncnt and similar stores are the only
distributing agencies Qualihed TO fur
nish service on the extensive scale
required.
Wireless apparatus is likely to be
among the conspicuous features OF
the National Merchandise Fair in
August next, that new and vast ma
tionaA event being committed by its
essential character TO scope equal
10. IL not exceeding, tho immense
Leipzig Fair OF Europe