Evening star., 1923-11-03
SWEEPING CHANGES
/ in NSALES METHODS
Wholesale Dealers Now
Forced to Sell Goods IN
Much Smaller Quantities.
BY j. c. R0YLE.

NEW YORK. November S-Sales
policies that have been held sacred
for years are being ripped as iuii VI
holes as shirt gone too often 70
the laundry. This has resulted from
efforts of merchants and manulac-
turers of the United States to ma
new methods by which the hood OF
goods now being turned out may De
successfully retailed in the face or
severe competition.
The most widespread and noticeable
effect Of this revamping or sales
methods is the established fact that
merchants are buying in small guam
titles. This does not Indicate guinness
of retail sales, for the merchants are
buying often. 1t does mean, however,
that they are getting away from the
old system of seasonal activity. Where
formerly they laid in stocks in an
ticipation of the needs of an entire
season, they now are buying for i'm
mediate turnover, or for few weeks
in advance at most.
Greater Care shown.
This tendency undoubtedly is an
outgrowth of the lessons learned IN
the periods of imitation just nrs after lsinn ine
which followed But the movement
has been furthered by the tact thal
TO do business against present Keen
competition it has been necessary iot 'f
the merchants to take adNahtdSe u
the discounts given for caSh p. %
ment. Jobbers and manufacturers .rle
not so liberal in offering lons ,urern ~
credit as in former years; tbst he
hotoi restaurant or retail grocery
which did business with him nau "
show roll of plethoric proportions
to get even thirty days tiihe'
Larger Cash Business.
The retail merchant is dong
larger cash business and he mas @ @auu
ed protection in handling ms pay
when YOU catch me" customers. he
Is watching the leaks ana puy tn5 tn5
often and in small quantiht 60 his exr
mise and that of the manuractur urt.
and wholesaler. Those VINO ous M m
small quantities pay someIn.ns than
Pt Pio Ubo purchase large lots.
Wy!IoIesaIers say that this per cent
a. not cover the additional over
head for bookkeeping, hauiase' Tba
and other handling costs. ~
toor anu aIlnded to above asserts that
This policy has raised ms 3Se, 1ross
from 9 to 13 per cent OF MS
receipts wholesalers
,aI,ar Mam t' are benefting from the
ironing out of seasonal PEAKS anu 70
nrresions =, This enables them u
utilize their plants anu iOi
steady rate throughout the Se"'
New Methods in Hat Business'
An example of this is found IN tne
mems and women's clothing pusl-
neag where the transitions from sea
ao, to season are far less clearly
marked than formerly: IN,
The hat business is another III
stance where the new safes lnetnous lne
have taken firm hold. In many stores
new goods are moving into She BACK
door and out the front in conStahI
stream. Little stock is kept on hano
in these shops When one line runs
low n hurry call to the factory brlnSS
in a small new consignment py eA-
press. AS a result the merchaht -
hands and he is able to do a large
volume of business in a smaller
space thereby cutting rents maternal
". Fresh every day" is the slogan
seek Improved shipping.
As a result of this tendency joint
committee representing the Natonal
Association of Hat Manufacturers
the National Association Of Straw
Hat Manufacturers the National AS
sociation of Retail Clothiers and the
American Association of Wholesale
Hattcrs has asked the railroad clas-
sification committee for one and a
half times frst-class rating on hats
and caps packed and shipped in cor
rugated or fiber board containers.
Hats in wooden containers now hold
first-class and those in fiber board
double first-claSs rating. Packing in
corrugated containers. IL is claimed.
would save 443 per cent of the
shipped and reshipped each year.
Under present classification. II is
claimed, it ia ia per cent cheaper
to ship in wood.