Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-21

21.-Roger w. Babson, who has re-
Gently been checking figures on the
retail trade of the country has to-
day issued a preliminary statement.
According to his analysis, retail
trade averaging all sections of the
country is again back to normal.
Some sections are still behind
the good years of 1918 and 1920"
says Mr.. Babson, but many other
sections are ahead. Retail trade
was the last to feel the effects of the
depression. When a slack business
hits a section the financial interests
feel 1t second; the jobbers and
wholesalers feel it third; and final
ly the retailers hear it.. Hence, al
though retail trade continues good
long after Wall Street is blue it
does not come back again until
sometime after Wall Street
back. There are, of course, a few
exceptions to this general rule. The
profits of firms, like Tiffany, the
jeweler, who sell largely to the
very wealthy, follow close to stock
market movements; but IS per cent
of the retail firms lag a year or
more behind.
THE best retail trade today is in
the industrial cities of the East.
Where two years ago. mills and fac
tories were shut down, they are now
working overtime. Cities like Pitts
burg, which a year ago were work.
ing only so per cent of their capac-
ity, are now back to nearly 100 per
cent. Akron. which three years ago
had the highest percentage of
employment in the country, is now
advertising for men. Detroit is again
back to normal and the volume of
retail trade in most of these cities
is equal to or greater than it has
ever been. OF course, this does not
mea that profits are as large. The
public is showing more discrimina-
ton in its purchases and is shop
ping about more. The volume of re-
tail business. however, is back TO
normal in these cities.
ANY concern in an industrial
city which is not doing a normal
business today should clean house
and ascertain wherein the difficulty
lies. Cities which are about to en-
joy wage advances are in an espec-
tally favorable position. The re-
tailers of these cities should do the
oOo oaAAi6 I0Ao ItlCJ CFCI
have done. The mill cities of New
England are in this class.
THE farming communities may
not be back to normal although
statisticians differ greatly as 10
what is normal. If we call normal
the few boom years of the war, then
the farming sections are still below
and may be for many years to come.
If hnUnVnF NO comedian nzr1aaI -.
the average for the past twenty
years and in addition allow a proper
amount for growth, we will find that
the retail trade of most farm Sec
tons is now back to normal or will
be shortly. Therefore, I say that
something is the matter with the re-
taller who is not now doing a nor
NAL business. He either is a poor
buyer OIL a poor salesman. Either
he Is mixed up in some outside en-
tegprise and is not attending to bust
ness,-or else is not posted as to
fundamental conditions. There is a
hole in his economies some where
and 1t is up to him to find it.
During the next few months To-
cal merchants should advertise. Ma
tional manufacturers are utilizing
w VI ddNtIIiSlUR IN
the distribution of their products.
The successful department stores are
also using large space in the news
papers; but the smaller retailer has
yet failed to advertise as he should.
Perhaps this is why he is small -
one cannot tell. There surely is
some reason why the people flock
to one merchant and pass by an
other. Statistics certainly indicate
that the reason is closely connected
with the advertising. Let me also
take this occasion to urge retailers
to use the newspapers in a dignified
way rather than attempting to use
bill boards and novel c-ontrivances.
During the past two months I have
motored considerably throughout
different sections of the country. At
almost every cross road Is some sort
OF a sign, a windmill or something
else sold to some bank or merchant
who thought he had discovered a
cheaper or more effective method of
advertising than his Of
fered. As a matter of fact, he I'M
consciously disfigures the highways,
endangers life and makes enemies
instead of friends. Merchandising
is a profession and should be treated
IN q 1tnnsf;al 49, 49,