Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-10
URGES USING MORE
CHAIN STORE WAYS
w. T. Grant Says Independ-
ent Merchant viii Prosper
Under New Conditions.

"The independent. merchant has sur
vived every change through all the
thousands of years of history and al
ways will survive. prophesy that the
new type of independent who Is coming
to the fore In this new era of
merchandising will not only survive
but will be markedly successful"
That is what w. T. Grant, head Of
the chain stores by that name, said
recently when asked to discuss the out
look of the independent stores and
make some suggestions to help the in
dependents strengthen their position.
He added:
mo type Of business has any divine
right to existence--except to render
service. That both the chain type and
the Independent type of store each has
its sphere no intelligent person can
deny.
Il would say that the chains are
valuable in distributing low priced
merchandise susceptible to standard
ization and mass production and the
independent is valuable where ex-
clusiveness and special service are re-
quired.
Merit Decides Success.
"Any question must be settled on
its merits and it is certain that in the
final analysis it will come down to
whether one or both are to the best
interest of the public.
1.-THE sooner all merchants, big and
little, chain or independent, can ap-
proach the situation from this angle
see the good in the situation and get
on the route that we all must finally
follow.
THE problem before us today is how
we can help the small merchant. To
begin with, we need to find out the
advantages that the chain type Of bust
ness seems to have over the indie
pendent type. AS I see 1t, the chain
has better buying facilities because sls.oI it
make It possible for manufacturers to
purchase economically and make 1t
worth while to originate new, low priced
items
when I was an independent used
to spend most of my time looking at
lines presented by dozens of statesmen
from wholesale houses, manufacturers
travagant method that Is All these
statesmen with their expenses, all the
/ expenses incidental to packing and
shipping tiny orders involve a great
duplication.
"The day of the old-fashioned whole
saler is gone. But the day of the new
fashioned wholesaler Is rapidly APP
! preaching. There Is already clear In
dication that new order of whole
saler is coming into existence, from
whom the merchant will be able to Sc
cure practically all of his merchandise
on a minimum service charge.
II prophesy that there will be de-
velopment of the wholesale concern
which will gather a brood of indie
pendent stores under its wings as q
hen does 1t chicks"
At this point Mr.. Grant expounded
the principles of merchandising by
which the independent merchant may
profit from the experience of the chain
store.
Copy the chain store method of
operation, providing your business lends
itself to that type of merchandising.
The chain deals only in merchandise
that sells rapidly and gives fast turn.
over, which means maximum use OF
capital investment.
Establish a method OF checking
every item Of merchandise IN the store
frequently enough to avoid being out
of the best selling merchandise and to
push that which is not moving.
Would Make Buying Easier.
Have a bright modern appearing
store with the merchandise so arranged
that the customer can make her own
selection without the embarrassment of
having to ask salesperson to pull mer-
chandise from behind the counter.
use your selling space more effective
". You will find more running feet OF
actual sales space in the chain store
than in the average independent store.
Independents use a great deal of space
for storing instead of selling goods.
BE alert to the latest, accepted
methods of bookkeeping.
Show consideration to employees. The
very nature Of the chain store business
requires liberal treatment Of employees"