Evening star., 1933-04-30
Both Wholesale and Retail
Lines Report Steady
Trade Gains.
MERCHANTS REPLENISH
THEIR STOCKS OF GOODS
Large Orders for Raw and Semi.
Finished Materials Are Placed
With Factories. ,
BY JOHN A. CRONE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April 29.-Sales, both
wholesale and retail, increased in many
lines during the past week. Many of
the gains were surprising In view Of
the brisk post-Easter week trade and
the unfavorable weather. Much Of this
broad volume Of merchandising, how
ever. probably resulted from imitation
prospects.
The understanding reached between
PRESIDENT Roosevelt and Premier Mac
Donald, the progress of the other in
ternational conversations at Washington
and the setting Of the date for the
World Economic Conference contributed
immensely to better feeling in import
and export circles.
Locally the influx Of out-of town
buyers was so great that it attained
the second highest figure of the year.
The visitors bought literally of promo
tional items In wearing apparel, gro
ceries and some lines of home furnish
hgs, notably floor coverings
Goods Not Marked Up.
A survey Of various national centers
indicates that stores have not yet raised
retail prices to correspond with the ad-
vanceS scored IN raw commodities and
finished merchandise in wholesale quar-
ters. Sales taxes in some cases have
ncceSs1tated higher merchandise quota
tions, but goods now in stock have not
yet been marked up. In this way some
merchants are spurring volume buying.
Industrial concerns have released
large orders for raw and unfinished
materials, In an effort to build I'D de-
pleted inventories, while wholesalers
and retailers Of merchandise have en-
tered the market for goods on a scale
unapproached for many months, &C.
cordlng to Dun & Bradstreet.
There appears to be well-founded
ground" this weekly review of business
continues, "for the statement that un-
employment has shown q moderate de.
crease. with the entire employment sit.
uation developing hopeful aspects.
The rise IN commodity markets has
created the belief that still further in
creases VIII appear in the quotations on
finished goods. Most of the large re-
tail establishments are in a position to
derive almost Immediately the beneficial
effects OF price rise. Only a small in
crease would be necessary to place the
well managed store on a more profitable
basis, as most merchants already have
trimmed operating costs to the lowest
figures in nearly 10 years."
Within the last fortnight there has
been one outstanding development In
retail purchasing. The public today is
paying more attention to quality than to
price Heretofore some portions Of the
public on certain items emphasized
quality. but this trend has recently
been pronounced.
Best Sellers.
Food in many lines. wearing apparel,
both mems and women's: staple dry
goods and notions, along with furniture,
household utilities. and electric appli-
ances have been the best sellers at
retail in leading centers. Garden tools.
repair parts for machinery. lumber and
cement demand improved, but most
building supplies continue rather in
active.
In the wholesale markets buyers
showed disposition to purchase some
what further ahead than has been the
policy the last three years. This was
true, for instance, in automobile &C.
cessories and electrical appliances. Much
covering of future needs, however, Is
being held back to await further re-
tail buying trends.
Most wholesale buyers are taking
advantage Of old quotations" Dun &
Bradstreet state, where obtainable for
low-priced staple goods. but merchan-
disc in which the style factor Is the
chief consideration Is being sought only
in usual quantities. Many wholesalers
could augment their sales volume by
a wide margin If they were to fill all
the orders received. but they fear that
the average run of retaileres will not
be in q position to take care of his ac-
counts when due, unless there should
be substantial improvement In the gen.
eral buying power of the consumer be-
fore the payments fall due"
Gains Well Maintained.
The general level Of industrial &C
tivity, In many lines, was higher in
April than in March. Furthermore.
such gains have been sustained. Tex.
tile, paint and varnish, furniture, shoe
and steel manufacturers are employing
in some instances more than the sea-
sonal number of workers. Window
glass output is higher. Bituminous
coal production is of slightly, but not
much below year ago.
(Copyright. 1889