St. Paul recorder., 1961-08-18


what we like to term the "Cadil-
lac-consciousness," and that he
wants the best. Moreover, he is
perhaps the easiest of all Gus
toners to wait on. The reason is
that when he goes into store, he
usually knows what he wants, and
he doesn't take too much time
making up his mind. The best item
or the next best is what he selects
in short order. For this reason,
the Negro consumer has been gen
orally regarded as a born sucker"
for any sharpshooter with any
thing to sell.
Considerable unscrupulous bus
mess houses have robbed them
blind in terms of easy" credit,
and in some cases, have made
them like it.
The great need is for the Negro
consumer to become educated to
the fact that the best is cheapest
after all if you know how to buy
intelligently.
What makes the job difficult is
the rise of installment buying and
easy credit. AS a rule, the un-
fortunate and umsophisticated
among us are easily led to believe
that they can afford almost any
thing suggested by the smooth
talking statesmen. People who have
to live on average paychecks, and
particularly those who have mi
grated here from the rural South
often are ready targets for these
unscrupulous merchants. Then, too,
many of our old native residents,
who would seem to have learned
their lessons, are also far too gull
lible for their own best interests.
Efforts to curb this business
racketeering are complicated by
the fact that 1t Is often difficult
to reach the suckers" with an
educational program for wise
buying habits. 1t Is sometimes,
too difficult to distinguish be-
tween the good merchants and
the racketeers.
The economic boycott conducted
here in the spring Of this year,
which encouraged selective buying,
may have had some educational
value. Perhaps in that campaign,
many Of the people who had been
going to certain stores learned
that they could do without them.
The current shopping center ex-
pansion movement which has en-
joyed great development is now
moving in the direction of Negro
consumers. This is not too diff
cult in Louisville, because Negroes
live virtually all over town. But
there are, of course, certain areas
which have heavier concentration
of colored people than others.
These shopping centers now offer
in addition to comfort and con-
venience, full opportunity for any
consumer to be a scrutinizing
buyer of goods. Almost everyone
of these centers has one or two
large discount houses, and Of
course, chain food stores, each Of
which is constantly competing and
offering the very best prices.
A recent article in the New
York Times, written by Carl
SpieIvOgel stated, Special mar
kets are attracting the attention
Of corporate and advertising
agency marketeers. But specific
efforts that have been made to
sell these markets appear in
finitesimal In terms Of possible
future returns.
The Negro consumer is an ex-
ample. 1t encompasses more than
5000, 900 persons in the United
States. Incomes in the group are
rising as the Negro population
moves from rural areas to in
dustrial centers and higher paying
jobs. In addition to increased buy
ing power, marketing men find
more sophisticated patterns Of
consumption and heightened econ
omic and social stability"
This seems to indicate that the
trend is for the better. Obviously,
the stratification of the American
society, being what it is, affords
the opportunity for Negroes to i'm
prove themselves as consumers.
Therefore, as housing is improved,
and social and economic advance
ments are made, certainly will our
buying habits be more in line with
other Americans.
All of which means that the
next time you buy, be sure you
know with whom you are dealing,
and be certain you are getting
your moneys worth. Don't accept
any inferior goods or any condi-
tional treatment, and If you'll
bother to look around and see If
Negroes are dignifiedly employed,
you'll help matters greatly by do
ing one simple thing . trade not
only where you are wanted and
treated as an other customer but
employed dignifiedly.