Show HOME TOWN BUILDING A letter from one of our correspondents pon dents printed in last weeks issue on home tows building intimated that there was something wrong with the business methods of the country merchants in the smaller towns of the united states that letter suggests the following questions in addition to those offered in a previous issue and on which we solicit an expression of opinion from our readers we will call the first question no 7 here it is 7 can the country merchant compete with the big city stores in price and quality when freight rates rents selling expense buying and shipping tb gether with the large di dividends earned by the city stores are taken into consideration considerations 7 here is question no 8 Is the kind of advertising copy used in most of our country town papers well calculated in your opinion to get paying results or to pull trade in competition with the fine illustrated e d catalogues cataloguer catal which quote prices and which are sent to the homes of the country people by the big houses in the city we will be pleased to have an expression of opinion from our readers on these questions in addition to those asked in a previous issue and will be repeated later following is a continuation of the letter appearing in last weeks issue dear mr editor I 1 want to emphasize this thought the home hometown town merchant must meet city competition with the citzman city mans s plan of getting the business how do tile the big stores in the city attract buyers how do the catalogue houses get the business I 1 can almost in fancy hear our country town hardware dealer or the general storekeeper with forty four reasons but there is really just one reason the other for ty three aie just imaginary the real secret is tact and enterprise the city men and the home town merchants are arc fishing in the same water but the former know how to bait a hook so as to hide the iron and as a result the fish grab it are strung on a string and hung over the side of the boat before they know where they are at in the meantime the country merchant is patiently waiting for a nibble the order catching catalogue from the merchant in the city starts st arts off with a dazzling array of bargain counter utility items in hardware there are nice pictures of tools which every farmer mechanic and country town boy has daily use for there items include everything from wire at le lc per spool to hinges locks pliers hammers and saws at ac to and so on up to fancy tool chests the mere look of which will in connection with the price put the average farmers boy into dreamland there is a good illustration of everything and a dirt cheap price in plain figures then comes the department for the women folks everything they have use for is before them at a bargain offer oner all grades are quoted from the cheapest to the best further there is a guarantee in big letters if for any reason you want to return the goods and get your money back you can do so an and I 1 we will pay the freight both ways what man boy or woman can escape that offer the result is the order goes out by the next mail just as sure as daylight follows the sun and the home town merchant has lost just that much profit an up to date way of doing business it gets tile the order now contrast it with the methods of the hardware dealer in a country town who keeps his small tools and incidentals out of sight where there is but little cliance chance for them to attract the attention of the farmer or his son there may be some fine tools of the better grades such as aa pliers saws hammers bits and other incidentals displayed in the window or showcase sho wease but the pi ices are usually hidden away as a means of compell the customer to ask for what lie he wants As a usual thins thing he does not ask under the mistaken belief that hat it is more than he can afford to pay there is none of the atmos a bargain sale about the premise premises s or the pulling fir force which the catal catalogue cgue with its alleged cheap prices cr carries arries with it tile the result is buyers come to the store 0 only when an ail emergency compels thern them to or when they have no nione money y and want to buy on credit how many country merchants merchant sask ask themselves this question can call I 1 sell as the catalogue house if quality is considered I 1 have talked to many country town storekeepers and they invariably answer yes to this question claim that they do sell as cheap but they cannot convince the farmers of that fact here is another question cannot the country merchant afford to carry the cheaper grade of goods in his line which are most in demand most important of all cannot the home town merchant afford to sell on a closer margin of profit if he turns his stock over more frequently and watches his credits more closely now then mr country town merchant if you can call do all of these then you are missing a golden opportunity port unity if you dont make a mail order catalogue out of your home town newspaper try it make a list of fifty or a hundred items which you have in stock and which you are willing to sell on a very close margin of profit make leaders of them describe them briefly and quote the prices in plain figures A full page or even a halfor half or quarter page advertisement in your local daily or weekly paper will if properly arranged attract buyers and you will shortly observe trat the out of town trade whom you may have never seen before are occasion ally dropping in to look you over continue the advertising campaign and you will get that trade which has heretofore drifted to the city this article will be continued next week at which time the writer will have something to say of the assistance which can be rendered by doctors lawyers bankers and ministers to the cause of home town building Buil Build dinc inz |