CASH OR COUPONS?

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 195, 12 May 1908, Page 8

CASH OR COUPONS?

• 7 THE BAKERS' INNOVATION. " AN UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS." The Wellington bakers—those of them-who have agreed to give the cash or coupon system of retailing bread a trial —are rubbing their hands with satisfaction. The idea has caught on with the public, the army of " spot-eashers " shells daily, and the gloomy ledger, with its " carried forwards" and "written offs," will soon bo no more. The persistent little "account rendered," with its footnote, " a settlement will oblige," is also doomed. A\ Dominion reporter saw certain master bakers yesterday, and found them ready and willing to sing the praises of the new system. Mr. Denhard, of Upper Willis Street, was first interviewed, and was . looking very well satisfied. " What do you think of the cash system, Mr. Denhard ?" asked the Pressman. ■' "I'm very well.'satisfied so far," ho replicd.i " The customers have taken to the system very well. Thoro aro one or two grumblers, of course." , Mr. Kollow, of Taranaki Street, was . next interviewed, and he described the system as "an unqualified succoss in every way." The coupons were shown to the reporter. They are on perforated cards, >a dozen on each. A card costs 3s. 4d., and each-coupon is good for a two-pound loaf. With bread at 3Jd. per two-pound loaf this means a saving of 2d. on a\dozen loaves. The customer who pays for his bread in hard cash is not so well off in the end as, his neighbour, who uses coupon currency, because the "hard cash" mail gets no discount. It is to tho interest of consumers, therefore, to- .adopt the coupon system. Mr. M'Parland, of Taranaki Street, added a little variety to the subject. "This saving to' the coupon customer of 2d. in a dozen loaves mounts up to something.'like £500 a year from me," he said. "For a fine-out trade like bread retailing, a 5 per cent, discount is very liberal. Still, I don't. mind. With this new system, you have no bills, except, of course, tho back, accounts, which will gradually disappear as time goes on. It is fror'th a good deal to know that you can' balance up every night."