TOPICS FOR TRADESMEN

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17287, 30 September 1916, Page 6

TOPICS FOR TRADESMEN

[From: Our Correspondent.) LONDON, August .5. ; THE GROCER AS A PIONEER. ; In • every grocer’s shop are many commodities once considered luxuries, but which now havo become necessities. There was a time when housewives made their own soap, when white sugar was . only for. table uso on special occasions', .when cereals as special breakfast foods were un-| known. ' Manufacturers havo produced many new things in the food line during the past thirty or forty years, but it has been tho grocer generally who has introduced them to the pubiio and stimulated and built up a demand for tho goods. The grocer who makes the most of his opportunities will find methods of leading his customers into new ways of looking at food products—old ones as well as newmaking them valued and familiar, and establishing a constant demand for them. For instance, honey. There is no sweeter, more healthful sweet, and noiv that tho price of sugar is high the time is auspicious for bringing honey to tho fore. It should bo displayed at...tractively and priced as low as it is in reason. Just because it is not usually a good seller, it should not ba held back by being marked for more than ordinary profit. Again, British people, as a class, know but little of the values and virtues of olive oil. Could they be induced to acquire a taste for it. t-hov would be better off physically and financially. Olive oil is a food, as any Italian or Frenchman will testify, and an inexpensive one. It is desirable not merely for its nutritive quality, imi for its beneficial action on tho organs of digestion. It could be made as staple in tlio. grocer’s stocks as sugar or flour. New food products are brought out every season. The novelty of this year becomes tho staple of the future; from luxuries bought on raro occasions, tliey develop into necessities of everyday use, and the wide-awake grocer will always be keen to bring them to the notice of his customers. PHOTOGRAPHERS AND LOW PRICES.

Certain photographers arc protesting against the low prices charged for postcard work, and propose to make, an attempt to fix a uniform charge which will givo a fair return. It is quite time that some steps of this sort should bo taken. The introduction of postcard portraits has caused photographers a great loss of orders on tho better class of portrait photography, and while suffering this tliey have also had to bear tho additional loss caused by price cutting in tho post-card business. This cheap,form of work meant that photographers must either lower their standard of work or sustain a loss on sales. It is perhaps impossible to obtain uniformity of action in raising prices for this work. Thero will lie sure to bo some studios which will continue to turn out post-card photographs at 3s 6d a dozen, or loss. Thoro is no doubt that there is a demand for these cheap cards, find it is not likely that sitters for such portraits would givo orders for-better photographs. It is a case of cheap work creating a demnnd. Tho only way out of tho difficulty appears to be for photographers who want to raise themselves above the cheap cavd trade to leave this class of business alone .altogether, and go in boldly for bettor class lines. At apy rate, thero are not a few photographers who have found that, if a fairly stiff price is charged for postcards, tho customer frequently decides to let the order he carried out in a better style. It could also bo pointed out to tho customer, in a tactful way, of course, that a postcard is scarcely a nice gift and is one that will not ho improved by being sent through the post. DRAPERS AND PATTERNS.

Gravo waste both of time and material is caused drapers by the thoughtless and frivolous demand of prospective customers for patterns. It is asked whether nothing can bo dons to check tlio loss occasioned by this practice, a loss which drapers at the present time can ill afford. Tho demand for patterns has grown enormously during the past few years,, and appears to bo fostered by firms running postorder departments. Patterns may pay the largo stores which have these departments, but they certainly do not pay tho smaller retailor. One of tho most exasperating things that occur, pays a draper, is 'when good, regular customers are kept waiting, or finally go out unserved, whilst assistants are being pestered for patterns by people who probably will never purchase anything at tho shop. Could not an agreement bo come to in the trade, ho asks, not to cut patterns unless those who want them pay the cost? On the other hand, it is improbable that these people would pay for patterns, even if drapers combined in tho manner suggested. It is ihe practice of some retailers to tell their customers that patterns must be returned, in order to save continually cutting cloths and cottons, as the one pattern can be sent out a number of times. But, in practice, it has been found that the request for the return of the pattern is more often than not entirely ignored. One draper is emphatic in declaring that the only remedy is to refuse entirely to cut patterns. “ When I started in business,” he says, ”1 made up my miud I would givo away no patterns, and with a few exceptions I have .refused to cut patterns of _ anything, and I think I have acted wisely. Returns, first year, under £660, increased each year to eighth year, over £2ooo.'’ ‘ FURS NOT LUXURIES. A cjgjir exposition of the reasons why a fur 'coat, despite its heavier initial cost, is a more economical garment than any other class of coat, is given b 7 the “Fur World.” Tlio writer says that: one could go far to find move hard-wearing garments than tho fur coats that one sees in the shop windows marked about £9 or £lO, particularly the pony, seal coney and electric eeal coats. When a lady buys a coat of this kind, it wiLl last her, with moderate'care, several seasons, and will always look smart. Should she at any time require the stylo to he altered and thoroughly renovated at tho same time, this can be done at a very small outlay, and practically, to all inteuts. and purposes, a new garment would he obtained. Surely that cannot bo considered a luxury. If anything, it is strict economy, making use of tho same garment year in and year out at a nominal cost for repairs. Therefore, fur coats which.can bo obtained at such popular prices, and will last longer than any other kind of coat, cannot possibly bo described as a luxury, but a garment of . utility. It is suggested that retailers of furs would advance tho argumont of "economy of furs” iu their circulars for tho coming season, and mako it a prominent fea.turo ill all displays and advertisements.