TOPICS FOR TRADESMEN

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17311, 28 October 1916, Page 5

TOPICS FOR TRADESMEN

[From Our Correspondent.! LONDON, September 2. THE SALE OF ENEMY GOODS. The question of the sale by retailers ' of German or enemy made goods after ', the war is ono surrounded with many problems, and one feels that it is a ■ question which can only be dealt with : practically by the intervention of the i Government, with compulsory mea- ', sures. There are too many obstacles in tho way of effective voluntary effort. ' Much, however, can be done by tradesmen, for salesmen have more power to i direct the demands of the public than , any other class of men. By paying at» ; tention to the sale of British and non- ', euemy goods and making themselves \ better qualified to sell them, retailors ' and their assistants can at once exerciio a definite influence in favour of I British trade. At present, tradesmen and their assistants have little oppor- . tunity of witnessing manufacturing processes, or coming Into first-hand contact with manufacturers, and so have difficulty in ascertaining all the special : merits of the goods they handle. The manufacturer alone possesses all the in- • formation, and it is to his advantage and that of the distributor and consumer to mako that information widely known. A single article left without description may fall into the hands of one who knows nothing about it, and ■ thus he less easily sold. It would be a great help if manufacturers would ' supply with orcvy article they send out a- clear and detailed statement of its advantages and methods of use. The technical training of assistants would prove an important factor, and a course of training, made to cover everything from, tho boy's first day in the. shop until he becomes manager of his own , business, would be of immense benefit to , everybody concerned. A detailed syl- , lahus should be framed of everything a , salesman should know —the poods ho , handles, the art of selling, dealing with customers, the mysteries of indenting, buying, pricing 'nd general machinery : of business, customers' accounts and collection, relation between capital, turnover and overhead expenses, such as rent, genera] finance, broking, advertising, window-dressing, and the numerous branches which are necessary ' to the equipment of the successful man of business. SIMPLIFYING DISPLAYS. Management with a view to saving labour in unremunerative directions is what is required in many a shop nowadays. A grocer discussing the position in which many retailers are now placed owing to the exigencies of the war made the above very sensible remark. He instanced window-dressing- At present in many shops the proprietor, who is more often than not single-handed, can find time only at long intervals for changing his window, although possibly he is fully aware of the detrimental i effect on business that the same old window week in and week out causes. Then what a disturbance and fuss there is when he docs eventually decide to put. in a fresh display ! The shop is littered, the stock exposed to deteriorating influences, and the counter neglected Is it not time that window-dress-ing is made simpler? This retailer suggests that the floors of windows should be covered with linoleum, that' there should bo brass rods and curtains as the background, and strips of plate-glass on polished wood stands for the display of any samples. A few plants in pots would increase the attractiveness of any display. In a word, let simplicity bj one's aim. With similarly plain, yet rot unattractive, treatment inside the shop, he thinks results would be surprising. Instead of congestion of goods |in confused masses there would he orderliness everywhere. A few things, frequently changed; might be shown daiJy on 'he counter, on a stand in the centre of the shop, and in the window. His plan would enable this to bo done without undue worry or lalwur. MAINTAINING BUSINESS. To make good the temporary loss of their chief and most profitable customers—men ot military age—London dealers in men's wear have- been forced to look for now business openings. One was found in the officers' khaki trade, but this has fallen off considerably of late. Some paid more attention to the needs of tlie. vary youthful and tho elderly client, classes whom they had hitherto more or less neglected, but the additional custom secured in these ways has not beeu, sufficient. It is for this reason" that' many outfitters may now be found in London devoting their energies to capturing part of the ladies' outfitting business. They have not created a separate department for the sale of these goods (gloves, stockings, pyjamas, umbrellas, etc.), having found ifc only necessary and better to display them apart from the men's wear, and to devote a separate counter to them. It might be thought that there would be some hesitancy on tho part of ladies to enter a man's shop, but outfitters had noticed that many of their customers at the present time were ladies, buying goods for their sons or menfolk, and it has been simply a matter of salesmanship to bring the ladies' wear under their notjee. They have found the new departure highly profi-t-----'ilo.'