EveryWorth-While Product Has Its Rightful Use

One of a Series of Timely Talks on Sales and Merchandising Methods

By W.H. Upson, Jr.

\,/OU rvonldn't thank your doctor for I prescribing paris-green for a head- ache iust llecarrse some manufacturer had told that doctor paris-green n,as goocl ror parn.

It is almost as foolhardy for dealers to labor under the delusion that they are just selling merchandise. J ust mere products like s'allboards, roofing, cement, or lumber !

'fhat conception is wrongnot mere products. That is not what we are selling at all, rvhether merchant or manu{acturef.

'We mttst sell what these materials rvill do for the buyer. Modern merchandising truly mearls Service in the fullest sense,

"Service means thatwe must tell the buyer how and what the product will do for him-how and where he should use it-what its qualities are-why he should buy it.

Modern merchandising, in fact, means selling contentment, happiness, and consumer-satisfaction.

, For the consumer gets his profit from the satisfaction he gets out of the product just as the dealer makes his profit out of the difference between cost and selling price. So neither you as a dealer-nor your consumer ltuyers-are interested in rvallboard, cement, or plaster as cold and technical products. They are interested in what the products rvill do for them.

Every u'orth-tvhile product has some uses for u'hich it is particularlv 'rvell adapted. If it has no good uses, tfre product has no value.

The dealer should know these rightful uses. He should have the courage to recommend one brand of product or;er another for 5pecific uses even though the manufacturer may "claim the universe" for his products. The dealer cannot plead ignorance of the qualities or uses.For customers presume the dealer to knotv, just as the patient presumes the doctor to knorv that paris-green is not a good cure for headache.

Moreover, the dealer must not forget that the people of his town have confidence in him. He therefore o\\res a dutv to his customers !

He cannot afford to sell any prbduct for some use when there is another product in his store better adapted for that use. He must realize that "every rvorth-while product has its rightful use" and sell the right product for the specified use.

For example, the Upson Company can unhesitatingly say that they knorv of nothing better than IJpson Board for walls, ceilings, or partitions. It is a splendid insulator. It can be used in the manufacture of many different products. It is well adapted for reclaiming rvaste space.

There are legitimate and rightful uses, among' others, for Upson Board and dealers are justified in recomm.e?rding it for those uses.

Tracy Has Grand Opening of New Community Hotel

Sattrrclay. January 15, 1927, marked the offlcial openin-g of the Tricy Inn, ivhich is an example of the remarkable community tooperation of this progressive city. Over 300 attended the opening event, an( although the largest number of guests u'ere froin Tracy, guests rvere also. present from Sin Francisco, Stockton, Oakland, Fresno, Alameda, Bakersfielcl and Los Angeles.

During the dinner hour, George Good, President of the Tracy Chamber of Commerce and also Chairman of the lloard of Directors, introduced,many of the distinguished guests, including., the members ofthe Board of Directors ivho'supervised-the building of the nerv hotel, Chas. B. Hamilton, lessee, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Zollet, the forqrer manager, J. E. Shepard, the builder of the hotel, and Paul V. tr.rttle-, the architect. The nervspaper representatives, who played a prominent part in this community development ttrrougtr their various publications, were also introduced.

Polly Watson's orchestra fttrnished music for ,dancing, ancl an excellent entertainn.rent by several artists from San

Francisco was given during the dinner hour' Follorving the dinner, dancing was continued until a late hour.

For more than i year the people of Tracy have looked forrvard to the opening of the New Community Hotel.For many years the progrelsive citizens of this community have had visions of i new modern hotel, and with the official opening that dream became a reality. Tracy's new.hotel is comple-ie in every detail and a credit to the citizens of Tracy.

IIENRY M. HINK LOOKS OVER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MARKET

Henry M. Hin'k, general sales manager of the Dolbeer & Carson-Lumber Company, has returned to San Francisco after spending a week in Southern California, where- .he made a sut,t.| of lumber conditions in that territorv. Prior to leaving for the South, he'spent a rveek at the company's mill operations at Eureka.

THE L. W. BLINN LUMBER COMPANY

"INDIAN HARBOR" RETURNS TO McCORMICK SERVICE

Announcement has been made at Portland that the steainer "fndian Harbor" will return to the McCormickSan Pedro service. The vessel has a capacity of 1,650,000 feet of lumber. The "Indian Harbor,' r"ill ."rrv'lurnber southbound to San Francisco and Los Angeles hirbors.

COL. GEORGE H. KELLY VISITS SAN FRANCISCO

-_-C"1. George H. Kelly, Chairman of the Bbard of the Western Lumber Company, lvas a recent San Francisco visitor where he spenf a iew days attending to Uurinii, matters. He was accompanied by his businiss associate, Frank Sullivan. While in San Francisco, he conferrea wittr

A. J. Russell of the Santa Fe Lumber Co.. who reoresents the Western Lumber Co. in the California market.'

George Houston Visits Bay District

George Houston, Gengral Sales Manager of the Lons- Bell Lumber Co. was a San Francisco lisitor the earlv part of the month and made his headquarters at the Company's-San Francisco 9ffi.9. In company with J. M. White of the Weed Lumber Co., he made a irip'to the Weed Lumber Co. at Weed, California.

F. DEAN PRESCOTT VISITS SAN FRANCISCO

F. Dean Prescott, manager of the Valley Lumber Co., Fresno, spent a few days --in the Bay Distlict during the later part of January on business matters. He atte"nded the luncheon of Hoo-Hoo Club No. 9 on January 27 and reported that the Fresno Hoo-I{oo Club ii an active organization and has a large membership in the Fresno District.

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