Profits For Dealers Selling Attractive Front Doors

Larue Il'oodson

In talking rvith Larue Woodson, Northern California representative of the Wheeler Osgood Company and manager of the Nicolai Door Sales Company, San Francisco, a representative of this paper learned that he has been rvorking with a great deal of success rvith his dealer friends in increasing the sale of front doors, resulting in many cases in the building up of a profitable side line for the dealer.

"The California Lumber Merchant has repeatedly called the attention of the retail lumbermen to the great possibilities for increasing their sales through the idea of home modernization, and in particular this journal has drvelt upon the opportunities presented for retail lumbermen to work on the sale of built-in-fixtures. mirror doors. cedar lined closets and many other items." said Mr. Woodson.

"I think, however, that there is perhaps no other single item that has the sales possibilities of an attractive front door, for in a way it changes the entire appearance of the front of a house. I feel safe in saying that the average lumber dealer has overlooked the sales possibility of front doors. Dealers rvho have been paying attention to pushing the sale of this particular item find that insteacl of selling the ordinary front door at a price of from $5.00 to $10.00. it is just as easy to sell one costing three or four times as much and on rvhich the profit is naturally much greater."

Mr. Woodson mentioned as an examDle of rvhat some dealers are doing along this line the ixperience of the Boorman Lumber Company, of Oakland, in the sale of Laminex Philippine front doors. Mr. Boorman states that his salesmen have little difficulty in convincing the home o\,r'ner and builder that an investment of from $25.0O to $50.00 in the purchase of a dignified and well proportioned front cloor adds hundreds of dollars to the appearance and sales value of the home.

Mr. Boorman finds that a great deal of interest is created by the display of samples of these front doors in his company's office. and that the mere sight of an attractive door often has the effect of starting a desire for possession in tlre rnind of the potential customer.

Dealers Sign Marking Agreement

Four more retail .lumber yards in Southern California have signed agreements authorizing them to use the West Coast Lumbermen's Association grade marks on West Coast woods graded in their yardJ under the supervision of A. A. Kayser. of Los Angeles. the Association grades inspector. The neu' firms are: Construction Supplv Co., Los Angeles; Blanchard Lumber Co., North Hollvwood; Bank Line Lumber Co., Los Angeles, and the Riverside Lumber Co., Los Angeles. According to t\e Association. there are now a total of 37 retail firms in Southern California licensed to use the Association grade marks on their lumber.