The Four Fundamentals of Retail Lumbering

BY TACK DIONNE

"\f,/hat are tlre funda,mentalr of modern merchandiring in the retail lumber bruiness?tt askc a subscriber from C,olondo

We would say that theJ are four-with many branchee from each of them, each of which in itcelf ir a propogition of impodance. The four are:

Firct-To resure and amangd en attnctivephce of burlners ;rhat will p-p"tly dignify the good! you rell, and povide a welcome to the burinecr yis" itor.

' Second-To anticipate ttre neceuitieS and tfre derirea of the public in the stocking of tlre establishment.

ThirLTo pioeerh orploit the place of busincss, itr location, aervice, materialr, etc., lo that thoce whose trade you are intererted in gecuring witl have your busineac and what it means to them brought frequently and pleasingly before their eyer and min&.

Fourtlr-'To render such complete, thorough, ud intelligent service in the displaying, selling and delivering of the goodr, as to improve the.impression that an attractive ltore, a satisfying etock, anrl pleasing publicity har already created.

The average old fashloned lu4bcr dealer faib in all four of thec€ fundamentrah-Al.I. FOUR.

Hir place of burinecr ir not attractive nor intererting nor a good adverticement for a building rpecialist; not the place you would taLe your wife to go shopping.

He ctocked only raw rnaterials of rtandard "h"o"t r, and wae not equipperf to give building oewice.

He war tlre poorert'advertirer ofall retaiterr, acponding to rtatictics.

He thought service meant to gcll the goo& and collest the bilh.

A book the size of the Bible could be rrritten about each of theie rrlqp dart'entals.tt L"ocal conditiong and circumrtanoec dter caser, but every wouldbc nodenr lumber merchant ehould check up and see lrow he ig obrerving each of the three.