Plan No. 572. Booklet on Mail-Order Buying
A Chicago man who had been engaged in the mail-order business for many years, and had become familiar with this work in all its phases, published a booklet of eighty pages, containing valuable information and suggestions to other mail-order agents in regard to buying goods to be used for that purpose.
Following a brief introductory, relating the changes that have taken place in the mail-order business of late years, owing to the changing methods of both factories and stores, the work touched upon securing introductions to the trade; contracts; letters vs. trips; points to be considered before deciding; will cheap goods stay low? buying staple lines; factory trips; depending upon salesmen; trade tips; when to load up; cash and trade discounts; new contracts; the purchasing of novelties; market tours; keen observation; test sales; large profits for all concerned; danger signals; purchasing agency goods; thorough tests; giving out duplicate orders; keeping costs down; your own trade-mark; watch territorial requirements; saving in packaging, etc.
It was just such a booklet as the thousands of mail-order agents in this country will buy and read with profit, and he sold thousands of them for 50 cents a copy.
Any other good mail order agents might record their experience in a similar manner with equally satisfactory results.