POINTS FOR PURCHASE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2420, 27 March 1915, Page 13

POINTS FOR PURCHASE

QUALITY THAT PAYS .

WHERE BRITISH GOODS SCORE

EXAMPLES TO REMEMBER

The great majority of people in buying goods are very much in the hands of those with whom they deal. If a run of Koods of different qualities were placed before them with' the makers' names and the prices obliterated they'would in most oases be hard put ; to pick out the good from the bad. Where tha choice is,not determined by a preference for a certain make, the price in usually the determining factor. If a foreign line is quoted: at a shade lesß than a British-made 'article it is the foreigner who can look to get the'business. . If the two lines .are represented equal there would be little to complain of, but how many of us ever take the trouble to give our kinsmen an ordinary fair.'rim in such." circumstances?... It : is seldom' that anyone in. making a purchase will specify that British goods are preferred, nor when foreign articles "are presented do we often take the trouble to inquire whether a Brit-ish-made'article of the same class is not obtainable. A few inquiries', like these would not mean much trouble in doing business, but if the, general * public showed itself wideawake in this respect the result would be -to set . businesshouses looking around .to -see whether British firms could not supply, just as good articles as many of those customarily bought from .-foreign manufacturers. Nobody would advocate . confining ourselves exclusively to articles of British'make, but when the British goods represent the best value, or equally as good value, as those obtain-able-from foreigners it is folly not . to have them. ,

The low-priced article is often tho dearest article in the long run, , iihd where servico is looked for it is scarcely wise to have ten or fifteen per cent, in first cost and lose fifty per cent, in durability. In order to show where the British maker scores, the following comparisons have been compiled from information supplied from a reliable source:—

Wire.—The far greater tensile strength of . British wire proved by Britain's monopoly of the wire rope trade, on which life depends. For fencing, the Transvaal Government proved over hundreds of miles of country that when British wire stretches and bonds through cattle leaning against it, it can be restrained. Foreign wire once bent breaks. Yet the public will not pay tho slightly higher price for tho same gauge nor buy a lower gauge of more than equal strength at the same or a loss price than that asked for foreign wire".

Door and Window Furniture.—Prico and quality in these lines have been beaten down until one hardly can get an article which keeps in working order for a month. Add the cost of "having them seen to," the annoyance of doors always hanging, refusing to stay shut, etc., and then look at the price of British goods again.

Aluminium Hollowware.—Prices are cut by reducing the weight of the metal. The thick gauge at the rim is tapered in so that it does not show. Buy by weight.

Wool Packs and Sacks.—The reduced price asked for foreign goods has forced the manufacturers to make lower and lower-grade fabric, using shorter staple and more waste and dust. This all unravels and gets in the wool, depreciating 'its value at least, as much as the difference in the price of the wool pack. Electroplate.—The cost varies primarily with the number of coats. There is •practically ■ the same appearance after one" coat as after three. There' is no possible advantage in having to be perpetually replacing tarnished electroplated articles in consequence of laying out money in the first place on inferior foreign makes.

Cutlery.—Anyone can turn out ma-chine-stamped cutlery as made by many [foreign firms which looks excellent. It lis an absolute waste of money not to buy good knives and scissors, as everyone buys these artioles to last. Good steel has to be paid for, and the beat cutlery steel is bought by Germany and United States of America. in Sheffield. Half the secret of good cutlery is the temper, and this can only be given by hand by skilled craftsmen. Good cutlery cannot be got cheap.

Galvanised Goods, sheet Wire, Tin Plato, etc. —Zinc costs money, tin costs much more. It saves money U> put thin coatings on, but unless the steel pinto underneath is absolutely protected from air and water the materiel is not worth any price at all.

Boots. —Thero is practically as much labour lost in a choap boot as in a dear one, when both are made on the same machine. To pay for the labour and not pay for good Isathpr is throwing money ui tke RUttor. L bout ftt GQ Rer ceutu

higher price outlasts three or four pairs at the lower price.

Cotton Substitutes for Wool, Mercerised, Cotton, or Artificial silk for Silk, and Cotton for Linen.—The same applics_ to all these. There is practically fio difference in the labour cost, and the difference lies in good raw material.

Ceneral.—lnsist on knowing what things are made of, and get the statement branded on goods by the manufacturer. Learn that high-priced goods are not only better value because they last longer, but are more economical to buy, because to Induce purchase profits are cut. Middlemen always take more profit on cheap imitations than on dear. Cheap imitations are always bad value.