BETTER TIMES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 169, 10 March 1932, Page 2

BETTER TIMES

OPTIMISTIC SURVEY PROMINENT AUCKLAND BUSINESS MAN'S VIEWS. grocery trade outlook. "Auckland is 'already feeling better times," said Mr. L. Munro, who visited Rotorua with the Auckland swimmers this week. Mr. Munro directs one of the largest eafeteria grocery businesses in New Zealand, the Blue and White Stores, Ltd. He has 10 chain shops placed around Auckland under his direction and soon will have more. 'In an interview Mr. Munro stated that the grocery business was rapidly developing into two classes of traders, the service grocer who gave credit -and delivered his goods, and the eash grocer. The former could not hope to compete with the latter dn a price basis, but there was a distinct demand for his serviees and people who availed themselves of the credit facilities he offered must necesSarily be prepared to pay more for their requirements. The cash stores had definitely come to stay, said Mr. Munro, and the steadily increasing turnover of the stores under his control amply demonstrateed that they were supplying a great public demand, , and meeting with public approval. The grocer of to-day had to remodel his ideas of trading and adopt modern methods if he wished to succeed and attract ever-increas-ing business. It was essential that his goods should he attractively and brightly displayed, with prices clearly marked. Value of Bisplay.

Mr. Munro said that he had proved conclusively that goods cleanly and attractively placed before the customer marked, say at Is, sold more readily than the same goods set ont in a dingy, unattractive way, marked at lld. He said he was a strong supporter of nationally advertised goods and it was greatly to the benefit of the retailer to support such goods. Too many took no cognisance of the fact that a line was a well-advertised one, and filled their "shelves with unknown brands of goods. They wasted time trying to sell such goods when the well advertised lines had been practically sold for them. National advertising helped to break down saies resistance, and it was a waste of saies effort as well as absurd to try and push on to a customer something else, when that customer was definitely inclined to huy the welladvertised article that he knew all about. The retailer to-day who gave service and attention and displayed his goods attractively was sure to reap his just reward in his profit, because people were rsponsive to these faetors in salesmanship. Dangers of Cut"irg Cutting was bad in the grocery trade, but the man who cut could only come to one end — out of business he went. There was no cutting in his chain stores, each shop was run on a profitable basis, and each paid. Careful and accurate buying, selling at a profit, service and creating the demand by up-to-date saies methods were the policy that had established his business on a sound basis, said Mr. Munro. As an indication of service, Mr. Munro stated that in each of his stores there was an electric refrigerator to keep perishable goods, such as butter and hacon, in an attractive condition. Not enough attention was paid by grocers to their windows, which were a valuable selling adjunct, continued the Auckland visitor. There was no reason why the windows should not he arresting and at the same time create the desire to buy. A little care and attention to the windows would make a wonderful difference to the turnover of many a groeer's business. Buy New Zealand Goods. Mr. Munro greatly deprecated the tendency to cry hard times and let it rest at that. Business was there to be had, if retailers would only go the right way about it and adopt useful, attractive modern selling methods. Depressing talk did more harm to k^ep trade away and retard better times than anything. It drove people To curtail their spending, and made every one nnsettled. Mr. Munro said he Was a strong supporter of New Zealandmade goods, and he urged retailers to go for the New Zealand-made articles and push them for all they were worth, as that was the surest way to add to the prosperity of this eountry. He held the most optimistic views for the future, for the man who had the energy and the initiative to go after business along well-considered modern lines, and the grocer who did so had no need to fear any cut-price competitor.