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GETTING THE MOST

OUT OF WINDOW DISPLAYS*

There are certain definite means by which customers are brought into a drug store. Each of these sales channels by itself is a trade. builder, and if they are all united certain results must follow. These five channels are: 1. The show window. 2. Printed advertisements. 3. The written letter. 4. Satisfied customers. 5. The salesman.

Should there be a druggist who is not securing his quota of business he owes it to himself, his employees, and his customers to make a detailed investigation. He will surely find that one or more of these channels are clogged through misuse, or else are blocked altogether through neglect or failure to properly correlate them.

Let us discuss briefly the first of these the Show Window. The four other avenues will be taken up in separate articles in subsequent issues of the BULLETIN.

AN ILLUSTRATION.

I remember at the time of the Boer War seeing a window in a hardware store in a section of London, England, filled with little dolls dressed to represent British soldiers and Boer soldiers. The British were, of course, chasing the Boers across the window. This attracted so much attention that the whole sidewalk was blocked with people anxious to see such a unique display. That window surely attracted plenty of attention, but it did not sell hardware!

There's a difference. In many lines of business we can see the same mistake made: trimming the window with all kinds of fool stunts which attract attention, but which do not sell goods.

The arrangement of a window trim should arrest the attention of the customer; the goods themselves should arouse interest in them; the prices and "talking cards" displayed should

*The first of a series of five articles on ways and means of getting business.

By HAROLD WHITEHEAD President American School of Business, Inc., Boston

create desire to purchase those goods at once. That is the situation in a nutshell. And there are two general rules to follow to secure this result. The first is to apply the law of association; the second is to apply the law of individual appeal.

To make a display of a number of articles which are naturally associated in their use, or which suggest each other, is to apply the law of association. For example, a display composed of talcum powder, perfume, rouge, cold cream, vanishing cream, toilet soap, bath powder, etc., would follow this principle, for they are all associated in their use and suggest each other. They naturally give the viewer a harmonious impression.

CONFUSION IS CREATED.

If, on the contrary, a window is filled with a variety of dissociated articles they give a confused impression to the passer-by. Suppose a hundred salesmen simultaneously began to cry their wares to you, each one having a different story to tell. There would be such a babel of noises that you would be unable to distinguish any particular one.

Not only that, but a display of dissociated articles may sometimes be positively repelling. For instance, a window trim made up, let us say, of fly destroyer, candy, syringes, toothbrushes, catarrh tablets, chewing gum, and hair restorer. This would suggest an association of ideas which would be actually disgusting. ing. Yet we have all seen such displays.

When the window is trimmed with a single line of goods, like talcum powder, for instance, the law of single appeal is used. Such a display has the advantage of giving a more forceful impression than a display of associated articles, but it has the disadvantage of not reminding the passer-by of some other article which he or she might buy. Any one passing could not fail to be impressed with the fact that the window contained talcum powder, but it might not remind the lady that she wanted some toilet water.

SMALL TOWNS AND CITIES.

The single trim idea applies in its use principally to small towns. In such places it is somewhat difficult to keep giving an appearance of freshness and newness with mixed window displays. Here practically everybody sees the display within twenty-four hours, and mixed displays become an old story, for there is a great similarity of appearance between them. If every week, however, there is a special display of some particular article, it will strike home more forcefully than the mixed display will.

In a large city, on the other hand, the mixed display is generally the best, for there are thousands of passers-by who give the window only casual attention. If the casual observer wants anything at all in the line of the goods displayed, the sight of the window will bring such a want to the attention and he or she will be apt to turn into the store almost subconsciously.

This does not mean that a druggist should never use a single display in a big city, or that he should never use a mixed display in a small town. Rather is the general rule suggested that the mixed display is more effective in large towns and the single display in small towns.

This may sound elementary, yet one may visit almost any town, big or little, and he will not have to walk above two blocks in the business section to find some merchants—not necessarily druggists, perhaps—who ignore not only this rule but all others.

I have mentioned certain toilet goods as an example of the application of the law of association. Here is an extreme example of the application of the law of single appeal:

DISPLAYING A PILL.

A certain druggist had a line of pills selling for 25 cents a box which, so far as I could make out, cured everything from pink-eye to housemaid's knee. He wanted my assistance in making a window display of them to "jack up" their sales somewhat; so I planned a display for him.

First we bought some dark-blue cloth and .hung it around the window in a half-circle. Some more of the same material was placed on the floor of the window. Then we made a cardboard cone about 18 inches high, and placed it in the center-board end downward,

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On the apex of the cone we placed just one pill! Over it was hung a powerful electric bulb, and over this was an ordinary glass shade. From the shade was suspended, straight down, a 6-inch rim of cardboard. Over the glass shade and the cardboard addition we hung some more of the blue cloth.

The result was that when the light was turned on it was concentrated on the top of the cone and the pill which lay there. In front of the cone we placed a small sign to this effect:

These pills are so valuable in relieving human ills that we feel that a single pill is of sufficient importance to have this window to itself! Come inside and we will tell you why.

An extreme example, of course; but results are what count-and this trim got results.

If I were asked to name the principal fault of store windows, I would say it was the dreary monotony of them. It is so easy to get into a set style of window trimming. The best window trimmer is liable to get cramped in his ideas of display; to get into a rut, in other words.

THE WAY TO JUDGE.

There are only two ways to judge the effect of a window. The more important, of course, is by means of the amount of business it pulls. The other is to get the customer's perspective on it. Let the window trimmer have a little time off every day or so to view the store windows in the town, or, if you are your own window trimmer, do it yourself. Do even more than that-visit neighboring towns and view the store windows there.

The window trimmer who does this cannot fail to gather a variety of ideas which he can apply to his own store, and also (quite as important) get many ideas of what not to do. If a window trimmer has imagination-and if he lacks it he is not the genuine article-he will be able to adapt the display of ideas of millinery stores, or hardware stores, or even fish stores!

On coming back from one of these windowinspecting jaunts, take a good look at your own windows. Try to look upon them as a customer would. Do not try to gloss over their

faults, but look upon them with a critical eye, and ask yourself, "Would I go in and buy anything because of this display?"

Note in particular if the glass is clean, for however well the window may be trimmed, if

the glass is dirty the goods displayed will look dingy; and patrons, as a rule, are not fighting each other to buy soiled goods. A dirty window suggests conditions that customers are anxious to keep away from.

Mr. Whitehead's second article, to be published next month, will be devoted to printed advertisements.

"KEEP CLEAN"

THE DOMINANT NOTE

Primarily, the articles displayed in this window were chamois skins, sponges, and washcloths. An attempt was made to show a few other items also, without creating confusion or scattering interest, the latter consisting of

By JOHN B. BADER

The head consisted of a nice oval-shaped sponge, on the front side of which a face was constructed, care being exercised to mold an ingratiating smile.

The big umbrella held above the lady's head

MILLENERS The Rexall DRUG STORE

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vacuum bottles, drinking-cups, and rubberlined cases for holding brushes.

The Williamsport belle who posed for a centerpiece was made by first building a framework from Onken units and then dressing it. The "gown" was modeled after a very fetching "effect" depicted in the special Fourth of July number of the Ladies' Home Journal.

was in reality a Japanese parasol, cut to fit requirements and covered completely, leaving scalloped edges around its entire circumference. The lady wore rubber gloves, and car-. ried a bag in the left hand.

This display appeared in the window of the Millener Drug Company's store, Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

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to become acquainted with their wives and children, who would no doubt appreciate an evening with Dad. There are higher aims in life than amassing dollars. If you are a druggist be a man also, not the slave of the public!

Some time ago the BULLETIN published a number of interesting letters from druggists' wives on the subject "If I married again would I marry a druggist?" They were very pathetic, but cheerful. The dominant note seemed to be that the wives must make the best of a bad bargain and keep on smiling!

Now if such a question were propounded here the answer would be, "Yes, if we couldn't catch a Governor, we would marry a druggist every time!"

And this now brings me to the point I wish to write upon, and that is the matter of druggists' profits. It appears that some of your

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Mr. Johnston's store.

mania were connected, and Australia was a promontory of Tasmania!

Our population is 200,000. Hobart, the capital city, has about 35,000 inhabitants. It is a beautiful place, with the finest harbor in the world, the average depth of water being 40 to 60 feet alongside the piers.

Launceston, where I live, is the next city of importance, with a population of 25,000. It is the capital of the north of the island, and is situated at the head of the lovely river Tamar, forty miles from the sea. The climate and scenery are the best to be found anywhere.

In pharmaceutical matters, strange as it may seem, we have led the world. In 1843 the government passed a medical act by which all chemists had to be registered, and no one within three miles of a chemist's shop was allowed to vend drugs or medicines of any kind. This valuable privilege we still possess.

We are also pioneers in 6 o'clock closing. Financially we have not suffered, and, more wonderful still, the sky has not fallen and the government goes on just the same. I advise all druggists to close at the same hour as other business people do. They will then have time

Tasmanian apples bring as much as $7.50 a bushel. Mr. Johnston and his son own a 15-acre orchard, just beginning to bear. "A most delightful occupation," Mr. Johnston says.

readers take you to task for your attitude on this question. It is both unkind and ungenerous for them to do so, and I write to personally thank Mr. Mason for his able articles on this subject, which I may say have been an eye-opener to me. He has led me to study the matter, and I find that the ignorance existing about it by so-called experts is simply appalling.

Some time ago I wrote to System, "the mag

azine of business," and the editor supported Mr. Mason's method of calculating profits. The difference resulting from calculating profits on cost and on selling price is remarkable. Drilling into druggists the fact that by selling for a dollar and a half what costs a dollar they are not making much, if any, profit will do more to stop price-cutting than any price-protection society yet invented.

In Australia we get good profits; in many cases too high; ranging from 40 to 60 per cent, gross. The turnover, however, is small, as the only side-lines carried are photographic, toilet, and perfumery articles. Only a few shops run a soda fountain, for if that trade is encouraged it is found to be at the expense of something

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found my gross profits to be 40 per cent and my expenses of doing business, including salary, 30 per cent of turnover, leaving 10 per cent, net.

Now to make that 40 per cent I must average 67 per cent on my laid-down cost. This is a big order, or, as you would say, a "tough proposition.' proposition." It is just about stretching the elastic to the breaking point. I have to push my own proprietary lines, upon which I get all the profit, the middlemen being eliminated, to the limit.

In conclusion I may say that if in happier times any member of the big BULLETIN family can see his way clear to visit the sunny land of the kangaroo, I can assure him a right royal and hearty welcome from all brothers of the pestle and mortar. Look us up! Launceston, Tasmania.

DRUG STORES IN ENGLAND AND GERMANY

JAS. D. JOHNSTON.

The American traveler visiting Europe for the first time is struck by the absence of any store approaching what is known in the United States as a "drug store." And he is disappointed. He experiences a distinct sense of loss.

Perhaps he wants to send home a post-card, and he turns to the nearest drug store to have the want supplied. He may buy picture postcards there, if in Germany, but if he asks for stamps he will be directed in a very courteous manner to the nearest post-office.

In England picture post-cards are not sold in the chemists' shops.

He cannot quench his thirst at a soda fountain in a pharmacy in either country, nor can he buy the article with which to practice the jaw movement known as "chewing gum." Nor can he purchase an umbrella, not even a folding one, as he could at Riker-Hegeman's in New York.

In both Germany and England there are two kinds of stores where drugs are kept: the strictly ethical apothecary shop, and the place that more closely conforms to our drug store.

If the traveler has been ordered abroad for

By STELLA HENRY

his health and carries his physician's prescription with him, he must, in Germany, take it to a pharmacy where medicines are compounded. In England it can be filled at a "chemist's shop," but not at a "drug store." He may also experience some difficulty in getting it compounded, for the names of certain drugs do not always indicate the same things in different countries. Perhaps after the war is over and time has, in a measure, healed its scars, an international pharmacopoeia may solve the difficulty in this particular.

In some places in England attempts have been made to install what is considered an American soda fountain, but these attempts have not been altogether successful. The true American soda fountain is peculiar to this country, and druggists abroad, in their attempts to ensnare Americans as customers, have failed to be quite convincing when it comes to shaping up scientific ice-cream sodas and Billy sundaes.

In Germany prescriptions are dispensed by pharmacists, and a pharmacist may not own more than one shop in the same town. Patent medicines, toilet requisites, etc., can be obtained

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