16 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



ATTITUDE AND METHODS OF RETAIL DEALERS HANDLING PISH IN CON- 

 JUNCTION WITH OTHER FOODS. 



That a consensus of views and methods of retail dealers handling 

 fish in conjunction with other foods might be had, each of the 72 

 such merchants was asked questions identical with those put to 

 similar dealers in Minneapolis and St. Paul, which are given below, 

 with a summary of the answers received from Seattle dealers. 



1. Do you consider fish a profitable side line, or do you handle it 

 only for the convenience of your customers ? In answer to this ques- 

 tion 27 dealers stated that they considered fish a profitable side line, 

 and 45 stated that they handled fish solely for the accommodation of 

 their customers. 



2. What has been the trend of business during the past two years ? 

 Has trade decreased, held even, or increased ? In answer to which 

 49 dealers reported a decrease owing to the high price of fish, and 23 

 reported trade holding even. 



3. In your opinion do reductions in meat prices retard the sale of 

 fish? Replies to this question revealed that 19 were of the opinion 

 that reductions in meat prices had no effect whatever on the sale of 

 fish, 20 were of the opinion that reductions in meat prices affect fish 

 buying only among certain classes, and 33 believed that they material- 

 ly afi^ect the sale of fish. 



4. For the purpose of comparing your sales from year to year, etc., 

 do you keep a record of the different kinds of fish sold in 5^our store ? 

 Answers to which disclosed that 5 firms kept a comparative record, 

 26 kept their fish bills separate, and 41 kept no record by which they 

 could accurately determine the number of pounds of the different 

 species sold. 



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