2000 



MARKETING 



MARKETING 



The heavy figures to the left indicate the "lines," 

 and each "line" means a certain number of packages 

 which are grouped by themselves in the warehouse and 

 marked with a large chalk-mark on the floor in front 

 of the pile, this number on the floor corresponding to the 

 "line" number in the catalogue. The name and small 

 label appearing under "lines," and "marks" correspond 

 to those upon the packages and serve to assist buyers 

 who are not familiar with the English language in 

 identifying the fruit and catalogue description. In the 

 column "marks" is given the size of the package or the 

 number of fruits it contains; under "description," by 

 whom it is shipped, the car number, and under what 

 shipping conditions. (In this case "ventilated;" it might 

 have been "iced" or "precooled.") This is important 

 to the buyer as often the conditions under which the 

 fruit has been shipped may be closely related to its 

 condition, appearance, and subsequent keeping quality. 



The blank spaces in the "description" column are 

 used by the buyers to make memoranda on the con- 

 dition, grade, and value, and used for reference as the 

 selling proceeds. 



At a definite time, the buyers assemble in the auc- 

 tion-room. The auctioneer announces any corrections 

 to the catalogue which may be necessary and opens the 

 whole page for sale, and the highest bidder may take 

 his choice of any "line" or "lines" on the page. As 

 these are sold, each man scratches them off, and the 

 remainder of the page is then thrown open for bids. The 

 buyer who bids highest will choose the best "line" or 

 "lines" on the page. The selling is started again and 

 the highest bidder takes the best remaining "line," and 

 this continues until the page is sold. Usually the rules 

 of the auction company require sales of not less than 

 ten large or twenty small packages unless the number 

 in the line may be less. 



(f) Local auctions. 



Produce is sometimes sold by ordinary auction 

 at the shipping station. This local auction method, 

 as it may be designated, became an important method 

 in marketing peaches in the Catawba Island district of 

 Ohio. It is reported to have originated with an attor- 

 ney, as he observed the amount of time unnecessarily 

 consumed by the buyers and growers trying to com- 

 plete sales. 



The method is simple and rapid. As the growers 

 arrive at the shipping-stations, they line up their loads 

 in order of arrival. The buyers stand upon a platform 

 and inspect the fruit of each load as it comes to them and 

 the auctioneer conducts the sale. The fruit is then 

 delivered to the car, checked over and paid for by the 

 buyer. The auctioneer's fee is paid by the grower. The 

 extensive growers may load their own cars which would 

 be sold in the same way, often bringing an extra price. 



This system made it possible for the buyer to secure 

 the variety and grade of fruit he desired and he could, 

 in this way, more easily buy a carload that would be 

 of uniform quality, or of any grade he wanted. The 

 grower who had a superior grade of fruit or especially 

 well packed would have it selected from the average 

 run, and in this way might secure a better price. Sales 

 could be made quickly and the time of the grower saved 

 in a very busy season of the year. Combines of the 

 buyers to hold the price down were possible, but could 

 be broken by the growers refusing to sell on the auction 

 and shipping the fruit themselves to commission men. 



The method has recently been superseded in the 

 Ohio peach-growing district by local cooperative asso- 

 ciations that are successfully serving the needs of the 

 growers. 



(g) Distributing agency. 



Within the past few years, the problem of distribu- 

 ting the large crops of produce has presented itself with 

 increasing importance. Heavy crops of high quality 

 fruits and vegetables have been successfully grown, but 

 the task of getting them distributed to the consumer in 

 a sound wholesome condition at a reasonable price has 

 been the greatest problem. All of the usual ways of 

 marketing have been used, but additional ways have 

 been devised and have come into practice. 



There are several types of distributing companies or 

 agencies and newer ones are continually being devised, 

 formed, and put into operation. One type is for several 

 cooperative associations to unite and hire a salesman 

 to assist their manager to get in communication with a 

 large number of markets and consuming centers and in 

 this way secure a wide distribution for the produce. 



One type of distributing agency may be described 

 as a company that receives carlot shipments of various 

 kinds of produce from any point in the country, but 

 especially from local cooperative growers' associations, 

 and sells it through its selling agents who are located 

 in all of the important markets in the country, but 

 managed from one or two central offices. It is possible, 

 under such a system, to secure a more even and desira- 

 ble distribution of produce as the local selling agents 



