68 



The Florists^ Review 



Febbuabt 26. 1920 



RETAIL STORE MANAGEMENT 



WHAT THE LEADERS IN THE TRADE ARE DOING 





F. T. D. FUBNISHES FOLDERS. 



Aids Members in AdTortlsing. 



In order to spread the gospel of tele- 

 graph delivery among the benighted 

 public, the Florists' Teleg^raph Delivery 

 Association has prepared a quartet of 

 leaflets which it is furnishing to its 

 members at a surprisingly low figure. 

 It is so low because the association is 

 having the leaflets printed in a million 

 run in colors, all except the retailer's 

 name, which is imprinted on them after 

 his order has been received. Secretary 

 Pochelon has already received orders 

 for more than a quarter of a million of 

 them, in response to the single letter 

 which has been sent out telling mem- 

 bers of the project. Since they are 

 suitable for use at any time of the year, 

 the folders are being ordered in lots of 

 from 1,000, or 250 of each, up to as high 

 as 16,000. 



Attractively Printed. 



The covers are printed by the 3-color 

 offset process, reproducing attractive 

 designs prepared by Hilmer V. Swen- 

 son & Co., Chicago. One is devoted to 



an explanation of the F. T. D., another 

 to telegraphing flowers to sick friends, 

 another to telegraphing them as gifts 

 and another to telegraphing them for 

 birthdays and anniversaries. The in- 

 side of the folder is illustrated by a 

 sketch, carrying out the idea of the 

 brief story printed on one page. Space 

 is allowed for the retailer 's name, which 

 is printed in when his order is received. 

 Less than 100 members have sent in 

 their orders, totaling over a quarter of 

 a million folders. YSThen the number 

 of responses reaches the expected figure, 

 the story of telegraph delivery wiU be 

 spread broadcast. 



WEALTH IK A WINDOW. 



The window display shown in the 

 accompanying illustration should have 

 a strong appeal for both nature-lovers 

 and those who relish the expensive. 

 Anyone passing along Powell street, San 

 Francisco, in front of the store of the 

 Art Floral Co., would be tempted to 

 pause even on the most urgent errand 

 and gaze at the delicately contrasted 

 colors of the cattleyas and their gray- 

 green background of moss-covered oak 

 branches. This is the store which has 



a 3 -months-old leopard, still so kittenish 

 and unsophisticated that only a chain 

 is needed for its restraint. 



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LIGHTINO THE SHOW WINDOW. 



Window Orchid Display of the Art Floral €<>., San Francisco. 



Opporttmities Overlooked. 



Selling experts have estimated that 

 from thirty to fifty per cent of a store 's 

 sales are made through its windows. 

 Putting it the other way around, the 

 retailer who neglects to take proper ad- 

 vantage of the advertising and selling 

 power of his window loses just that per- 

 centage of possible sales. Some may 

 question the accuracy of those percent- 

 ages, but few will question the intrinsic 

 accuracy of the point involved. If the 

 percentages appear too high, reduce 

 them, halve them if you will, and even 

 then where is the florist who would rest 

 complacently, knowing he was prevent- 

 ing an addition of from fifteen to 

 twenty-five per cent to the volume of 

 his business, through his indifference to 

 the advertising and sales-producing 

 value of his windows! 



For the retailer who wishes to make 

 the best use of his windows, the first 

 step should be to set down a figpire rep- 

 resenting the appraised value of the 

 windows. Putting a value on the win- 

 dows, if done fairly, will in itself serve 

 to give a new respect for their impor- 

 tance, and until the retailer does come 

 to look upon his windows as having a 

 definite and considerable dollars and 

 cents value, he will not be in the right 

 frame of mind to plan intelligently and 

 enthusiastically regarding ways and 

 means for making greater use of their 

 service. That such calculation is a real 

 and actual valuation, is demonstrated by 

 the value put on their windows by va- 

 rious leaders in the merchandising field. 

 It is reported that Charles Stevens & 

 Co., of Chicago, value their windows at 

 $150,000 a year; E. H. Macy & Co., New 

 York, $100,000 a year; Filene's Boston, 

 $106 a day; Saks & Co., New York, $50,- 

 000 a year; Famous-Barr, St. Louis, $10 

 to $25 per day per window, according to 

 location. 



What Oood Lighting Does. 



The purpose of window lighting, as of 

 the window itself, is to arouse upon the 

 part of the observer a buying desire for 

 the goods on display. As an object is 

 seen by the light it reflects, rather than 

 by the light thrown upon it, it is ob- 

 vious that it is only when the lighting 

 is of the proper intensity and color, as 

 well as when the light comes from the 

 correct angle, that it may be said to be 

 contributing its full efficiency as a fac- 

 tor in selling. The lighting in many 

 windows falls below that standard; far, 

 far below, in numerous instances. The 

 reasons for that condition are legion. 



Many, perhaps most, retail florists are 

 not aware of the improved lighting ar- 

 rangements and devices available for 

 their use. Few mercliants in any field 



