October 6, 1910. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



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THE RETAIL 



FLORIST 



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1 



A CHANTECLER LUNCHEON. 



This is chantecler year and, where 

 Alice blue was the popular color last 

 season, everything now must be in red 

 to be strictly up-to-date. 



With chantecler luncheons the fad of 

 the day, the accompanying illustration 

 will be of special interest, showing what 

 a resourceful retailer, and one not local 

 ed in a big city at that, did when called 

 upon with such an order. The flowers 

 were red carnations, with ribbons to 

 match. As it was a long table, instead 

 of round, with seats for fourteen per- 

 sons, it was necessary to do more than 

 devise a centerpiece. The place of honor 

 was occupied by a real live rooster, a 

 bantam quite tame, in a wire cage, the 

 top of which was decorated with car- 

 nations, red ribbon and a toy store 

 rooster. As the florist said, "You can 

 imagine the excitement when the live 

 rooster actually crowed." At each e.nd 

 of the table there was a chip market 

 basket, barnyard style, filled with red 

 carnations, with huge bows of ribbon on 

 the handle. The favors were the chan- 

 tecler fans, which are to be had in any 

 of the novelty stores, and the place 

 cards also carried a red representation 

 of a rooster. In this instance strawber- 

 ries, nice ripe red ones, were the first 

 course, and they were served in tiny 

 market baskets, each one with a how of 

 red ribbon on the handle. 



This decoration was devised by Ed- 



ward Bell, of the Bell Floral Co., Frank- 

 lin, Pa., who finds that it pays for the 

 florist who wishes to make a name for 

 himself in his community to study out 

 such schemes as this and have them 

 ready at the tip of his tongue when his 

 customer gives him the chance to offer 

 suggestions. 



CHARGE ACCOUNTS. 



Following the lead of a Chicago retail 

 Uorist who gives rather more thought 

 to the mercliandizing end of the busi- 

 ness than does the average proprietor 

 of a high class store, a considerable 

 number of retailers now are inviting 

 their patrons to open charge accounts. 

 Jt used to be the retailers' complaint 

 that too large a proportion of the busi- 

 ness was charged, that payments were 

 too infrequent and that the effort should 

 be toward cash sales. The thinking 

 sales manager has discovered the fal- 

 lacy of this idea. He has found that 

 the effort should be to gain a large 

 number of patrons who will carry what 

 are known as accommodation accounts, 

 these calling for monthly settlement, 

 and the courtesy being granted only to 

 those who recognize its value. 



Such charge accounts go a long way 

 toward increasing sales. A large part 

 of the flowers sent out by any first- 

 class store are delivered to someone 

 other tlian the ])urchaser. hence C. O. D. 



Miles are largely eliminated and the 

 telephone trade is cut down to the 

 iiiiiiinuini unless the sales are charged. 

 If the flower buyer can telephone his 

 order, his calling cards being kept in 

 stock by the retailer, so that the cus- 

 tomer has nothing further to do <'.\cept 

 settle the monthly bill, his purchases 

 will be much more frequent than if he 

 were obliged to come in person to give 

 liis order. Anybody can see that. 



The department stores of the better 

 class have accustomed large numbers 

 of people to the use of these accommo- 

 dation accounts. They have done two 

 tilings which can be turned to the profit 

 of the florist. In the first place, they 

 do not open these accounts without first 

 investigating the standing of the pros- 

 l)ective customer. They do not grant 

 credit merely because it is asked. The 

 identity of the customer is fully gone 

 into. Where the facts are not kno-wn, 

 he usually is asked to state his business 

 connections and to give references, 

 which the department store invariably 

 looks up before delivering any goods 

 to be charged. Having acted favorably 

 on the application for an accommo- 

 dation account, the department store 

 sees to it that tlie customer understands 

 that monthly settlement is required. A 

 statement is mailed regularly on the 

 (irst day of each month and if the check 

 is not received by a certain date a 

 polite jogger is sent. As practically 

 everyone who would have use for a 

 charge account with a florist already 

 has one at the leading department store, 

 the florist has the advantage of the 

 educational work the larger establish- 

 ment has done. 



The cre<lit men of the department 

 stores are quick to avail themselves of 

 any avenue of information, and they 

 will reciprocate. One question which 

 every florist should put to any applicant 

 for an accommodation account is this: 

 At what department store do you have 

 .•in account? With this information, ask 



Decoration for a Chantecler Luncheon — Red the G)lor Scheme. 



