••A SURVEY OF TYPICAL COOPEEATIVE STORES. 3 



the results. Where such estimates appear doubtful they have been 

 eliminated. This accounts in part for the varying number of asso- 

 ciations answering the different questions. 



For obvious reasons care has been taken to conceal both the identity 

 and locality of the stores investigated. The nmnbers in Table 10 bear 

 no relation to the order in which the stores were visited nor to the 

 numbers on the questionnaires. Stores which had been recently estab- 

 lished and which had as yet little or no experience of value were 

 usually omitted. Almost without exception the investigator found 

 the store managers willing to cooperate in attaining the object of the 

 survey and glad to furnish all the information in their possession. 



ORIGIN OF THE STORES. 



Inquiry into the origin of the stores investigated revealed a variety 

 of causes. In some cases the stores were started as a protest against 

 real or fancied abuses. In others the association was organized on 

 the initiative of outside promoters who make a business of organizing 

 cooperative stores. In still other cases there is reason to believe the 

 stores were established on the initiative of individuals who expected 

 to obtain permanent employment in the store. 



As will be noticed by the answers to questions 6 and 7, there were 

 20 cases in which an established business was purchased. A great 

 deal has been said in favor of this practice. It has certain advan- 

 tages, to be sure, but from the cases examined in the present survey 

 the advantages of the established business appear to have been offset 

 by serious disadvantages. In some instances failing concerns suc- 

 ceeded in unloading stocks of goods upon the cooperative association 

 at excessively high prices and with liberal allowances for good will 

 thrown in. In other cases the association found itself with a large 

 proportion of the purchased stock either shelf worn or poorly adapted 

 to the needs of the community. 



Questionnaire on the Business Peactice of"' Cooperative Stores.^ 



Report No. . Date , 1915. 



Information obtained by Information given by 



I. General: 



1. Name: ; 2. City: ; 3. Street and No. ; 4. County: ____ ; 



5. State : ; 6. Was new business started : (20) Yes ; 7. Estab- 

 lished business purchased; (20) Yes; 8. Principal line: ; 



9. Secondary lines: ; 10. Principal industry in locality: (31) 



Farming; 11. Is location desirable: (37) Good; 12. Present mana- 

 ger : ; 13. His experience : 



1 Numbers in parentheses are stores reporting. In most cases the difference between 

 the number given and 60, the total number surveyed, were either answered in the oppo- 

 site or not at all. Where not qualified figures represent averages. 



