SELF-SEEVING IN EETAILING FOOD PEODUCTS. 11 



plied in a way which best satisfies their particular needs. That such 

 a class exists and that it is of sufficient magnitude to justify amply 

 the existence of this method has been fairly well demonstrated by the 

 success of those now operating self-service stores. 



LACK OF SALESMANSHIP. 



Both consumers and dealers have expressed an objection to self- 

 service, as they feel that a salesman is an essential connecting 

 link between the buyer and the merchandise and that the elimination 

 of the salesman causes much confusion on the dealer's as well as the 

 customer's part. They feel that the consumer has no way of ascer- 

 taining the quality or grade of any particular article with which he 

 was not familiar, especially with canned goods; that the dealer is 

 limited largely to nationally advertised goods and is unable to call 

 the attention of the customer to new products or special bargains. 

 These objections are usually made by persons who have only a slight 

 knowledge of the results of operating under self-service. While the 

 objections are true to a certain extent, nevertheless, when compared 

 with the advantages derived from this same lack of salesmanship, 

 they seem to lose a large part of their significance. Also, these dis- 

 advantages can be partially eliminated through proper coordination 

 of advertising methods and the backing up of the advertising by the 

 display of merchandise. This problem will be dealt with in a later 

 section. 



Under the self-serve plan customers are forced to rely upon them- 

 selves in locating their purchases. While they have the opportunity 

 to obtain any information desired, it is surprising in actual practice 

 what few inquiries are made. This would seem to show that custom- 

 ers have a considerable knowledge of grades and brands which they 

 do not use under the service plan. 



INCONVENIENCE TO CUSTOMER. 



Some purchasers object to self -serve stores because they sometimes 

 make it necessary for the purchasers themselves to handle vegetables 

 to which earth adheres or articles that may be dusty. They also 

 sometimes object to buying such commodities as bananas by the 

 pound. Such customers obviously should go to the stores that are 

 better fitted to give them the kind of service they require and they 

 should be willing to pay the higher prices for the goods so received. 



THIEVERY. 



The question of thievery in connection with self-service has prob- 

 ably had more widespread publicity than any other feature. It is a 

 question on which strong opposing views are held. Some operators 

 say that the loss through thievery is less in the self -serve store than 



