26 BULLETIN 1044, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



AKEANGEMENT AND DISPLAY. 



The arrangement and display of merchandise have troubled the 

 operator of many a self-serve store. Allien first approaching the 

 problem it would seem that the arrangement of merchandise would 

 necessarily have to be very carefully worked out in order that a 

 person may find the article desired out of some 600 to 1,000 different 

 articles on display. Many elaborate plans have been made for such 

 an arrangement, but the simplest seems to be the most effective. At 

 first thought, looking for any particular article would appear to be 

 like looking for the proverbial needle in the haystack, but it is pos- 

 sible to make the search a very simple matter. 



Numerous concerns have arranged their merchandise alphabeti- 

 cally, working out elaborate plans on the assumption that the cus- 

 tomer will experience less difficulty in locating the article desired. 

 This would seem to be a good method on paper, but practically it does 

 not work out so well. The main reason is because the possibility of 

 putting so many articles under more than one section confuses the 

 customer. For example, a customer is looking for a certain brand of 

 corn flakes. He is not certain whether it is under C (corn flakes), 

 B (breakfast food), or under the first letter of the brand named. 

 If he looks under C and does not find it, he is not sure whether the 

 store is out of it or whether it is under some other letter. Because 

 of this arrangement the grocer may lose a sale and perhaps a cus- 

 tomer. Another disadvantage of this method of arrangement is the 

 fact that associated or similar articles may be in any number of 

 different places, depending upon the completeness with which this 

 alphabetical arrangement has been carried out — that is, whether only 

 large groups or whether the constituents of those groups are arranged 

 alphabetically. This classification of similar articles is not only in- 

 adequate but unattractive, since canned goods, bottled goods, and 

 package goods are grouped together in every part of the store. 



Probably the simplest, most convenient, and most pleasing ar- 

 rangement is by groups of similarly appearing and closely associated 

 articles. The commodities carried in the average grocery store 

 readily divide themselves into six, eight, or ten groups of this kind. 

 This grouping is the most natural, therefore the simplest and most 

 convenient, from the dealers' as well as the customers' standpoint. 

 Eoughly. the stock may be divided into the following groups : 



No. 1. Canned goods. 

 No. 2. Bottled goods. 

 No. 3. Package goods. 

 No. 4. Bulk goods (in paper bags). 

 No. 5. Cracked goods (flours, meals, etc.). 

 r No. 6. Refrigerator goods. 



No. 7. Fresh fruits and vegetables. 



