14 BULLETIN 1044, U. 5. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTLEE. 
PROBLEMS IN SELF-SERVICE. 
As previously stated, the operation of a self-serve store involves 
numerous problems which are peculiar to this plan and which 
require careful consideration and a thorough understanding in order 
that self-service may be a success. In numerous cases grocers have 
changed their stores to self-service, failed to make a success, and 
sooner or later reverted to their old way of doing business. The 
main reason for their failure was that they did not recognize and 
put into operation the fundamental principles of self-service. They 
merely changed the physical arrangement in their stores to comply 
with self-service. As a result, practically none of the real advantages 
were obtained, while the disadvantages were magnified, and almost 
no attempt was made to cope with them. 
LOCATION. 
The self-service principle can not be counted upon to meet the 
needs of a very large percentage of people in any particular group, 
because of the limited service given. Therefore it is not a neighbor- 
hood proposition, but one that should be operated at a trading center. 
This does not imply that its usefulness is limited to the congested 
districts of large cities but that its location should be such that a 
relatively small percentage of the people in the locality, either 
transient or resident, will form a group sufficiently large to insure 
its success. The so-called corner grocery, because of the extensive and 
convenient service that it offers, appeals to a larger percentage of the 
people as a rule, in spite of the higher prices which it must charge. 
Therefore it does not require such a large territory from which to 
draw its trade. 
The more specialized any system becomes the fewer it will reach in 
any given locality. The restricted application of self-service is not 
an undesirable feature, but rather a good one. provided this fact is 
fully recognized before the location of the store is determined. Its 
limitations make it possible to meet more fully the needs of that 
particular class for which it is intended. 
It is possible that a self-serve store might exist as a neighbor- 
hood enterprise, but its success probably would be very limited, 
since the economies resulting under such conditions would hardly 
be sufficient to warrant its existence. In other words, in order that 
full advantage may be taken of all of the possibilities of self-service, 
a maximum volume of trade must be obtained. In order to obtain 
such a volume, the location of the store should be such that its 
patrons will be drawn from a considerable territory rather than from 
a radius of a block or two. as is often the case with the smaller 
grocery stores of the " corner " type. 
