shall pay. Have every lineal foot of your counters calculated at a
certain rate of profit. If you find a department that does not pay,
change methods or your goods, and if still unsuccessful drop it. Many
large dealers fail because they keep departments where the expenses are
more than the profits. But if every foot of room pays only a little, the
entire store must pay handsomely.
It will be seen in the foregoing how every leading impulse in human
nature is appealed to--curiosity and cupidity, honesty and economy,
personal flattery and local pride. If, in addition to these powerful
inducements to patronage, you combine shrewdness in buying and
cautiousness in trusting, if your goods are excellent in quality and
generous in quantity, if your place of business is neat and attractive,
and your service marked by promptness and politeness; then it is
impossible to fail; you have all the elements of prosperity, and are
certain to be a great and successful merchant.