Chapter Two. Where to Get Your Item

Once an idea or item has been decided upon, locating a supplier should be no prob­lem. The classified telephone directory is a wonderfully helpful source book. So too are the statewide industrial directories which many states publish, listing the major manufacturing establishments and their products. These compilations and others published by private companies are available at most public libraries.

Frequently the "raw material" is right at home. A druggist, starting a mail order department in cosmetics or home remedies, will find everything needed right in his prescription room. The same applies to a haberdasher, book dealer, hardware merchant, stationer, printer, etc. Theirs is only the decision to take the fling; having settled that, they are ready to start.

Problems of the Beginner with a Job

But what about those people who (at least in the be­ginning) fill a full-time job in somebody else's employ and for whom mail order must be a weekend or after-work undertaking? The cooperation of a relative or friend in making necessary connections to get the product would, of course, be the ideal solution.

Lacking such assistance, one has to take time off occa­sionally for a day or a few hours to do this important spade work personally. Very often the employer can be of great aid, despite the fact that success may eventually lose him a valuable employee. Your own personal relationship will determine the extent of his helpfulness.

Home Products

A resourceful person will not be deterred by the slight personal sacrifice that may be necessary to get started. There are many products that can be made right at home, such as preserves, candies, cookies, wood carvings, relishes, sauces, picture enlargements, etc. The "home kitchen" tag has always been good for extra orders and several going mail order businesses attribute their success to this fact.

Jim Boles had only moderate success in mail order with jelly preserves prepared for him by a local canning company. The product itself was excellent and it was per­sonalized with a "Mother Boles" label. Mailings stressed the "old family recipe" appeal, and as mailings go, Jim's was better than average. During a seasonal slump, the can­nery informed Jim that his orders had dropped to a point where it no longer could produce the preserves at the origi­nal price. This meant more money or larger orders.

Jim was about to chuck the whole thing when an ad­vertising friend suggested that he try making the product home and play it up big. Jim listened and then decided to give it a try. The new circulars showed a photograph of a real home kitchen presided over by Jim's mother and new copy stressed the non-commercial aspect of the product. In a few months, a large annex had to be built to the Mother Boles kitchen and Jim was a success.

This story is not intended to convey the impression that a sure way to succeed is to tag "home-made" on a prod­uct, but rather as an example of how a little resourceful­ness can turn a marginal business into a going, profitable venture.

Caution against Overstocking

The beginner with an untested offer is cautioned against overconfidence in buying stock. Arrange with the supplier to buy the merchandise as the orders come in. If this makes the unit cost higher, it is cheaper than getting stuck with a large unsalable inventory. Overstocking has been the Achilles' heel of many a small mail order firm. Money that should be used for more mailing and more tests, is tied up in non-moving stock.

Once the tests are done with, and one has some idea of what the offer can do, it will be necessary to assure a stock sufficient to fill all expected orders; but even in the latter case, a system of gradual purchases can be worked out in accordance with the anticipated pull. See Chapter XI.

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