16 
THE MODEL STOCK PLAN 
basic method of getting a BB by foresight, planning, and 
helping the producer eliminate wastes—then, it is proof that 
the time has come for us to use our ingenuity and planning 
to get a new and better BB. A BB is not beaten when it is 
undersold only spasmodically. It must be undersold steadily 
to be beaten. 
It takes time for our competitor to even up our lead on a 
BB. And while he is getting ready to meet us, we are getting 
ready to beat him again. In any event we have to keep up 
with competition, even if we are not using the Model Stock 
Plan. The usual way to keep up is to do it spasmodically 
without sufficient forethought. The BB supplies a definite 
method of meeting and beating competition. And instead of 
meaning a loss, as special bargains or leaders often mean, the 
BB should result in profit of itself. 
To be sure, a BB is maintained only by shopping 
thoroughly to see what others are offering. This shopping 
brings out the advantage of the BB as a yardstick of the 
value of all the items in the line.” If we carry a great many 
items in every class of goods, it is futile to try to compare 
our stocks with the stocks of competitors, item by item. It 
simply cannot be done. It is, however, reasonable and not 
too expensive to shop thoroughly one article in every full 
line, and that should be the BB. 
Then, after we have shopped it and have made sure that 
our BB is really what its name implies—the best buy in our 
city—we have a dependable measure against which to line 
up all our merchandise in that full line. We can compare 
our other purchases, as customers will later do, to see whether 
they will sell against the extraordinary intrinsic value of the 
BB. Thus in effect we compare our entire line with that of our 
competitors, although we actually shop but one article thoroughly. 
Shop the BB’s and we shop our stock. This is the princi- 
ple behind this method. And it is really as a measure or gage 
of value for the whole full line that the BB is most profitable. 
Indeed, a large share of the advantage of the Model Stock Plan 
is in laying out and comparing each item of each full line with 
the BB for that line. Many buyers think they can do it well