THE MODEL STOCK PLAN without its principles, he has failed to attain its full profit possibilities. In its entirety the method leads to having the right goods, at the right prices, in the right quantities, at the right time. Essen- tially it is a process of planning a consistently attractive, profitable stock. This process leads us into every activity of the business. It exerts a constant pressure for getting the customer better values. Consequently, we are forced to strive always in that direction, enlisting the cooperation of manufacturers and others from whom we get merchandise. The method supplies both retailer and manufacturer with a specific guide to progress. The retailer, who has the best chance of all to get intimate, first-hand knowledge of the wants of customers, works under this plan in a way that the manufacturer understands, by which he can anticipate his wants. He can render a real service. This is, of course, what happened conspicuously with Woolworth’s—building a whole stock to two prices so low that they are practically one, giving customers values never before known for a nickel or a dime, and making a stupendous total profit in the DIOCESS. 0 Other retailers have no free choice about adopting some such scientific method as the Model Stock Plan. It is com- pulsory. If you believe this is overstatement, let us look for a moment at what is happening. The chain stores are not alone picking the best and most salable and, therefore, the most profitable lines of independent stores, but also the big profits of the chains are inducing more people to create still more chains, which in turn are picking more of the profitable lines of merchandise. As the chains encroach on more and more lines of the independent store and thus on its total sales, the independent store’s overhead increases on the diminished number of sales. The average independent store is increasing its volume of sales—a little. It is not increasing at the rate that was formerly considered satis- factory. The chains are increasing their sales volumes at a far faster rate, and the more the chains succeed the more opportunity they have to succeed and overcome other