202 THE MODEL STOCK PLAN 
retailer an adequate total profit. The merchant, in turn, 
will best increase his own total profits by helping his resources 
to conquer their wastes and thus get his goods at lower costs 
as a direct result of these savings. 
Not for some time, now, have we referred back to the aim 
of the Model Stock Plan of assuring us the right goods, at 
the right time, in the right quantities, at the right prices. 
But we must never lose sight of this ideal in our thinking 
about and selection of resources. We must never let price 
influence us to overlook the other parts of the formula; 
substitute a “wrong” for a single “right,” and this basic 
rule no longer works. 
Here, then, is another reason that, under the Model Stock 
Plan, compels us to cooperate sincerely with our resources. 
Even though we can never afford to subordinate price too 
far, we must get our goods at the right time,! else we lose 
the advantage of seasons in both style goods and staples. 
We must know enough about our resource’s methods to 
assure ourselves that he will not buy a small quantity of new 
material, make up samples, take our order—and then be 
forced to notify us that he cannot fill the order because he 
cannot obtain any more of the material within a reasonable 
time. It is well to know enough, if possible, about his labor 
relations to be reasonably sure that, just when we have an 
order of goods in process in his plant, he is not likely to have 
a sudden strike on his hands. 
If the manufacturer from whom we buy has a wrong plan 
or a costly method, it is to our interest to help him improve it. 
As we have already seen, very often we shall find that the 
reason for these preventable production wastes lies with the 
retailers who fail to give him adequate cooperation, because 
they are using methods of planning and control less effective 
than those of the Model Stock Plan. 
It all gets back to the supreme test of any resource: Under 
the Model Stock Plan, where we should buy must be determined 
by where we get goods that yield us the greatest total profits 
! This subject of price versus reliable deliveries is discussed at some length 
in Chap. XI, p. 152.