MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN DISTRIBUTION 235
mark-downs of novelties. Since, under the Model Stock
Plan, the novelties will be marked down to the next cheaper
full-line price, they will not only sell much more quickly but
also the net result of selling them at this reduced price will
be to increase largely the sales of goods in the full lines to
which they are reduced. This will actually reduce the total
mark-down loss or often result in a net total profit on account
of the increased sales of the full line these mark-downs pro-
duce. Because this must assure our having the newest of
these goods at all times, and nothing obsolete, we shall
thereby tremendously increase the goodwill of our store.
Many of the weaknesses of merchandising arise from look-
ing at important problems through the eyes of a buyer rather
than of a seller. For instance, consider outsizes. Here is
needed a definite formulation of, and provision for, the extra-
small and the extra-large sizes. The buyer who works
ander traditional methods is likely to buy these goods cau-
tiously, often in insufficient quantities because of the risk
involved. Again, as we all know, they may easily be bought
in too large quantities through lack of knowledge of the
total amounts of all items that should be carried in the full
line.
There is a distinct advantage in segregating these goods
and handling them as separate departments, probably with
an assistant in charge of each. The need for this is more
apparent when it is considered that extra-large or extra-small
sizes are usually better if they differ in some particulars from
the good styles in ordinary sizes. A style that is good for a
medium-sized woman might be ridiculous on a very large
woman.
The difficulty here is usually met by not buying extra
sizes in unsuitable styles. This method is merely negative
and does not compare in total profits with segregating extra-
large or extra-small sizes and treating them as special kinds
of merchandise, as though we had a special shop that carried
only such goods. In this way we are able to have stocks more
complete and more suitable and thus to gain a reputation for
supplying what other stores are not so well organized to
