DE LUXE GOODS FOR DE LUXE CUSTOMERS 47
such an instance, the highest-priced full-line buyer is to
have the right of way, because when he is able to get these
goods it is clear that the time has arrived when they have
become too popular—and too popular-priced—to remain the
most desirable type of merchandise for the de luxe
department.
The highest-priced full-line buyer can buy anything he
can get to sell at his price. The only way the de luxe buyer
can protect himself is by getting such exclusive goods that
even if the highest-priced full-line buyer buys extremely
well, he cannot afford to get these goods into his full line.
This rule will be as useful to the de luxe department head
as it is to the highest-priced full-line buyer. If it is properly
worked out and held to, it will keep the de luxe buyer
specializing constantly and more intensively on the goods
that are not yet popular and that, therefore, are additionally
attractive to the de luxe department’s special class of
Customers.
Actually, the de luxe buyer will not be hampered because
we permit and encourage the buyers for the three full lines
to look over the de luxe goods for the purpose of seeing how
they can get their styles—and even the identical items—into
their full lines. This is part of the most profitable function-
ing of the Model Stock Plan both for the full lines and for
the de luxe lines. The highest-priced full-line buyer is
not to be stopped by any claim of so-called “justice” to the
de luxe buyer. This is all, of course, in accordance with the
principle that competition inside the business is the most
profitable form that competition can take! and that de luxe
departments need different goods.
Because of these facts, it follows that the buyer of the
highest-priced full line must not have any part in operating
the de luxe lines. If he is allowed to do this, we take away
from him most of his incentive for working to get as many as
possible of the de luxe articles down into his range of per-
re TR — my
1 For a detailed explanation of the advantages of internal competition see
Chap. XI, p. 161.
