9. Elasticit,y of the 'manufacturer's organization. —Our list of trade channels does not show the vari ous aids that may be given by the manufacturer's ONVII organization in the marketing of his product. It has been suggested that he may reach any class of buyers by salesmen or by mail; but it should be remembered that his salesmen and his mail-sales need not focus at the home office or factory. There may be an ex tensive organization of district managers, branch of fices, branch warehouses, and even branch factories. We are not concerned now, however, with the manu facturer's organization. We are concerned with the trade channels, not under his own control, that he se lects to serve him. Not until these trade channels are definitely selected can he plan for a suitable or ganization to enable him to connect with those chan nels.
10. Trade channels constantly changing.—Trade channels are no longer standardized. One manu facturer of aluminum kitchen utensils firmly supports the jobber; another sells direct to retailers; a third deals only by mail with consumers; and a fourth pins his faith to house-to-house canvassing.' One manu facturer may use different channels in different mar kets. A long familiar method of marketing may be changed overnight by some manufacturer, without any radical change in the product or in the character of the market.
This does not mean that the selection of trade chan nels is a matter of whim. The whole marketing world is in a state of flux, and the man with something to sell must not take accustomed marketing methods for granted. Close analysis to determine what is the one right method for him and his goods is more necessary IIONV than ever before if competition is to be met and sales are to be increased. In this analysis the manu facturer is guided by all of the considerations of the product and of the market that we have already dis cussed. The comparative influence of each of these several considerations differs for every product.
11. The influence of custoin.—The line of least re sistance is often the best for the manufacturer to fol low. Customary methods of selling should first be considered. No one should follow them simply be cause they are customary; but, if they prove to be adapted to his use, the fact that they are more or less standard will help him in his distribution. As grocery specialties are usually sold by retailers who purchase from jobbers, the small manufacturer of such a specialty ordinarily finds it advisable to sell thru established channels. Machinery is ordinarily
not sold by jobbers, but thru branch houses, agents and retailers. The machinery manufacturer would not try to cut new paths for his goods until he had carefully considered the advisability of selling in the same way as his competitors. Clothing is largely sold by direct sales to exclusive retail agencies; few cloth ing manufacturers seem to care to deviate from this established system.
Customary methods of marketing oftqn restrict sales unnecessarily. Chewing-gum has been sold chiefly by dealers in drugs, groceries and candies. The United Cigar Stores Company decided that pun could also be sold by tobacco stores, and formed a company to manufacture and sell it thru its own -hain of shops. The same company came to the con Jusion that candy could also be sold in cigar stores, and has started a movement in this direction which seems sure to be followed by others. Jap-A-Lac was at first sold only thru established channels in the paint trade. A careful analysis pointed to the probability of successful sales thru department stores, drug stores and even grocery stores. The product is now on sale in all of these as well as other kinds of retail stores. Custom helps in selling, but, if it is blindly followed, many avenues of marketing are likely to be undiscov ered.
12. "Shopping" lines and "convenience" goods.— Mr. C. C. Parlin, manager of the Division of Com mercial Research of the Curtis Publishing Company, has contributed much to the standardizing of market ing methods by his investigation of the field of the department store. He defines a "shopping" line as one that is bought only after comparison of values has been made in several stores. The higher priced goods purchased largely by women are usually in this class ; for instance, ready-made clothing, millinery, the bet ter grade of dress goods, furniture, rugs and carpets, etc. "Convenience" goods, on the other hand, are bought without comparison of' values. A customer is influenced to buy convenience goods at one store in preference to another by (1) the convenient location of the store; (2) the impulse of the moment, suggested perhaps by the sight of a desired article in a window ; (3) custom, which holds the trade of a customer after it has been once attracted; (4) the desire to buy a specific brand which is on sale only in certain stores.