Page 48 - Past Chair Book-Pre 2020

The National Supply and Machinery D ealers’ Association

succeeded in bringing some of them into line; and this policy has
been carried out wherever possible.

T would state generally that there is a growing tendency
among manufacturers to sell direct to the consumer, and no doubt
this is a condition brought about through competition. Many
of the larger manufacturing concerns, railroads, and the Govern­
ment. are today considered preferential customers. Manufac­
turers tell me frankly that they were obliged to pursue this policy
because their competitors did, and this is, no doubt, true. If this
policy is developed and continued, it will ultimately become a
serious menace to the interests of the supply dealers. There is
a remedy which may halt this growing tendency, and that is for
supply dealers, and members of this Association to show in a
practical way their appreciation of manufacturers who will go
on record as being in favor of a policy which will protect the
dealer to a fair margin of profit. To illustrate; some of the best
manufacturers were, and are, anxious to adopt the re-sale price,
and have asked this question: “If we adopt the re-sale price
independent of any action of our competitors, will your Asso­
ciation render us the proper support and protection?” This is
a question which must be answered by this Association, and the
Association must give its serious consideration to the present
methods of distributing goods by the manufacturer.

We have heard much about the evils of selling to catalogue
houses, but I doubt if that evil is any greater than the growing
one of manufacturers going direct to the consumer, and as stated
before, this is done by many manufacturers who much prefer to
sell their product through the legitimate trade but are obliged
to adopt a policy forced upon them by competitors.

There has been an Association formed which takes in manu­
facturers who have gone on record as agreeing with the policy
of our Association. It is to the interest of every one of our
members that this Association grow and flourish, as it means that
everv manufacturer who joins the Association is committed to
the policy of protecting the dealer.

It would be a long story to recite the details of our efforts
with the manufacturers, as doubtless many of you who have