Advertising Home Furnishings

( Originally Published 1902 )

In advertising these goods use home arguments. Show how the home is made happier because neater, lighter, better furnished and more inviting by reason of the household needs bought at so and sop's establishment. Do not be afraid to quote low prices in your advertising and never forget to dilate upon bargain prices in the introductory talk.

The house-furnisher is peculiarly susceptible to bargain arguments.

Many stores- offer extremely alluring "bargains" at the expense of quality. In other words they palm off "seconds " in place of genuine first quality goods and it is not until the articles so bought have gone through some household usage that the worth of the " bargains (?) " becomes apparent.

The dealer who offers "seconds " should boldly say so in his advertising. I believe that the frank admission of a defect in an article increases public confidence in a store. At any rate the woman buying "seconds" after they were advertised as "seconds" cannot blame anybody but herself if the articles do not give satisfactory service, for she went into the transaction with her eyes wide open. On the other hand the retailer who sells "seconds " to a customer under the false impression (gained through the advertising) makes a distinct mistake. Deceptions of that sort are boomerangs in their effects. The advantages they give are only temporary. Reputable dealers know their worth.

The House-Furnishing Department is always an interesting shopping spot to the matron. Every time she visits it she can see scores of opportunities to add to household requirements.

If she has the money to spare it requires but a little silent coaxing from neat exhibits of pans, shovels, ice boxes, etc., and some price tickets for her to yield. She buys these goods with pleasure, for are they not to be part of her daily existence in her fluttering from kitchen to dining room—in her constant duties to make her home what it should be, a home in reality? Following this same line of thought one can see how the advertising of house-furnishings exercises a peculiar influence over women with home tendencies.

The arguments that underlie the above talk are the arguments to bring to bear upon the advertising of Lamps, China, Glassware, Crockery, Bric-a-Brac, Pictures, Carpets, Rugs, Linoleums, Oil-cloths, Upholstery Goods, etc. All can be well advertised in the local papers—all in the regular "value giving" style and each ad can be made interesting and readable because of the "home influence " that the advertising breathes.