How to Write Letters (Formerly The Book of Letters) Part 29

PELLETIER & CO.

142 CASCO STREET PORTLAND, ME.

February 1, 1922.

Mrs. John Troy, 14 Ocean Ave., Portland, Me.

Dear Madam:

When this store was opened ten years ago, we believed that our service would be the most effective if we operated on a credit basis. Therefore we solicited charge accounts, of course taking extreme care that only people of known integrity and substance should be on our books. We have had the privilege of serving you through such an account.

There are two fundamental methods of conducting a retail business. The one is on the cash and the other is on the credit plan. In the cash plan all goods are either paid for at the time of purchase or at the time of delivery. In the credit plan, those who have not credit or do not care to use credit pay cash; those who have credit rating charge their purchases and bills are rendered monthly. Credit was not extended by the store as a favor; it formed part of a way of doing business.

The favor is on the part of the customer. The charge system has many advantages, princ.i.p.ally in the way of permitting the store to know its customers better than it could otherwise.

The disadvantage of the credit basis is the expense of bookkeeping which, of course, has to be added into the price of the goods sold. Our losses through unpaid bills have been negligible. Our customers are honest. But it has seemed unfair that the customer who pays cash should have to bear the cost of the credit accounts.

As our business has worked out more than fifty per cent. of our whole trade is on the cash basis. After careful consideration we have finally decided to go entirely upon a cash footing in order that we may further reduce our costs of doing business and hence our prices to you. We think that in such fas.h.i.+on we can better serve you. Therefore, on July 1st, which marks the end of our fiscal year, we shall go upon an exclusively cash basis and no longer maintain charge accounts.

We think that you will agree when you see the savings reflected in lower prices for the highest grade of goods that the change in policy is a wise one and that you will continue to favor us with your patronage.

Very truly yours, Pelletier & Co., (Handwritten) _C. Brown_, Credit Manager.

KEEPING THE CUSTOMER

_Thanking a new customer_

LARUE BROTHERS SAINT LOUIS, MO.

October 4, 1923.

Mrs. Lee White, 29 Main Street, St. Louis, Mo.

Dear Madam:

The purchase which you made yesterday is the first that we have had the pleasure of recording for your account and we want to take this opportunity to thank you for the confidence that you repose in us and to hope that it will be the beginning of a long and happy relation.

We shall, from time to time, send you bulletins of our special offerings and we believe that you will be interested in them.

Very truly yours, (Handwritten) _J. M. Briggs_, Credit Manager, Larue Brothers.

_Where a charge account has been inactive_

S. BLACK COMPANY 28 WAs.h.i.+NGTON STREET BOSTON, Ma.s.s.

February 5, 1921.

Mr. Tudor Sweet, 24 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, Ma.s.s.

Dear Sir:

We have just been looking over our books and are sorry to learn that you have not given us your patronage for some time past.

We feel that something may have gone wrong to have caused you to discontinue trading at our store.

If you are not fully satisfied with anything you bought from us, remember that we are always eager and ready to adjust the matter to your satisfaction. We shall certainly appreciate it if you will write to us and tell us frankly just what the trouble has been. Will you use the inclosed envelope to let us know?

Yours truly, S. Black Company, (Handwritten) _George Sims_, Credit Manager.

A. B. SWEETSER & CO.

4000 MAIN STREET COLUMBUS, O.

June 8, 1922.

Mrs. Arthur Thomas, 25 Spruce Avenue, Columbus, O.

Dear Madam:

Does our store please you? Sometime ago it probably did and you had an account with us, but we find with regret that you have not used it lately. If we disappointed you, or if something went wrong and possibly your complaint was not properly attended to, we are extremely anxious to know about it.

Perhaps there was some lack of courtesy, some annoying error in your bill which we were exasperatingly obtuse in rectifying? Were we stupid in filling some order or did we delay in delivery? Perhaps we did not have just what you were looking for, or our prices seemed higher than elsewhere.

Whatever the difficulty, we do want you to know that we try to stand for good service--to supply promptly what you want at the price you want to pay, and always to conduct our business with an unfailing courtesy which will make your shopping a pleasure.

Being a woman I may understand your point of view a little better. Will you be quite frank and tell me why you do not buy from Sweetser's now? Either write or call me on the telephone; or, better still, if you are in our neighborhood, can you come in to see me?

The information booth is at the door and I can be found in a minute. It might help to talk things over.

Sincerely yours, (Handwritten) _Mrs. Margaret B. Williams_, Courtesy Manager, A. B. Sweetser & Co.

MEYER, HASKELL & CO.

230 ELM STREET BLOOMFIELD, ILL.

March 8, 1923.

Mrs. Bruce Wells, 19 Dwight Ave., Bloomfield, Ill.

Dear Madam:

We very much regret that you do not use more often your charge account at our store, and we hope it is not due to any lack on our part of prompt and intelligent service.

We know that with our large and well-a.s.sorted stocks of merchandise and competent organization we ought to be able to supply your needs to your complete satisfaction. One of five stores, we have great opportunities for advantageous buying and we can continually undersell others.

In this connection permit us to call your attention to our newly installed telephone order department. This department is in charge of competent house shoppers, whose duty it is to satisfy your every want, thus enabling our charge patrons to shop by telephone with perfect certainty.

We feel that these advantages may appeal to you and result in our receiving your orders more often.

Very truly yours, (Handwritten) _T. Hunter_, Credit Manager, Meyer, Haskell & Co.