RETAIL TRADING
SIR,—In his review of Professor Levy's book, your reviewer forecasts what would happen if a new merchandising technique were able to re- duce consumer costs by to per cent. It is interesting to find in Harper's for September an account of the new mass-distribution methods in U.S.A. The pioneers took large empty factories, filled them with goods at low prices and invited customers to come and get them. The first year's turnover in one such market in New Jersey was $4,000,000. It is estimated that there are now 9,000 such supermarkets, each doing over $too,000 in sales per year. It is further estimated that on the average there is a spread between cost and selling price of only ro cents on the custo- mer's dollar. It is difficult to imagine such things happening in conserva- tive England, and still more difficult to imagine what would be the reactions and actions of the trade associations.—Yours truly,
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