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flnn manager of a fast-growing building r products supply store believes an effective manufacturer marketing program is almost foolproof insurance to increase store sales, but unfortunately too many such programs lack the necessary oostuf' to intrigue customers into increased purchases,

Roger Lane, youthful manager of the San Diego branch of l2-store Sunset Builders Supply, made the statement just after turning over a large share of the store's remodeled display area to merchandising aids for Weslock Company's 1970 marketing program for its complete line of interior and exterior residential doorlocks.

"If it will help us sell, we want it," Lane said of such sales projects. "If it wonot, we don't.

"It's our job to try to forecast beforehand what the results will be."

So {ar Lane has done pretty well at his forecasting, for annual gross sales of the outlet have increased approximately 25 percent since he became manager in April of 1969.

And they figure to continue to rise, for a facelift has just been completed on the 3,000-sq. ft. display area that should encourage customers to buy more. Included in the remodeling was the addition of electrical and plumbing supplies to the existline of doors, milled lumber products and builders hardware.

A further st€p toward increased sales is about to be taken with a major expansion of the l0,000-sq. ft. building including the newly modernized display tures. In addition, the company boasts a profitable mail order business covering tle 1I western states plus Alaska and Hawaii and {eaturing a 2l6-page catalogue with 300,000 circulation.

Both Lane and Sunset Builders Supply appear well on the onward-and-upward road. The chain is part of Sunset Industries, Inc., which started as a single hardware store in Los Angeles in I9I7, went public in 1961 and since then has grown to include 12 retail stores in soutlern California and Arizonao and subsidiaries that produce aluminum doors and windows, wood doors, steel doors, trusses, shower and bathtub enclosures and lighting fix.

Slory dI d Glonce

This retailer knows it is "beauty is as beauty does" when it comes to all merchandising goodies manufacturers so eagerly push forward. Results are vital in his expansion plans.

The combined corporation added up to $14.5 million 1969 sales, a 49 percent increase over 1968 sales of $9.7 million despite a severe drop in the price of lumber and plywood. Although a substantial part of the increase was due to two acquisitions, double-aggressive merchandising played an important role as in past years.

As for Lane, he went to work part-time in tfre store's warehouse in 1962 while attending San Diego State College. After graduating, he became purchasing agent for the San Diego outlet for two years, was transferred to the Santa Ana branch as assistant manager and became manager in 1966. He was transferred back to San Diego last year as store manager.

Since then the outlet has had a steady in. crease in sales through the aforementioned aggressive marketing programs and eyeappealing display areas plus high ratings by the store's salesmen for courtesy and in-depth knowledge of the outlet's 2,000plus products and how they work.

Knowing the ins and outs of every item is achieved by regular product knowl. edge meetings at which supplier represen. tative talk to the store staff alout the sup. plier's products, including manufacturing, selling, servicing and other points that help a siilesman do his iob.

For example, \illeslock Company's field sales representative, Phil Scott, not only provides information to the store staff on Weslock products, but he also talks informally with Lane and the salesmen to (Continunil on Page 41)