Far sighted planning keeps Oregon retail

old-fashioned hip-pocket banker, Ben Harder, would cro.ss out ten percent and write BYz!

Burt went off to war in the forties. When he returned in 1946. his father's health *as faihng. So Burt bi'gbn tb take over. He also began to push merchandising and in 1969, it seems to have been a very good thing that merchandising got some emphasis.

The general economy of the Rogue Riv. er Valley has been very slow thesc last three years and building is. and has been, virtualll' at a standstill. Todav, Burt points out, the emphasis must be on the consumer becaust' "he's all that's left."

Big Pines has done a good contractor business and has a loyal clientele. but since new starts have evaporated, these contractors aren't all that busy. So it's the store that's doing the job for Rig Pines these days.

To get Nlr. and Mrs. Nledford homeowner into the siole, Big Pines uses various media to qet across its message..They advertise daily on the \BC morning news: twice a week, they feature ads in the lo. cal paper. In addition, when Rig Pines is running a special promotion, the store uses two other radio stations.

Advertising, in generat, doeS not mention price, it tends to feature benefits and quality. Burt will tell you that no one

Sfory ot s Glonce

Long a leader, Big Pines' story is one of continual change, improvement and updating. Their foreward thinking has enabled them to prosper where others have not even managed to survive the slow building market.

ever bough't a pricc, but people certainly like the benefits, so this is what he sells. It kind of reminds you of that old saying: "Sell the siz-z-z-le. not the steakl"

Sales personnel are trained to sell convenience, rrot price. Big Pines recentll' took on the Pabco line and put in all three lines of paint. The store in Medford that had formerly had the Pabco line only carried the low end and was not too successful with it. Rut Rie Pines finds the high end oI the lines moves quite well for thenr--and with a good mark-up! But it takes some salesmanship.

"I)o you like to paint, Mrs. Customer?"

"Wellll, no."

"Does your husband like to paint?"

"Well-I, no!"

"Then why not get the $7.49 paint? It'll last much longer and you won't have to re-paint so often. You'll find it's a lot