Odds ,-d

One of the best eye-catchers for passing foot traffic are the many odd sizes and shapes of Douglas fir plywood which Leishman distributes strategically about the shop.

Each piece is individually marked for price so the clerk does not have to measure or estimate. This is done when the odd-size pieces first go into the shop. Prices are figured by the foot on the same basis as standard size pieces. Leishman agrees that he could probably get an extra markup but he feels that lower prices pay off in added good rvill.

"We rvant to develop foot traffic past the store," he says, "zrnd rve want people to knorv where lve are."

The building materials department of the Sears, Roebuck & Company store in Oakland, Cal., does it a little differently. Sears, Roebuck puts per-piece prices on the panels and just stacks the plywood around the building materials department.

As an example, 300 pieces ol %" plywood 48" long by lSf" priced at 50 cents each were sold almost immediately. The only me:chandising involved was placing the pieces u.here they r,vould be seen, no advertising appeared to be rlecessary.

Both these operations demonstrate the profits that can be had in odds and ends. Other than that they don't have rnuch relation except for one significant factor in common -they display the merchandise where a chance customer can see it and buy it easily.