The Bridgeport Evening Farmer

DEALERS ARE NECESSARY.

For the past 12 years the manufacturers of cars have been employing various methods of marketing their product. In most instances the value of the dealer was recognized. Few indeed are the makers who have had the temerity to attempt the marketing of their output without assistance from the dealer.

The lesson of these few, however, should be all important to those who are still in business.

Practically without exception it points to one and only one fact, namely, that the dealer is essential to the successful marketing of the automobile, be it pleasure car or truck.

There are products which can be sold by mail directly to the consumer, but automobiles cannot be classed with these commodities. A general dividing line may be drawn between devices of a comparatively simple nature, and larger and more or less complicated pieces of mechanism which cannot be placed in the hands of users without a certain amount of instruction, not merely printed instruction, but actual personal instruction. The automobile and the motor driven commercial car are among the latter class.

To put either of these in the hands of a user with merely an instruction book is to court disaster; not only is personal instruction necessary at the time purchased, but from 12 years' experience most of the makers have found that there must be more or less continual instruction and guidance. Aside from the actual teaching, the user is dependent upon the maker for repairs and renewals.

The renewals of course, can be sent by freight, but the installing of these parts is as a rule unsuccessful and a drawback to the continual use of the vehicle unless assistance is given. The same, of course, is true of repairs.

These must be obtained if there is no local agent, from men who are not especially familiar with that particular type of truck, and are to that extent less satisfactory than when made by one thoroughly versed in the mechanism of that make of machine.