Pricing of the #1570 Cheese Preserver

by Mark Nye
Issue No. 261 - January 1995

Prior to the demolition of the old Cambridge factory, a quantity of business and production records were salvaged from the office building. Among the files found was one containing correspondence dealing with the #1570 cheese preserver. This file was the basis for two previous articles (October 1990 and September 1991) that covered the history of the cheese preserver and customer complaints about its performance. This month's article consists of letters from the file that deal with pricing policies for special and regular customers.

The writing style may appear "odd" and at times it appears a word is missing in the transcription. However, the letters do appear just as they were originally written. The physical format has been changed in this transcription in that everything is left justified. This was not the case in the originals. Mr. W.C. McCartney was Corporate Secretary and Sales Manager while E.P. Henn was the manager of the New York City Sales Offfice and Showrooms. Except when discussing retail prices, prices stated are for a dozen preservers.

June 4th, 1941

Mr. W. C. McCartney
Cambridge, Ohio

Dear Sir: 

As you remember, Bill, we raised prices on the #1579 Cheese Preserver and I think we certainly made a good showing in working out the deal, as you well know. However, this article is now cataloged by two of our better houses - Hammacher Schlemmer and Lewis & Conger - and they both tell us it would be disastrous to raise the price on this now. The item is difficult one to handle and it is costly to them, and you know the additional business their advertising created.

Don't you think we ought to go along with them at $7.20 basis and advance the item to $9.90 per dozen to general trade. I leave it to you but surely you can see where customers are reasonably justified in bringing this up. I understand U.S. is still making these. Is this true? If so, you know what will happen in the way of prices.

Yours truly,

E.P. Henn
N.Y. Office

E. P. HENN
NEW YORK OFFICE

We have before us your letter of the 4th, which we discussed when you were here, concerning the #1570 Cheese Preservers for Hammacher Schlemmer and Lewis & Conger, who have catalogued the same. 

As explained to you when here, in going over our costs we find we cannot continue the price of $7.20 and this is one of the items on which the price must advance more than 10%, so for these concerns we're are going to suggest you make them a price of $8.40 for the balance of the year, and when printing our new price list we will make our price $10.20 a dozen to the general trade.

We trust this arrangement will be satisfactory and await your advice after interviewing them.

Yours truly,

THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.
W.C. McCartney

June 18th, 1941

Mr. W.C. McCartney
Cambridge, Ohio

Dear Sir:

This is in regards to Hammacher Schlemmer and Lewis & Conger Companies relative to their using our #1570 Cheese Preservers. 

We have made the following arrangements with them - that the very best price we can make them is $8.80 per doz. They will retail article at $1.95 each. To the regular trade we are going to sell these preservers at $9.90 doz. Please see that your records are marked accordingly.

It was quite a job to convince Hammacher Schlemmer and Lewis & Conger on this price advance from $7.20 to $8.80 but we believe we have satisfied them on this score. Further, we believer they will both run this item again in the Fall's catalogue. Be sure to stick to $9.90 per dozen for regular trade on lots of one dozen or more.

Trusting these arrangements are satisfactory to you.

Yours truly,

E.P. Henn
N.Y.Office

June 19th, 1941

E.P.HENN
NEW YORK OFFICE

We acknowledge receipt of yours of the 18th advising of the prices you have placed on the #1570 Cheese Preservers for Hammacher & Schlemmer and Lewis & Conger, as well as ourselves.

Your letter crossed ours of the 18th so we are just wondering if since receiving ours you still want to proceed as per your letter, or ours. Please advise. 

We think $10.20 is a better price for ourselves than $9.90. Ten twenty is a cost price of 85 cents each, while $9.90 is an odd price.

By the way, we cannot force our customers who buy at $10.20 to retail for $1.95. They, no doubt, will be underselling Hammacher & Schlemmer, as our customers purchasing either at $9.90 or $10.20 could make a retail price of someplace between $1.50 and $1.75.

We await your advice.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.
W.C.McCartney

June 24th, 1941

Mr. W. C. Mc Cartney
Cambridge, Ohio

Dear Sir:

Please refer to your letter of the 19th which is in reply to ours of the 18th advising what prices we intended placing on the #1570 Cheese Preservers for Hammacher Schlemmer and Lewis & Conger. It will be perfectly agreeable for us to accept your new plan of selling at $10.20 per doz to the regular trade. However, we want to keep to the price of $8.80 per dozen to Hammacher Schlemmer & Lewis & Conger.

You bring up the point that you cannot force customer who buys at $10.20 to retail article at $1.95. I can understand this but I really feel, Bill, that an article costing $10.20 will be retailed, in most cases, at $1.95 anyway. However, I am not too much concerned as to what outsiders retail it for, as long as I know they are paying $10.20. I think I can safely keep our people in New York within line with Hammacher Schlmemmer's retail of $1.95. At least I am going to make an effort to, so you can do as you see fit in this instance and we will work out our own salvation over here in trying to get them to retail at $1.95.

We hope that you have this straight now in that we will sell Lewis & Conger and Hammacher Schlemmer at $8.80 - general trade at $10.20.

If there are any further questions, please advise.

Yours truly,

E.P. HENN
N.Y.Office

June 30th, 1941

E.P. HENN

We acknowledge receipt of your favor of the 24th relative to the #1570 Cheese Preservers and would advise we are sending out Circular Letter today changing our price on this item so that orders in the future will come in at the new price.

Yours, truly,

THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.
W.C.McCartney

September 9th, 1941

NEW YORK OFFICE:

Will you refer to your order #3283 for Lewis & Conger, N.Y.C.? 

We note you have the #1570 Cheese Preserver priced at $8.80 per dozen, net. This was the price which was in effect for this customer before our advance of Sept.1st, of 10%, and the price will now be $9.70 per dozen, net. 

The price on this item to the regular trade at the extreme discount, will be $11.75 per dozen, net. 

Will you be sure and notify the customer of the correction.

Yours truly,
THE CAMBRIDGE GLASS CO.