Review of Selling at retail

Abstract

Reviews the book, Selling at retail by V. H. Pelz. Pelz gives the specific purposes of the book (1) to point out clearly the elements of successful retail salesmanship; (2) to illustrate the kind of merchandise information which is necessary for the salesman man to have and then instruct him as to how he may obtain that information for his particular goods; (3) to state and illustrate by careful analysis, the fundamental principles, chiefly of psychology, which are involved in successful salesmanship. The psychological trend of the book begins to be heightened at Chapter XI, "How to Make Sales-talk Effective." In the chapter, "Why People Buy" the salesperson is taught how to appeal to the instincts of self-assertion (the basis of pride and vanity), imitation, individuality, acquisition (bargain hunting) and construction The parental instinct, and those of sociability, curiosity, and play are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)