Selling Subscription Books in China by N. Z. T.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 28, 1916

Selling Subscription Books in China

By N. Z. T.

FOR some time our brethren in China have been making an effort to put the colporteur work in that field on the regular self-supporting subscription basis. This at first seemed rather a hard task, but as the plan had succeeded in every country where it had been tried, those in charge believed it could be worked successfully in China.

They have recently published a health book, and a few of the native Chinese colporteurs have been trained and sent out with it. Concerning their experiences Brother H. M. Blunden, the general missionary agent for China, writes:—

“I have seven boys at work with the subscription book, and I am sending you reports of two of them, that you may see how the Lord is blessing the work. The first is from a boy who has just gone to Ngan-king, Anking, the capital of Ngan-Hui Province. The report is as follows:—

“Days, 4; hours, 26; canvasses, 17; orders, 54 (cloth binding, 34; board, 5; paper, 15); value, $60.25 Mexican; deposits on these orders, $13.25.

“Here is another from a boy working in Manking, the capital of Kiang-su Province:—

“Days, 15; orders, 110; canvasses, 53; orders, 145 (cloth, 131; board, 8; paper, 6); value, $175.25; deposits, $36.25.

“Others are doing equally well. The boy who has had the poorest success has been taking four orders a day. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for this good beginning. Of course, this is a health book, but I have no fear whatever but that the religious book will sell about as well. We are doing the press work on this health book while waiting for a good religious book to be prepared. Then, too, I believe the health book will open the way for what follows.

“The boys, when they canvass an official of high rank, induce him to order from four to twenty copies as gifts for his inferiors in rank.

“Our paper is keeping up its usual good circulation. Our subscription list is now at about 33,000, and our total issue is about 65,000. The best part of all is that practically all our best interests arise from the literature work. It is certainly the most indispensable factor in this field.”

Regarding this splendid beginning in the subscription book work in China, Brother C. E. Weaks writes:—

“We are now getting in reports from our first subscription book workers in China. At the close of the school here at Shanghai, about a half dozen of the boys began work with the new health book that had been got out in Mandarin. They are having success beyond our highest hopes. It was generally felt that we must confine our work in this field to books that would sell for about twenty-five cents gold. The new book, in cloth binding, sells for 62 cents gold; in board, 50 cents; in paper, 37 cents. To the surprise of every one, the majority of orders are for the cloth binding. Some of the colporteurs have taken as high as fifty and more orders a week. They take a deposit on orders, and this insures a fair delivery. Thus far the colporteur receives a forty-per-cent commission. We feel much encouraged over the way this work has started.”

N. Z. T.