Date of Award

6-1-1968

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Marketing

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to describe and analyze the marketing practices of selected North Dakota dry cleaners. The first dry cleaning plants in the state of North Dakota are believed to have been established during the late 1890s. The data used in the study was collected from a sample of full-service dry cleaning plants in North Dakota. A mail questionnaire was employed in the survey.

The results of the survey showed that the average reporting dry cleaning plant in North Dakota was somewhat smaller than the typical dry cleaning plant in the United States. The median gross receipts of dry cleaning plants which responded to the survey was $27,000. The gross receipts of the dry cleaning plants resulted from a combination of dry cleaning and supplemental activities such as alterations and repairs, commercial work, industrial laundry work, and family and bachelor laundry work.

Thirty responding dry cleaners indicated that their dry cleaning prices were established by a common agreement among the dry cleaning firms in the respondent's community. Prices were based on costs of production, competition, and the nature of demand for dry cleaning services.

Fifty-one dry cleaners reported spending money on advertising in 1966. Newspapers were the most widely used medium of .advertising by respondent dry cleaners. Fifty-two responding dry cleaners reported offering credit terms to their customers.

Considerable importance was placed upon return patronage factors by responding dry cleaners. This is an indication that a dry cleaner must execute such factors as quality of work, courtesy of personnel, and fast service in order to build an established clientele.

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