The credit of a tradesman respects two sorts of people, first, the
merchants, or wholesale men, or makers, who sell him his goods, or the
customers, who come to his shop to buy.

The first of these are so far from valuing him upon the gay appearance
of his shop, that they are often the first that take an offence at it,
and suspect his credit upon that account: their opinion upon a
tradesman, and his credit with them, is raised quite another way,
namely, by his current pay, diligent attendance, and honest figure; the
gay shop does not help him at all there, but rather the contrary.

As to the latter, though some customers may at first be drawn by the gay
appearance and fine gilding and painting of a shop, yet it is the well
sorting a shop with goods, and the selling good pennyworths, that will
bring trade, especially after the shop has been open some time: this,
and this only, establishes the man and the credit of the shop.

To conclude: the credit raised by the fine show of things is also of a
different kind from the substantial reputation of a tradesman; it is
rather the credit of the shop, than of the man; and, in a word, it is no
more or less than a net spread to catch fools; it is a bait to allure
and deceive, and the tradesman generally intends it so. He intends that
the customers shall pay for the gilding and painting his shop, and it is
the use he really makes of it, namely, that his shop looking like
something eminent, he may sell dearer than his neighbours: who, and what
kind of fools can so be drawn in, it is easy to describe, but satire is
none of our business here.

On the contrary, the customers, who are the substantial dependence of a
tradesman's shop, are such as are gained and preserved by good usage,