Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-09-24
"Nibbling.'' "
What it Costs our Groccrs--Is there
any Remedy.

what it Costs our Groccrs--Is ther,
any Remedy.
From the indianapolis journal.
The proprietor of a grocery store in
this city, having come across the fol.
lowing paragraph i'm a newspaper he
was reading, clipped it out and sends
1t to us for publication. For his
benefit, as well as for the benefit OF
all Others engaged in the grocery
business, we print it, and in doing SO
take occasion to call the attention OF
certain people to it,
"" Some of our grocery men COM
plain of species of biped that in
fest stores and are constantly nibbling
around, taking a chew of tobacco, a
bit of cheese, lump of sugar, an
apple, or a handful of berries, or any
thing they take fancy to. Four or
five of these nibblers eat a man up
In year or two. 1t is very annoy
ing and is, to say the least Of it, a
species of small thoughtiessness."
This disposition to nibble Is n mild
species of kleptomania, with which
nearly everybody is afflicted to o
greater or less degree. Grocers un-
doubtedly suffer the most from it of
any species of tradesmen, as they
deal in articles which every person
is disposed to eat, and i'm order to sell
their wares they must expose them
to sight. AT one time, year ago,
the custom prevailed of covering up
barrels aud boxes with a wire net
work, through which customers
could see but not taste; but this plan
seems to, have been generally aban-
doned now. Perhaps it Is on the
principle that "Stolen fruit is all
ways the sweetest" that the lump of
sugar. the piece of cheese, the peach,
or whatever it may be, which is
tasted" is always better than the
package of which it was a sample is
when it is delivered at home. There
are many persons who are conscien-
tious I'm this respect and never touch
an article until it is weighed out, but
they usually have to taste it just be-
fore it is tied up, and they know that
1T is ALWAYS better than when the
package is opened at home again.
These little tastes are almost q mat
ter of necessity, and the man who
never permits himself to indulge i'm
them carries with him through life
very heavy cross.
If 1t were only the regular custom
er, one whose trade Is worth some
thing, who INDUCED in these little
pickings, the whole thing could be
remedied by adding a small percent
age now ond then to his bill. or
many would not grumble if little
item should be added now and then
to his bill such as
Nibblings to date. So T5
"opplhg Iigars-. Observation-Disclosures. 800
AS 1t is, the grocer is compelled to
make up from his regular customers
not only the amount of their own
pickings but those of the dead beats
as we'll or bear the loss himself, and
usually, we imagine, the burden
comes principally upon him.
Very few persons have much idea
of the extent of this tax upon the
dealers in city like this. We asked
a retail grocer last evening what it
cost him, and he said at first, dollar
a day. but upon second thought said
saidbit was more. Itproably amounts
to fullyS5OO q year-at most the cost
of a clerk-and taking the whole city
together, it will amount to fully
fifteen or twenty thousand dollars a
year. This seem like large sum,
but an estimate can readily be made
which will support IL.
We have heard of lounger who
was cured of whiting a tailors count
er by having corner of his coat tail
cut off by the tailor's shears but this
will not put an end to all nibbling.-
In some cases some such remedy is
necessary, and grocer must estimate
whether he will gain or lose by losing
a customer who is an inveterate and
persistent nibbler. In the main,
however he must make calculations
upon large amount which he can
not thus put stop to, and must
in a large item on the debit side
of his profit and loss account under
this leaf in striking his balance. II
is passion of human nature which
must be met, and like, many other
evils nibbling must be kept in check
as possible, but it can never be en-.
tirely done away. .....