Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-12-28
BARGAIN HUNTERS.
WOMEN WHO SPEND TIME AND MONEY
IN THE SEARCH.
How Bargain Counters Are Stocked to
Meet the Demand-'Bank-
rupt" Goods.

For the average woman the suggestion
of bargain has an irresistible attraction
Men are to a less extent affected by this
fashion, although even among them there
are few bargain hunters in their way
But there are hundreds upon hundreds OF
women in city who, barring the butcher
the grocer, and the coal man, never pre-.
tend to patronize anyone who does not
offer them bargain. These women haunt
the stores that advertise bargains, y
"mark-down sales,' bankrupt stocks, and
crowd the auction rooms, following the
business with almost the feverish anxiety
that characterizes the gambler at the faro
table,
That there are bargains to be secured at
the dry goods stores which are most con-
spicuous in catering to this passion on the
part Of lovely woman IS quite true, but il
is the initiated that are apt to profit most
by them. There are, of course, genuine
''mark-dow sales" Stock that has been
carried until toward the end of the season
is usually put down to very low figures,
and purchases of fine goods can often be
made at one-half, or even one-third. cost
price. But one needs to be pretty familiar
with the goods, and often to have a friend
in the store, to profit thereby.
One woman whom l know, says a New
York writer, has for years never bought an
article Of wearing apparel that was not
marked down in price. She has got the
business down to a system. In all the
large establishments she has won the good
will Of some of the saleswomen of the
leading departments, and these friends
quietly notify her by postal cards when
there are bargains to be secured. There
upon she promptly sallies forth on a shop
ping trip, and she generally manages to get
the pick of choice things. Like the ha-
bitual topper or opium fend, she can never
resist bargain, and buys whatever she
can get cheap, and packs it away for use
some time in the future. To day she prob
ably has goods enough on hand to stock
small dry goods establishment, and still
she keeps on buying.
The wholesale establishments also offer
opportunities for bargains to those who
know the ropes" The samples that the
drummers carry ON the road during the
season are brought back to the house, and
are sold out for a mere song. Happy the
woman who knows when these bargains are
to be had. She can excite the hopeless
envy of all her female acuuaintances by
the display of purchases which are seem
ingly possible only to those of unlimited
means.
But all bargain-hunters have not these
inside sources of information, and are
therefore obliged to take their chances
with the crowds at the counters. One
needs only to frequent the stores on these
special days to see what these chances are.
The scene can only be compared to the ex-
eitement in the wheat pit or on the Stock
Exchange when the bottom has fallen out
of the market There is frenzy wild, con-
fusion worse confounded, a fight for posi-
ton and wrangling for spoils that would
almost put 10 shame a crowd of political
office-seekers.
And are these people able to satisfy the
desires Of their hearts? Yes and no. They
secure some undoubted bargains, but for
the most part they generally get cheap
goods at a correspondingly low price
There exists a regular trade that caters ex-
clusiyely to this class of buyers Goods
are made especially for "bargain," ''mark-
down." ''less-than-cost" and bankrupt
sales. There are jobbers that deal alone
in goods of this description, while other
houses make this an important adjunct to
their other business. Most large retail es-
adjustments make speciality of this sort
Of traffic frequently in the course of the
year, and IN the wholesale and jobbing
trade ''orders for q Jnuary" have a peculiar
significance, as meaning that bargain" or
''mark-down" goods are wanted.
1t Is not TO be supposed that the pur-
chaser does not get fair return for her
money, for these goods, although not
"less than cost" or sacrificed" are gen
orally sold at a small margin of profit, and
are quite worth what they cost. They are
made to sell cheap, and besides, the retail
dealer, by ordering large quantities, is able
to buy at "way-down" prices. One of the
largest retail houses in New York city has
just placed an order for nearly $4,000
worth of women's and children's under
wear for an annual January mark down
sale.
Then, as for bankrupt and damaged
W -ulN sdlSSj lAClS - ub 4iullL u WHICH
they can be and are carried. Why, from a
bankrupt" stock of ten thousand dollars
a hundred thousand dollars worth of goods
can easily be sold A Bankrupt" sale IS
like the widows cruise of oil, only that it
Is kept replenished through the ordinary
channels Of business, and not by any mi
raculous means. And as for fire, that
has often been the salvation Of a retail