The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-20


Whit free medical advice for any disaa.ssl
-.oease
have, obtains an offer of them AT tho H..
est price he can. takes samples and any,
he has made the rounds, selects and orS's.
the goods he thinks will please the one
toners of his establishment. II will =
seen, therefore, that a buyer must bs
man of excellent, intuitive judgment fos
II he makes mistake, his firm will bavs
lot of unstable goods on their hands lin
coin said that you could fool some neons
part of the time, other people all the tms
but you cannot fool all the people all tbs
time. In the retail dry goods business von
cannot fool the women purchasers at anv
time; hence the buyer for such a house /,
very discreet in his purchases.
The salary paid to a buyer will ranpa
from $1,000 to $4,000 a year. It is seldom
that the buyer of a retail house receives
more than 5000 year. The exceptional.
ly large salaries are paid to men connect.
ed with the big wholesale establishments
who make large purchases, and whose re,
sponsibilities are consequently greater
Some of these large establishments which
to the outsider seem TO carry their own
stock of goods, are really commission
houses; they are simply the agents for
large foreign and domestic factories re.
ceiving their products and selling them to
the retail trade on commission.
In many cases the buyer is the manages
of the department in the store where he Il
employed. He has attained his position
by promotion, and, being familiar with
the line of goods he is selling, and with
the wants of his customers, it is natural
that he should be selected eto make the
purchases. Sometimes one of the junior
members of the firm is the buyer for the
foreign goods. Such gentlemen enjoy a
trip to Europe; but they must be thorough.
ly qualified in the business, the same as a
regular employee. Women buyers are not
only employed to purchase millinery and
lace, but very fine ready-made costumes
and underwear. The department stores
send the women abroad once year, and
their men buyers twice a year
One important duty connected with the
work of the foreign buyer relates to Gus
tom house proceedings. 1t is often the
case that there is a question as to what
rate of duty shall be paid on imported
goods. This controversy does not grow
out of the rate itself, because that is liked
by law and a matter of record, but be-
cause there is a difference of opinion pc
tween the government appraiser and the
merchant to whom the goods are conslgn-
ed as to the particular quality or grade OK
the goods. These disputes between inc
merchants and the government are prlma-
rily tried before a board of general sp-
praisers, one member of which is alwayss
merchant, the other members being on
GERS of the government. On these occa'
sions the testimony of the buyer who puI-
chased the goods is of the utmost impOl-
lance. He tells how and when he bousW
the goods but, IL he is unusually clever
he will be able to go into particulars anu
prove to the board that the goods nave
been placed under the wrong elasslncallOn.
He will bring samples OF otner Soous -
the same line of better quality 1or Whigh
the same duty is charged; he WIZ DC aDo
to show how other merchants nave inau'
similar importations, and have peeh cIai
ed less than his firm is charged anu M
various ways he will seek TO set asiue u'
rating made by the government appraisei'
In doing this he is very often successiui,
and thus saves to his firm the payment "
many thousands of dollars. 1t Is not SUI SUI,
prising that man Of this character shOu'l
receive a large salary ,..,a
The following rules and maxlms' prln'vs
on a card, are to be found hanging gu ~
wall in the office of the superintendent ~
a large METROPOLITAN department sloie'
They reflect the business principles OF SUN
enterprises so well that they are Wor'"'
of reproduction:
Action is reality the life of business.
Use every means to hold on to your honis
trade; great bargains can only be secuieu
by being on the spot -,
Always keep your designs and BUSINESS
from the knowledge Of others. -.
Be courageous; drop your best inen'
if he shows lack of honesty and ih'es-
rity. T..
Avoid litigation as much as possible iO'
lawyers and costs eat up the principal,
The man who borrows money ana ll.a a
borrows trouble is in bad way su''
enough.
Difficulties, like thieves, often disappea1
at glance; therefore, always face On
ficulty.
In buying, carefully study the wants ~
your trade. and buy with that end always
in view.
Be polite, prompt decisive, civil and %,
liglng to all your customers, and seq
that your clerks are likewise.
misrepresentation of anything never
pays; and when you tell your customer
that your goods are superior to those "
your competitors, when you know tng
same to be false, you are simply puttn5
In the wedge that will ultimately drNs
your trade away.