The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-20
THE VOCATION OF THE BUYER.
High-SaInrted Professional Who Is
Important to Large Mercantile
establishments.


From the New York Independent.
There are three reasons why the posi-
ton of buyer is desirable; the salary is
good, even very large if the man is re-
markedly competent; it offers him the
opportunity of going abroad several times
year, and it permits him to exercise his
judgment to such an extent that he Justly
considers himself several removes above
the clerk who has to work entirely under
the direction of his employer.
There are two kinds of buyers the buv-
err for the domestic market and the buyer
for the foreign market. The buyer for
the domestic market purchases goods for
his store-a retail store-in the CITY in
which the store is located though he
sometimes goes to other cities where there
are large auction sales, or where he hears
of exceptional bargains in goods in his
special line. Every large retail store in
the different lines of business EMPLOYS one
or more buyers to purchase stock for
them. The buyer, therefore. must be a.
man of a great deal of push, tact and en-
ergy and he must be thoroughly familiar
with the goods in which his house deals
In this age of competition, particularlv
among the large dry goods establishments
or department stores, man must be ex
ceptionally bright and we'll equipped with
knowledge in his special line to be sue
cesstul in this vocation. This suggestion
is not made in any spirit of discourage
ment and with the idea of keeping young
men from entering this vocation, for there
is no reason why man who has a liking
Tor this Kind of work and who masters
its details should not be successful. A
KNOWLEDGE OF the business is acquired
while the young man has been EMPLOYED
in the retail store selling goods He
learns of the different qualities he soon
becomes able to distinguish the good from
the bad, and, most important Of ali. he
hnds what kinds of goods his custonoers
want, hears their reasons for not wantino
this pattern and for wanting sometbino
different. In this way he gets a genera
idea Of the public's taste. To be sure the
lashlons change, but this general knowI
edge gives him basis on which TO form,
ms judgment, which must be Supplement-
ed by special knowledge of the prevailing
tashion and information as to the changes
being made in the manufacture Of his mar
ticular line of goods in various narts 90
the world. The buyer must be like the
model newspaper editor-a little In ad-
vance of public opinion. He must have
sne ln.uItNe grit which enables him to
KNOW, not only what his customers want
now, but what is likely to please them IN
the immediate future -
Buyers are not only employed bv the re-
TAI ury goods houses, but in every retail
business OF any consequence. The big de-
partment stores employ the greatest nun.
yer because they really represent a good
many stores under one roof: each of the
tteaulIg departments may have a separate
ouyer. sneldons Buyer Reference Book"
Ia -, sort OF manual or directory for dornes-
NC puyers-shows the vast amount of bust
ness Done IN this line. The index refers
70 no less than $50 branches OF trade. In
each trade there are engaged from two or
three TO 200 or 300 firms. 1t is the dutv ~
the buyer to know all the firms in his mar
ueular line, certainly all the leading ones
ana 70 Keep posted as TO what thew have
70 oiIer, and. as between several frp,s
nahdling the same goods, from which ona
.ne pest goods and the most satisfactorv
terms OF payment can be obtained.
me buyers who go to the foreign marlrat
make from two to ten round trims a go.
depending on the size and charactsr 80
me mouse. They are allowed $40 a dav CO..
expenses, including transportation sfter
they nave reached the other side. Thev 90
70 Lyons, france, for sill0s-that is N fhe,,
want foreign silks for, of late wears ~,
dealers claim we can get lust as good an.
IN our country as are made abroad Frara,
Is also the headquarters for nnillinar,,
pranch OF business which. with lace ts "
,ended 10 by women buyers. Austria ga
england furnish lace. TOYS come So, s,'.e
~ ~ Inihhy' The buyer travels around visit
'e 'no large factories. sees the goods they