Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-12-19
WOMEN WHO BUY FOR SHOPS
A GOOD WORK ER ~ THIS LINE GETS
FROM $4,000 70 $4,000 PER YEAR.
The Meter HIS Increased at Least 30
Per Cent During the Past Six
Observation-Disclosures of the
Novelty Custom.

From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
y woman Interested i'll the question mas
complied It list of women WI" buy ior
large shops throughout tn" Union.
There are over 11 names registered IN
this list. and those able to judge state that
there are fully 100 other women hlSe rs
whose names have not yet been secured.
You can depend upon it tina, whenever
you lind a woman occupying III" position
of buyer it is because she il exceptionally
qualified for it, said the manager OF a
big department store. The post of III"
buyer is too responsible. too closely allied
with the heart of the business. to he he
slowed lightly" So, with this surety to 20
by. it is safe TO infer that there are be-
tween so and 1900 women in the tinted
States possessed of exceptional business
capacity and putting their talents III mat
line TO everyday use.
Meter on the Increase.
There are at least 30 per cent more
women buyers in the trade now than there
We're six years ago this authority added
The reason" Well. because even con
sentative merchants are beginning to nave
confidence in wOman's Judgment. and there
is such ample proof day after day OF thelf
ability that only pf"IUdiced men fioHt .t
it,. From the time that women first en-
tered the stores at all. even rs saleswom"lI,
their taste and intuition for style. their
ability to select. were noticed. The oni;
thing that held them back from the highest
position and that holds them back now IN
some houses was the fear that they could
not be relied upon TO make JudiciouS III
vestments. Many women are incapable III
this respect. but most of these buyers we
are speaking of have Keen business sense,
are conservative and Vet at the same time
have enterprise enough TO lay in a supply
| OF novelties of even risky hish-pricnd goods
in order TO keep then department up to
the mark"
What salary can a woman buyer
make IA year? For an exclusive house.
where she handles only "A the line of
| goods. she is paid from S6,VtJ 10 5000 "A
year. Such Il buyer purchases the misses
| and ladies suits direct from til" factory
where they are mad, She mus not
yet she must have enough. She must
know her line of custom from \ to Il
and know exactly how much she can
afford TO pay apiece for SuC! goods i'll
order to sell them at a reasonable proht.
She must be able to judge in a moment
when II newly designed article is shown
her at the factory whether or not the
price asked for il Is reasonable. She
must know the wholesale price for the
| velvet. silk or satin that trims the gar
mrnt; also. the price of the cloth it is
made of. the cost of the making, and so
on. and b. able TO calculate to a trac-
ton just what profit she ought to al
low the manufactures. To a good buyer
the manufacturer SHOWS his best and most
unique bargains. If she is not liberal.
wants to Jew him down to too close 4 mar
| gin. or if she does not buy enough TO make
il worth him while to cater to her tastes,
he shows her only his slow selling goods
and keeps the rest back for more enter
prisins custom.
What Money Is Controlled.
How much money does Il woman buy
er for such an important department use
during the year? If she Is Il good worker.
she turns her stock money over TWO or
| three times. Certainly she buys during the
year from S2D0, 0n to $4,000 worth OF goods.
Such Il buyer will have been in the bust
ness certainly ten years or more and nave
familiariZed herself with every detail. Oc-
c%asionally Il bright. kecn-witted woman
with Il talent for comparing values Will
learn the market and its possibilities and
| l;- ,,,. ~, I.S. hon tIr.. ,I.p g Time.