The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-24
WOMEN WHO" Just LOOK
THEE MANIA FOR OIE RHi ULING
AND PRICING 20
II IL Trouble TO show Goods when II All Ends
with the showing. but tho Chronic shop
pers Are Powerful Enough to Command
E.a.. au.aa-. En..uIaInl. N z ihn ah IN Glrla

Win chronic shoppers. a chronic si'pper 10 u
woman. o. course. end she starts from home
carly In the morning, not with her mind made
up TO buy anything, ont just to look. She passes
the entire day going rom place to place, pricing
goods and looking about. She goes home late In
tho afternoon all tagged Oui, telling everybody
whom she meets that shopping Is such hard
work, and that she has had a day of IL. PCrhaps
rho doesn't know that the people who have
waited on her hayo had q day OF 1t, too. and
that probably she has deprived every person
who has waited on her Of one TO five sales, &C.
cording to the amount OF time she has consumed
in looking"
Two women who for years have been inter.
estcd in the crusAdes made in the interest Of the
shop girls decided TO find out the other day how
the salcspeop!o handle such shoppers. One was
IN elderly woman with white hair and a sweet,
inotherly face; the other was q dashing young
matron with love in her heart for all humanity.
The couple went from shop to shop watching
the conduct OF the chronic shoppers and that Of
the women who waited on them, and they
learned many interesting things. First they
followed two shoppers throuSh a big store.
Chronic shoppers commonly look ia pairs.
One OF these was n stout woman with an AFRO.
giant manner, and her companion was an angu.
lar creature with q nnRging voice. They made
n bee line for the underwear del artment. closely
followed 10y the two seltconst!tu;ed detectives.
Muslin underwear" said the stout woman
10 the head of the department.
"This way, madam" was the answer. THE
counter TO the left"
Let lie see some niEhtgowns and corset
covers" demanded the shopper OF the woman
'vho came forward to serve her.
what size and about what price would you
like T. asked the saleswoman. CHANGING at the
handsome toilets OF the two women in front Of
~. l. -A-A Nkn . 4,,-.n ,Axt A.
pleased look, which said more plainly than
words: This is a sure sale-good customers"
"a IL doesn't matter about the price" answered
The shopper. "Show us what you have"
TIC saleswoman began TO drag down the big
boxes from above and 10 bring out night dresses
Of every cut and description. She began with
those that sell at 81 each. and finally displayed
those costing $l5 each. The two women looked
them all over. pulled at the lace collars and
yokes and trills until the sAleswoman was In
nervous terror lest the goods be pulled to pieces,
criticised the work, AID commented on the
styles. Then the woman with the ~nagging voice
calmly said:
ave are only looking to-day. Now show us
the corset covers. You advertise that it is no
trouble to show goods"
Certainly not" answered the saleswoman,
but with a look OF disappointment, and she
began to dig out big boxes of corset covers from
under the counter.
Il should like to see some bridal sets Of under.
wear. said q pretty girl to her.
I'm very sorry, but I'm busy just at present."
she answered, and the chronic shoppers stared
at the person who dared address the sa!eswoman
waiting on them. They la-SGt another hour
looking At the corset covers and then made for
the ready-made. dress department without SO
much as thanking the saleswuInan. The two
detectives stole after them.
The shoppers seated themselves and looked at
IN III q hfn,aA mica EF1- T,tt.
dinner gowns and fancy waists until their eyes
must have ached. and the back OF the woman
grew bent Finally she said !" aWtieeltf. t 1 really
helieve I've shown you everything we have
thing in tSe Importing Hnr PefnsR asp sGu S1a's abo Sss :0 The
looking to-day. We don't intend to buy" "
Inc shoppers went next TO the millinery and
then to ,tie coat department. After stopping
for lunch they turned their attention to smaller
las, and SO on, and dnaily decided to 90 across
70 Cheap Sogood's To SEQ what bargains they
Meantime the crusaders had run across dozens
OF other women. who were having great plies Of
10 look at item. and they dccided to fnd' out
Just how the salespeople felt about waiting OIL
II should think you would get out of all
patience showing goods to people VINO have no
Intention Of buying. my deal" said the motherly
looking woman to "A eirl who hal just been DEAL
ms With a partIcutarly fractions case.
,rr nes. 20 at times" answered the girl wear
~, uuL 1 WOuiun l udre snow II. Every year
it gets worse and worse. The shops are ~oyerrun
with women who come just to look and not TO
buy. Salespeople are requested to handle with
tne utmost courtesy ana Consideration every
person who comes into the store, and that is
true of all the big stores in tho city. That brings
customers back. of course, and the time comes
when they are compelled TO buy something"
is T. truo that it is no trouble to show
Why, OF course, that couldn't be true" all.
Swered tho saleswoman with a smile. "You
saw me show that woman whom ! was waiting
on when you came in nearly every silk Inefficient
in the store. Well, of course, IL was trouble to
take them out OF their places and to nut them
back, especially. when l knew from the start
shat she was looking only for fun. For my life.
don't zee how WOMEN enjoy putting in then
time this way. Nine times out OF ten these
women keep a girl out Of making a sale. or per.
haps a number OF sales. So she has little money
inSi8y, though it may not be her fault.
OF course the salespeople who have the
ed as the most efficient workers, and this ad.
vanCes. .;heir chances OF promotion. Really,
think II the, average woman stopped TO think
or was told how a girls standing with her EN-;
think twice before she look w. our time need
iessly. I've come to the conclusion that people
with plenty u money can't put themselves IL
me places OF those who toll for the neccssar.e:
OF life. II / was once brought clearly to the
minds of the leisur, class women that we are
not only physically, but mentally and material
y ,nIufe sb. ny ; ESI b, when tney 90 on these ez
emp MSshti iipiy dean @Hnd sh II ali Ih1 ib %9ths cTGb women women
" 1870 ~ ~ INV Ail-NAllk
instead or harping so much Oh how TO better the
con lItlon Oh LLe working classes in a genera
way, civilization would advance a peg or two
and on she and her friend bounced to interview
another salca woman.
Il. ot conr.e'' said this one, =" there, arc two
hlhes TO this question. 1t is Impossible for q
woman To elop inteiligently Oif-lIand. Suppos'
she wants 20 put 500 in a coat. That t. a goot
aeai OF money, and she does not want to spend Il
LOT NE nfst 500 coat that is shown her. Sh'
wants 10 LOOK at a number OF coats az that price
mn men she wants TO compare them with $lOt
coats In other shops. That is but right, and IL
customer frankly states her position at the star
ste average sa!eswoMan In a well.cond uctet
store VIII not deem IL troublesome to show hel
eseI! F4Uo coat IN stock, and will not feel hare
toMar1 her If she goes elsewhere to looI
before buying. The class OF shoppers
who lag US out completely arc thos'
VINO come TO look without tho slightest idea o
bus ing. ! see crowds OF women mere every da,
VINO know more about every department in thi
Store, except mine, taAn ] do. and I've becI
f Ten years. Iagy come eyery. day, and q
from place 10 pace lpo&in- and pricing. pricin,
ana iGoN'hG. some days when I've had 10 wa
on a dozen such | feel like screaming: 'Hav,
you women n0thirg 10 do at home 7 but o
cHlrso ! can do tl."l. for | must smile ana looI
pIea71hl ana act as II showing goods 10 Icopl
WHO llun I mean 10 bay VIZ ths 10y Of NV life