Middletown transcript., 1897-01-09
long, however; they follow the 50 vase
to the private rooms Of the big depart

ment store.
Every merchant who pret en1s at q
to keep in touch with the movement
of trade, and who is alert as to correc
methods of business is compelled t
know more about the inner working
kof rival houses than he could learl
through mere castomers,D said on
who,has made merchandising study
Every day the advertising columns
of all the principal papers are spreat
before him, and thoroughly canvassed
BY men of judgment and keen discern-
ment.
"Gloves real kid, OF 80 cents. . reads
one of these experts. Immediately an
electric bellis touched.
"Ask Miss M. to step up here,' the
messenger is told; and in few NOM
enls one Of the cleyerest women in the
glove department is awaiting orders.
The expert agent simply hands hei
the clippings from the department.
'sInvestigate." be says laconicslly.
"a pair of good kid gloves,n Miss
M. is saying half hour later to ths
girl at the glove counter of the firm
which advertised.
Something at 50" says the girl
opening box.
"You advertised gloves at 80 cents.
show me those, please. -
.'They are all so.d,' says ihs girl.
''Indeed only came for pair, be
cause thought them such a bargain -
"Just a fake sale." Miss NJ. reports
on her return. "All sold before II
o'clock. They never had them at all. %
81 thought that firm was above such
devices for attracting trade"
1t may be that Miss NJ. finds pair
of the SO cens gloves and finds them
other than represented, not of kid and
inferior; in this case she secures pair
and the rival firm examines them at
leisure.
1t is the same with velvets, wraps,
silverware. jewellery, carpets. laces and
indiscriminate articles; with anything
that constitutes an impor ant item in
merchandise.
''IIow much does professional
shopper of this description make a
week?" an authority WAS asked.
''Tbe salary depends upon the abil-
ity and tact of the employe; S25 a week
would be paid to a woman who UNDER
STOOD Ter business s-even $50 IL Tho wo-
man had social prestige, and command
ing presence sufficient to insure her un-
usual attention at the lands OF the
clerks and initiation into the business
moves of the firm. A person so sit
mated in life as to evade suspicion as to
her real employment is of infinitely
more value to her employers than one
who would seem to need money; the rich
woman would be shown everything,
the poor one would be ignored.''
The common custom Isl employ the
most taetful and able woman in the
various departments to make these
little expeditions into the realms OF
prices, qualities, etc. These women of
course, are paid extra money for their
services. Notody would send a sales
woman from the suit department to
look into matter Of silverware or
laces or ribbons, and nobody would
dream of employing person in the
ribbon department to see how car
pets or furs were going. Except In
rare instances it is found best to en-
ploy people already identified with the
house, those who could have no incen-
tive for representing things other than
as they are. Occasionally, however,
a firm gets hold of a treasure in the
guise of womanhood who has what
they call a nose for scenting the move
ments of rival houses, and who thor
oughly enjoys the work. Tact is not
the only attribute required. Many wo-
men possess innate tact to degree to
whom anything like the semblance of |
double dealing would be impossible. In |
a certain city there is certain woman
of society who augments her slender
resources considerably and steadily by |
keeping track of the yarions trade
movements in the reputable stores.
Che has done this for years. These
stores have no especial sales, . but it
is desirable to know how they are SELL
ing their goods.
A woman who has always lived and
dressed expenslvely. and who has as.
sociated with people who live sumptu-
Dusly is better judge of fine raiment |
and house decorations than is the best
Trained expert. Her ideas and inter-
ests have centred in such things all her
life. She is the woman who loves to
shop, loves to see and examine pretty
things. and to fancy she is making T
hem hel own. She Is plentifally sup
piled with money by the drm and the
clerks in the stores from whom she
makes her purchases never go to
ler house to- note that the things so
ayishly bought do not remain there.
A well-trsined professional viii
znow by instinct almost when there is
o be change made In ths member
hip or managementuf VI a firm. She finds
out what circnlars they are going to
end out aud what those circulars viii L
ct forth. She has such opportunities
yell at hand when, in the gufse OF
hopping for large constituency, the
irms from which she buys pay her
On the sales, thus coming
p closer contact with her than they