The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19
Philadelphia Press.

Philadelphia Press.
A woman interested in the question has
compiled a list of women who buy for large
shops throughout the Union;
There are over seven hundred names reg
istered in this list. and those able to judge
state that there are fully two hundred other
women buyers whose names have not yet
been secured
''Tou can depend upon it that whenever
you find a woman occupying the position of
buyer it is because she is exceptionally
qualified for it," said the manager of big
department store THE post of the buyer
is too responsible. too closely allied with
the heart of the business to be bestowed
lightly So, with this surety to go by, it
is safe to infer that there are between 800
and 1000 women in the United States pos
sessed of exceptional business capacity and
putting their talents in that line to every
day use.
women buyers in the trade now than there
were six years ago." this authority added.
1.-The reason? Well, because even conserva-
tive merchants are beginning to nave con
fidence in women's judgment, and there IS
such ample proof day after day or tnelr
ability that only prejudiced men hout at II.
From the time that women first entered the
stores at ALL even as saleSwomen, their
taste and intuition for style, their aDlity
to select, were noticed. The only thing that
and that holds them back now in some
houses was the fear that they could not
be relied on to make Judicious investments
Many women are incapable in this respect,
but most of these buyers we are speaking
of have keen business sense, are conSerVa-
tive and yet at the same time have enter
prise enough to lay In supply OF novelties
of even risky high-priced goods In orQer
to keep their department up to the marx.
What salary can woman buyer MAKE axe
a year? For an exclusive house, where she
handles only a fine line OF goods, she is
paid from $1,000 to 5000 year. Such buy
err purchases the misses and ladies' suits d.
rect from the factory where they are made
She must not have too many of one size or
pattern, yet she must have enough. She
must knew her line of custom from A to
and know exactly how much she can afford
them at a reasonable profit. She must be
able to judge in a moment when newly
designed article is shown her at the factory
whether or not the price asked for 1t is
reasonable She must know the wholesale
price for the velvet. silk or satin that trims
the garment; also, the price of the cloth it
is made Of the cost f OF TIE ma * ana so
Just what profit she ouglN TO allow the man.
ufacturer To a good buyer the manufac-
turer shows his best and most unique bar
gains. If she is not liberal, wants to jew
him down to too close margin, or If she
does not buy enough to make 1t worth his
while to cater to her tastes, he shows her
only his slow selling goods and keeps the
rest back for more enterprising custom.
How much money does a woman buyer
for such an important department use dur
ing the year? If she is a good worker, she
turns her stock money over two or three
times. Certainly she buys during the year
from $500, 900 to $500, 900 worth of goods. Such
a buyer will have been in the business GER
tainly ten years or more and have familiar
lied herself with every detail Occasionally
a bright, keen-witted woman with talent
for comparing values will learn the market
and its possibilities and limitations in less
than three years time.