The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-12

as special shopper for city residents.
People who want the advantage of
bargain sales without the bother of
bargain hunting form a considerable
part of the clientele. Other customers
are those who really have no time to
shop and those to whom the purchas-
ing even of bare necessaries is a bore
to be shirked as much as possible.
The increasing size of New York, the
keen competition of the stores and the
time and fatigue involved in a shop
ping trip have created a need for the
special shopper, and her business
grows Steadily. The special shopper
referred to has been in business a year
now, and her note books, bristling
with data. as to things to be got,
mark her as very busy and versatile
person.
Her affairs involve early-morning
jaunts and much going to and from
shops. Occasionally she makes hurried
trips by cabs and asks questions in a
hurry over the telephone.
To-day she is getting a. street suit.
hat and shoes to be shipped to Mrs.
AS daughter, who is off at college and
wants things of the proper sort. She
is also looking up materials for an
evening dress for the same young
student to wear later on at the coz
lege musicale.
Antique furnishings for a bachelors
sitting room are also on the docket.
So are rain coats and serviceable tub
dresses for the three little girls who
are to be sent up country while their
mother goes travelling.
She has draperies to secure for the
young minister who has just moved
into a brand new apartment house and
wants things shipshape. No need to
1.
anything will suit. His is a busy
parish. He hates to buy even hand
kerchief or a collar button, and is
glad to have such matters off his
hands.
when have orders ahead I can
serve people to much better advantage"
the shopper explains. "Only last
week l got a double brass bed with
good springs and hair mattress for
$l4. which. had it been bought on any
day but that one. would have cost 81
or SO more. OF course, 1t was lac
quered, not solid brass, but good value,
and the client for whom l got it was
delighted.
1.-THE same holds good with uphol-
stery, shoes, laces, candelabra-any-
thing. When 1 get a commission TO
pick up things at odd times, just as
the bargains happen. I achieve Won
derS for comparatively small out
lay. 1t is really interesting.
Few women whose time is worth
anything, whether occupied with clubs,
or housekeeping, or nursery affairs,
can pretend to keep up with the special
sales. Yet there are things going at
tempting1y low prices all the while for
the person who makes 1t a business
to follow up such matters"
The special shopper meets other ex-
perts on her rounds. The shoppers are
dressmakers' stocks and for the out
fitting houses are always well inform
ed and willing to swap ideas and shop
knowledge with a fellow laborer. The
designers for the wholesale firms are
also on the lookout and ready to advise
as to selections and values.
The successful shopper is willy as to
the kind of patrons she will serve. She
fights shy of employers of the indeter-
inmate sorts, and is able to size up
the unreasonable woman at a glance.
The orders given her must be of a
positive nature and the points left to
her discretion must be clearly defined
before she undertakes the commission.
On two or three occasions she has
had embarrassing episodes about artf-
cles to be exchanged, money refunded,
etc. But these experiences have only
served to show her what folks to avoid.
She buys for many women clerks and
manages who have no time to shop for
themselves and these patrons, she says,
are easier to suit than many more
more advantageously placed who have
more money to spend.