New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-22
BUYERS WHO COME HERE TO REPLENISH STOCKS
MULTITUDE OF BUSINESS MEN FROM ALL PARTS OF
THE COMMUNICATIONS OF PROCEDURE.

eff YOU want to know how fast the Unitea ota'eS
is growing. watch broadway
This statement. which Is attributed TO the iate
Andrew H. Green. who was known as THE Father
Of Greater New York. was based on the IacI th1''
this city is still the mercantile. as well as ths
financial centre Of the country. OF recent years
certain Western towns have boosted that although
Wall Street might still control the banks OF tue
land Broadway was relnquishing It's sway OF the
stores Chicago. because of its increasing wnoie-
sale drygoods trade. has been claiming for many
years to be the emporium Of the West and the
future commercial hub of the whole land AeS
If one watches Broadway, not with casual eye
but critically, he will md that this great street
was never more powerful than to-day
Between Chambers-st. and Madison Square.
distance Of two and half miles. situated the
business houses through which passes the mer-
camille trade OF the country These wholesale
houses form an unbroken line along most OF this
thoroughfare. and they are rapidly extending into
parallel and cross streets as far as the Bowery
on the east and West Broadway on the west, ana
now they threatening to drive out the oldtlme
arisocracy Of Washington Square and replace their
brick ana marble mansions with steel framed ousi-
ness buildings. On the north they have already
usurped the greater part Of lower Fifth-aVe'. and
the invasion shows sign OF abatement.
When one comes TO realize the tremendous growth
OF the wholesale mercantile district Of the city.
the recent statement OF the Merchants Associa-
ton that $4,000 buyers visited the city during the
autumn season causes little IL any surprise OF
necessity. there must be great number Of buyers
to keep such a great business district alive. The
fact that these 5000 were all merchants Of
greater or less capital and do not include some
5000 more buyers, who worked for wages. at first
seems commonplace Yet 1t is this multitude. ex-
ceeding In size the entire community OF Kansas
City, or Providence. or St Paul. who helping to
build the hotels and the new business build
ings Of this city. It Is their money which adds
to the briliance OF the cafes and the theatres 1t
is estimated that the out OF town buyers OF the
turnn have Just spent $500 100000. or half
again much a Billion Dollar Congress ep-
propriates for the whole United States. The bulk
OF this wealth flows back into the other cities OF
the country, into factory towns cotton fields and
prairie farms but a goodly profit stays in the
hamlet OF Henry Hudson
The buyers who spend their money In New-York
are chiefly divided into two classes the out OF
town buyer and the local buyer. The first lives IN
his home town and comes to this city at certain
seasons He may be the OF his store an
employee II the merchant has large store IN his
home town. he is likely TO bring on a staff Of buy
ers with him. each one Of whom is an expert in
his own line. For laces and corsets women are
generally chosen as they display taste in buying
these articles which more truly reflects the wants
Of women customers There are not as many women
buyers at the present time however. as there were
ten years ago.
'I'H tell you why we don't have many women
as formerly said the head OF Philadelphia store
who purchases $4,000 600 worth OF goods each fall in
New-York. I'VE have found that woman's
Judgment is more likely 10 be Influenced By her
heart than a mans That does not signify that
buyer ought TO hard hearted. that he doesn't
want to let his heart bother him. For example. 7
had bright young woman who proved re-
markedly good saleswoman in our lace and corset
department, and thought that her knowledge OF
the tastes OF her customers would make her a good
buyer She came on to New-York. went through
the lace and corset district. and. her advice,
placed a large order. Shortly afterward a rival
Philadelphia house offered marked down sale on
some goods for which paid a good price I
learned that even with the mark down they were
making a good margin on the goods. and asked
the young woman for an explanation
Did you get prices from every house handling
that Iine?' asked.
" I everything IN New-York' she said I
them all. and the goods I bought were the
best for the money
But I understand that So and So across the
street are underselling the same goods and
that they bought them from Such and Such. OF
Broadway. How is thatT
"'Oh. didn't bother with Such and Such she
replied. I didn't like his looks
Come 70 find out. Such and Such was a man
who had lately moved to Broadway from the
Bowery. who wore his hat down TO his ears, and
sometimes left his collar on an upper shelf
Though his price was considerably lower than the
firm from which we had made our purchase. yet
she didn't like his looks ="
Women buyers now chiefly employed as as
large salaries. and where a woman will work for
SIS a week. man demands so. The salary OF a
buyer, however. depends not much on what he
buy what he is able TO sell
The buyer in order TO make the greatest degree
OF success must know not only how to buy
cheaply. but how to sell at the best margin. He
must know what the customers OF his own home
store want most. II he lays In line OF goods
which proves unstable. the responsibility falls on
his shoulders. A buyer must be absolutely free
from bias prejudice to buy wisely we'll as
cheaply. He must not let himself be Influenced by
personal favors gifts entertainments. There
was a time when wholesale merchant would take
a buyer out 10 luncheon and treat him plenti-
fully to liquor that he could dictate his terms
afterward. This may be done at the present time
occasionally. but II is the exception. Only the
buyer who is a recruit will suffer himself to
be victimiZed in such fashion.
"a more modern method OF influencing the judy
ment Of buyers however. has become the practice