Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1905-10-08
SPYING ON RIVAL SHOPS
A Secret Service System in Use in
Most of the Big
Stores


The opening of a season, when the
foreign models are first displayed, is
the time when the secret service en-
pioyes of the stores are kept busy. The
secret service employee is generally
taken from the regular sales force of
the establishment, though sometimes
outside persons also are employed.
Men, generally are sent to the whole
sale houses and usually pass them
selves off as buyers for some large
outside concern, but wherever a wo-
man can do the business she is Sc
loCted.
A merchant, in speaking of this
practice recently, said:
We simply have to resort to some
such means of self-defense. For in
stance, if we pay a large price for
some exclusive model and a purchaser
comes in and claims to have been
shown its exact duplicate at a rival
house for less price, do you think
the customers word is taken without
investigation? No, indeed Such a
remark is Immediately reported to
headquarters and a secret service en-
ploye is at once sent to the store
quoted by the customer
1t is simply astonishing how many
utter falsehoods are told by eminently
respectable women. The moment thew
want to buy a thing they seem to lose
all sense of honor. 1t is a very COM
mon thing to have a customer name
certain store as having this or that
garment exactly like that carried by
as and at less price Investigation
often proves that they have no such
model and have never had such a gar
ment in stock.
Ordinarily our saleswomen do adj
ntrably for this sort of thing, but
when the investigation is to be along
the line OF expensive evening gowns,
real lace robes and that sort of thing,
1t is difficult to secure the services of
just the right person. One season.
however, we found a prize in a young
widow who found it necessary to add
to her income. She was young and
beautiful and her appearance sug-
gested luxury in the highest degree
She chose the role of a prospective
bride and began early in the fall to
prepare for her Easter wedding. There
was not much that escaped her in the
shops that winter.
Her method disarmed any possible
suspicion. She would openly jot down
prices, colors, styles, etc, using for
this purpose an deliberately mounted
chatelaine tablet She took in every-
thing, from outside garments, hats.
evening and reception gowns, down to
the imported negligees, and even un-
derwear. She could not play this game
more than one season, however. she
was so conspicuous"
When the person chosen for an err
rand of this sort is a saleswoman OF
the store, she is taken from the de-
partment carrying such goods as she is
in quest of. Usually she has one spe-
cial garment in mind, but she NAV be
shown dozens before the one she is
looking for appears. Knowing the
quality Of the stock carried by her
own house, she can tell by the mere
touch of the fabric whether it is iden-
teal. Sometimes the lining will be of
an inferior quality, which would al
once account for the difference i'm
| price quoted by a customer. 1t is inst
such small points which must be noted
and reported. 1t is not always EASY
to withdraw without purchasing, espe-
! cially if one visits the same establish
ment several times, but versatile wo-
man can always find loophole for
escape