The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-15
EVENING CHAT

want to make myself the mouthpiece
today, of what believe to be the average
shoppers approval of a new attitude on
the part of many merchand1sers.
And this attitude is the treat-you-de-
ntly-even-if-you-dont buy and be-rair-
r-rival-instead-of -trying- to-cut his
throat attitude.
Ayes, know that hyphenated manner of
Expressing myself is decidedly unliterary,
but l couldn't seem to think of any other
clear way to put what / mean.
There was time, when as soon as it
became evident that you did not intend to
buy. the saleswoman Immediately became
frigid and uninterested- That she did this
with the approval of her employers, was
evident by her omnipresence in all the
shops.
Now, I believe this condition of affairs
is rapidly changing.
In the first place, the saleswoman who
acts as If she might do you personal vio-
lence, when you leave the shop without
buying, is nowadays the exception rather
than the rule
Furthermore, in most of the progressive
shops, you will even find many statesmen
and women who when they find they
can't give you just what you want, will
smile and say, I'm sorry. L hope You
can get it somewhere else or something
like that.
Again, and more marvellous still-at
some shops when the sales people find
they cannot fill your need, they will even
advise you where to go.
the cut-throat regime told me, with much
interest, of an experience she had when
trying to match some silk the other day
After the salesman in a certain shop had
told her that he could not match her
sample, half in a spirit of desperation,
and hardly expecting any advice. she
asked him If he could think of any place
where she might get 1t. Where have you
tried?'' he asked. She told him. well, -
he said, you might try C's and SIS, and
if you can't get it there, you might as
we'll give it up.
Evidently, the idea that IT is bad bust
ness to mire ones nest and good
business to be obliging to a customer and
fair to ones rivals is gaining strength in
the business world.
Again. l went to a dyeing establish
ment with a gown 1 thought of having
dyed. The price quoted was more than [
wanted to pay and ] said so. And yet the
pleasant manner in which the sales
woman had unwrapped my parcel didn't
change one bit. She wrapped 1t up again |
with great care, and smiled me out of the |
store with much courtesy and kind |
liness, as if | had ordered a hundred dol |
lars worth of work.
leave one pleasantly disposed, not only 4
towards the salespeople. but towards the /
shops they represent. Other things being /
equal ones trade goes to that shop.
And in saying this, / believe. as ! de-
.lared above, that l speak for the aver
age shopper, for I have heard a great
many of them express the same senti-
nents.
The woman who found the silk sales
nan so obliging declares that henceforth
she will always go to that shop first. And
n this case, other things are not equal [
'or this shop is up four flights and most /
shoppers give a ground floor establish
nent the preference
The new attitude pays / suppose mer-
.handisers and schools Of craftsmanship /
md salespeople know that already, but
perhaps they viii not spurn the reassur-
lnce Of its value even from so humble a