The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-14
PARIS KNOWS HOW
 TOSELL ITS WARES
Prices Displayed Are In-
 tended for Foreigners
SPIDER AND THE FLY
If a Salesman Cannot Land the Vic tim the Proprietor Tactfully and Graciously Comes
 to the Rescue

Paris Correspondent of Business Maga-
 zine.
 Paris, as an object of the shoppers attention, presents two faces to those who come to buy. One is for it's own people. The other Is carefully prepared for the stranger As most Americans are classed as strangers this is the aspect of shopkeepng Paris in which they are interested.
 The thoroughfares radiating from the Place de rOpera form the centre of the fashionable shopping district 'in this sec tion there is no fixd price of any com modity. There are plenty of price cards displayed but every Parisian knows they are for visitors only. The Parisian gets discount from these poster prices of 9 or even 50 per cent.
 "Of late years it has become bad form for the merchant in this fashionable dis trict to pull customers in from the side walk by what may be politely termed physical salesmanship.' But he still feels justified in taking breath of air at his door when an American pauses to regard the window display. An invita- ton to enter does not then seem to sug- gest to the Yankee fly any suggestion of the spider episode.
 lover most of these shop doors the motto should be inscribed, Leave hope behind, ye who enter here. Salesman ship is not a lost art in Paris. First, the clerk has a chance to see what he can do; while at a little distance hovers a floorwalker.
 If the victim succumbs readily and pays a price that represents a three figured percentage of profit well and good. If not, the floorwalller advances to the attack, his position as supporter being taken by some one still higher up. So it goes until, if necessary, the pro- prietor himself comes to the rescue. It is noble exhibition of intensive sales manship.
 There is one pulling in power of which eVerp Paris merchant, even the most fashionable, feels at liberty to avail himself. That is the attractive power of show window. A jeweler in the Rue de Ia Paix who has very narrow show window has used it with so much genius that it has contributed not little to his worldwide reputation. On one occasion when I saw this window it was so draped that one had no view of the shop be- hind it--it was the window and nothing else.
 Black velvet hung in long folds at the background and sides. suggesting by it's drapery arrangements the interior of a camera bellows-narrow at the back and of greater width in the foreground. In the expanse of black velvet lay one object, an emerald studded bracelet that was all.
 Tn the Grand Boulevard shops the merchandise is kept within doors, noth- ing being allowed on the sidewalk. But the big popular department stores l have no such restriction. Under the blue sky, or if the clouds are dripping under huge awning long counters are placed stacked high with goods of all descrip- tions, These are manned with clerks and patrolled by department managers. In many cases these counters emulate the example of the cafes by stretching clear to the curb line.
 'If the customer does not see what he wants at least does not buy, strong armed department managers have him inside in no time at all. Even chance passers by, innocent of intent to pur- chase. are pulled mp short and something is thrust into their hands for inspec- ton.
 Artistic Bouelcaut founded the Bon Marche at the close of the Second Elm pire in a very small way. Now the an nual sales run close to 150 million francs. Today the Bon Marche is a little re- public. managed since the death of Boucl- caut by triumvirate of employees. one item of the sales is that of 1,75oo00 pairs | of gloves a year, or more than 5700 pairs each business day.
 Newspaper advertising has not been ] developed in Paris as in this country, but the department store proprietors try to keep the public from forgetting them. | Every day the Grand Magasin du Louvre gives away 300 toy balloons. which nat urallv bear it's name. And on March 20, the day the chestnut trees lining so many | Paris streets are supposed to leaf the l Printemps.s which means 'springtime. gives away 25.0O0 punches of violets."