Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-11
Defends Return Good. privilege.

Defends Return Goods Privilege.
OMAHA. Feb. 10.-To the Editor Of The
Bee; Will you kindly permit me space TO
reply to the article by ]. w. Metcalfe,
on THE Return Goods Evil-a Growing
Abuse" Every thinking person will ad.
NIT that this privilege Is abused. more
or less according to the moral principles
OF the persons concerned. Also every Que
should appreciate the fact that 1t is only
through the courtesy of the merchants
that this privilege is PERMITTED. but 1
believe there is something to be said IN
defense of the customer as well.
Salesmanshlp may reach such a point
OF efficiency" that Il becomes a boom
erang for the merchant and lit
orally return on his own head. For In
stance, when a woman goes into a store
for possible purchases, or for a glimpse
OF what the season is showing in new
styles, or new goods, or for various
other reasons. she at once receives at.
tention from the polite salespeople--ln
the best stores-goods are shown, she
may purchase or not as she feels In
clined. but at once ell the persuasive
power of the salesman or saleswoman,
the psychology of the moment. every
thing is brought to bear TO persuade her
to buy. whether she really wants the
article OF not. In fact, Il is considered a
mark of expert salesmanship to sell
something to a person which they do not
want. Goods are displayed I'm the most
attractive. the most appealing manner
possible; women are induced often TO buy
against their better Judgment things they
cannot afford. or which are absolutely
unbecon1tng; then on sober reflection
after going home, they realize that al.
though IL IL very humillating for them
TO do so they must take It back" with
the result that the merchant has mussed-
up and sometimes soiled goods back on
his hand.
l heard a lady say, not long ago, that
she took her shoes into store to have
the buttons fixed and while waiting she
asked. merely out of curiosity. II they
had any blue shoes, as she was wearing
a blue suit. The salesman-a very accom-
plished person-immediately got busy
with all persuasive power to make her
buy the shoes. although this lady had
told them In the beginning that she dIdn' I
wish to buy. But the clerk insisted on
trying them on for her. told her that
Mrs. So-and-So bought pair Just like
them yesterday" naming some well
known society woman. and asked II he
couldn't send them out. The lady told me
that she had. to summon all her will
power and say mo" very positively or
she would probably have been persuaded
to take something she didn't need and
really did not want.
These are just a few of the the evils
OF 'oveT-efficiency." Another thing 'il
this; Let the merchant be very careful
that his goods are Just exactly what they
are represented to be and then Insist that
his salespeople do not misrepresent them
to customers. We women are a discrim-
mating class. taken as q whole and given
time to think, but not always so as in-
dividuals. and Il is no credit to a mer-
| chant to have his gooos represented as
first class. when they are not first class,
and when merchandise is delivered 20 a
woman's home. which has been sold 10
her for a perfect article and she finds
that Il is a very inferior article, she
should always return the goods and OF
once, That Is the kind of merchant whose
tables will always be filled with returned
goods to a much greater extent than
the absolutely honest merchant upon
whose word and that OF his salespeople
one can always rely. MRS ]. B. JONES.
5o2i Chicago street