The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-06-22
RETURN PRIVILEGE
AID TO FRAUDULENT
SHOPPING, IS CLAIM
Abuses in the Returning Of Goods
Purchased from Stores Are
Sources Of Waste; War Condi.
tons May Cause a Reform.


Special Correspondence 10 The Herald
New York. June 22.-Abuscx In the
returning % goods purchaser from
the stores are among the sources OF
vnste which the Commercial Economy
Board II the Council OF National De-
Tense says II would like To remedy.
Tho ~~torekeepcrs are skepticai. some
of them are even indifferent. for they
argue this Is a base where human
nature cannot he thwarted and are
oatspokenly willing 90 pocket their
Losses for the sake of continuing an
old custom Most Of them. however.
admit they would welcome a change
II II were posslbie-if through
new wave of public opinion thes
could be enabled to form o comhlna-
tien against unfair ana dishonest
customers without offending an tho
rest. The abuses they tell about a-e
hardly heiievabie hut they are vouch-
cd for by in various shops.
Here are some Of them.
In the days when aigrettes were
q fashionable and expensive hat
trimming. before the law against
wearing them was enacted. q woman
ordered a bunch sent 20 her home "or
approval from each OF many milii-
merry shops IN New York. She gently
removed one spray from eacn bunch
and returned all Of them the next day
The sprays we're so small that one
could no; be missed, 80 the store peo-
pie were non the wiser. They heard
about the theft af,erward.
Last winter a woman came to New
York from a small town in the west.
She stopped AZ a hotel and was 1
charge customer az a specially shop
ON Firth avenue She purchased a
suit for S3i6 wore u during her four
weeks stay here, and then. after re-
turning 10 her western home. sent z
back to the store. Saying that IL did
not give satisfaction" The suit show
ed unmistakabie signs Of wear. Evil
IDENTIFY she had enjoyed the costly
garment while In New York. and knew
she would have no use for II IN the
small own In which she lived. The
store management wrote 30 her hus-
band, who happened TO be a lawyer.
He paid for the suit.
a New. York woman recently bought,
IA dainty opera coat at q department
store. The salcswoman warned her
that II could not be returned. Several
days later the call department re-
Iceived a card from the purchaser. Not
knowing IL was for perishable goods.
Ia messenger called for the coat. Il
was returned To the coat department.
with a soiled ana scented handkerchief
IN one pocket aud q fan In the other.
The saleswoman telephened and dip
Dramatically suggested that the coat
had been returned IN error. The GUS
toner a~rgrlly said she had been in
suited and demanded an apology. she
made such an cutlery that the matte
was dropped. She was a good custo-
mer and the value ~ the coat was
credited 10 her account
Several yards Of silk bought 80 q
large department store were made
mp into a dress, worn a few times. and
brought back 10 the shop. spotted.
The customer said the silk had been
+ pOtted when she bought H.. ANA the
store had Co give her back the money.
In another case "a woman. in good
faith. returned 10 nnc store some
goods she had bought al another fo'
$3.50. II was a staple article ard
no ono could tell where II had been
bought But the store at which she
returned the article was selling II for
81. Aftcr the mistake was discovered
the woman insisted on being credited
with s. 80 The article had been sold
again la the meantime.
\ society woman whose name IS
known tu most New Workers. bought
tnn expensive imported gown at a
Fifth avenue shop. Al the last fittiug.
when n had been altered to suit her
figure. b decided she did not Tie
it lyon can't make me- keep a gown
! don't IKE, she said. r. was q dead
loss 10 the shon. hut fhcv could not
risk offending the tickle iady.
Il b. "a relief 10 "a woman 10 learn
that these preTostoruus demands are
not an made by wumcn \ man puT-
chased from one Of the big stores an
ovcrcoht which he wore several
times. one day he stood too close
to au opcn fireplace. and the coat
caught fire 4 large hole was burned
IN the bach The man look 60 10 the
store. complaining that The clerk had
sold him mnammHhle material -
The manager remarked tina he hadn't
asked f0r asbestos. Not many days
ago q man returned 70 suit hat his
vito hn1i worn for one wear He in
sisted ou having % new suit. because
the mrmen waH rain-spottod, and
became greatly excited when the map-
agemeut objected. Then ne made suc.l
an upruar that 10 uulet him they
gave him tine o suit.
SeVorul years ago. ion 81. Louis. "a
woman purchased "a dress az "a sale
ion S22.5O The value originally had
been supposed 90 be $50. The follow
Ing month she brought b. back aud
demanded To be credited with $50. AL
though sale goods were not re-
turnnhle the stoIT was willing to cred
u her with s22.50 which she had
paid Tor the dress, She sued Tor the
other $3.50. putting the plea of tho
hard hearted corporation against IN
poor workinRwoman. she won her
ease. The store oarried b. 10 q higher
and less emotional court. where the
verdict was reversed
One incident recalled by a store
manager Is hat of the who
bought some stockings Of q staple
brand nt a wholesale house. returned
them t. u retail store and had the
difference credited To- her account.
4 II L. not unreasonable. say the