Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-06
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POINTERS ON SHOPPING FROM A
MERCHANTS VIEWPOINT

Efficiency is the watchword of the
modern business bouse; without it
there would be very little improve
ment.s With costs and labor daily
mounting upward, our shopkeepers
must watch your step" TO determine
the road they too must travel.
Without the cooperation of Gus
toners there can be no real eff
cheney. 1t is our duty to be frank
with the merchants. We are expected
70 make known our wishes, as well
as to voice any possible complaints.
Il is only in this way that we can
help to increase their service. Every
up-terdate store has a "call book. +"
Even IL we believe that a given ar.
ticle is not carried in such and such
store we should ask for it. 1t is
the constant request for certain ar
ticle that makes it profitable line
to carry. When a merchant feels
sure that he can turn over this stock
in reasonable length of time, he
will order it. ...
Goods on Approval .:..-s..*
This privilege has been extended
TO women, most generally, at con-
siderable cost to the merchant.
think that there are many of us who
have not realized the amount or
time consumed in an approval tran.
saction, not alone in the packing,
mailing or shipping of goods, but In
the selecting of articles as well. All
too frequently, every article sent out
is returned, sometimes without the
slightest word Of comment or disap
proval. Hence the merchant feels
discouraged with this service. For
his courtesy he receive no return.
He does not known why the merchan
disc does not sell. feel that we
should stop to write line or two oil
explanation when we do not keep mer.
chandise that is sent out. We pos.
sibIy may have some suggestions that
would be very much appreciated.
There are certain lines of goods
which the merchants do not send out
ON approval. frequently the refusal
Is from a sanitary standpoint, and
for our protection. When requests
for these lines are refused We should
accept the ultfmatum cheerfully, and
not try to have their rule set aside
Samples
II IA so easy to ask for samples,
when we become bewildered with the
display OF dress good patterns. We
seek refuge from our fndecfsion by
taking samples, which we can look
over at our leisure. Sometimes we
NAV wander into another shop and
see something we like better. The
samples from the first store are COM
pared, then thrown away. Giving
samples has been done for so long
that women never think Of the money
these samples represent each year.
They are utter waste, too small even
to be given for making patchquilts
or rag carpets. Some samples have
TO be cut larger than others in order
to show patterns. When the material
is costly it amounts to fair sum
Of money every month.
Mail Orders
As long as this service has been es.
tablished there are still many women
very hazy on the subject of order
ing. They do not give second choice
in case the desired article is out of
stock or cannot be procured. or
chief Importance to the customer Is
the order blank. II one is kept at
hand, mistakes in ordering can be
avoided. Such an important thing as
the size would not be overlooked.
Often a request is made for an after
noon or evening gown of certain
color and price, without the mention
OF the size required. Even If you
are known to the merchant, the clerk
to whom your order is given may
confuse you with some one else. As
: result the customers are frequently
disappointed and delays ensue.
When dresses are sent out care
should be taken that they are not
soiled by preparation. 1t damages a
gown irreyocably, and the resulting
cut on the price in order to sell, is
added to new lines Of merchandise.
The merchant must protect himself in
this way. Every request for service
that is made to the shopkeeper means
extra labor. or an expenditure of
money. This must be checked to-
overhead expense, and every Gus.
toner helps to pay for it.
Al number of women who make
their own clothes enjoy looking over
the models in the ready-to-wear de-
nartments of our stores. The mer-
chants expect more or less copying
OF models, and to those who wish
to copy they are always courteous.
They realize that these women are
regular customers o. the store, and in
return for their patronage, are more
than willing to extend to them every
courtesy the house can afford. The
clerks in Honolulu stores give more
willing service than is usually found
in some of the stores on the main.
land. Often in the states a woman