New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-25
Bv SAMUEL HOPKINS ADAMS


should have ordered
In these words of prominent New York merchant is ex
pressed g of commercial abuse which has become nto
erabe the of the bought approval privilege MOI
New York only but throughout the country has grown 10 such
proportions being compelled IN selideence 10
take measures to limit Women the chief ofendes and
not alone but the general public as well are the VIC
inns since pay the cost of this careessy or conscience
lessy wastefu type of shopping
Consider the following facts about the return OF sooo'
bought
Probably FIVE million dollars wasted yearly in New York
City through unreasonable of purchased goods You pay
the bill.
Twenty per cent of all goods sold returned Not once
in hundred times is there any sound for the return
Thirty per cent of all charged goods returned It's the
charge account which forms the habit
These percentages increasing yearly.
1t takes $50 per of delivery sell 100 cent OF mer
chandise The extra 50 cent goes into resehe ieu"
goods
Every purchased and returned goes through nineteen
hands in the process.
One store nend, ten thousand dollars yearly cleaning
turned goods. 49,
Another wastes money In the expense OF hahohhs
returns than it pays for rentals
A woman purchasing clothing, which she to be
has one chance of three of getting something which some
other woman has bought before her and rejected
The return habit is unsanitary unfair and
Finally it's your fault If you're it's your fault IN
that you the If man and pay the
bills it's your fault because you permit it.
wholly fault either. It's partly the faut OF INC
stores themselves For they encourage the practice by
,manbp bv pressing upon the goods which she does
not really Moreover they wink at the abuse even IN e@
permitting the haba offender continue instead
of cutting her off from the charge privilege
Thus spreads And thus the suffers by great in
crease in the expense salesmanshp delivery accounting wrap
ping damage the goods The saespeope not only suffer
by loss commissions but their chance OF advancement Is
eened and sometimes dismissal results The shopper suffers
sometimes by getting second hand goods instead OF The
public suffers through the increased which the stores are
forced to charge.
The habiual abuser Of the privilege belong to
one of three classes There the ordinary repeater whose
offence may sheer houghessness of the
rights proper functions of Education will mend her
There confirmed expermenter. usser the shop
people call whose trouble psychological she makes her
mind the difficulty. and changes it with the utmost
An anis might help the bad and neuoogist the
mild
And finally there is the sweater whose grating opera
tons are set forth detail below Jail would be too harsh
penalty for her.
Of the first class a fair example who recently
allowed herself be fascinated by Broadway stores blouse
table table she wandered picking out bouses to
approval On the following day she sent back
bloues And that she had kept hvel She
explained faint and urve voice the phone that she
hadn't realized how many she getting
How unfair the approval method may be store shown
the of rug purchase couple from Pennsylvania
department seeking OF particular and
and color After search the department head
found importers and took threeday privilege
The Pennsylvanians delighted Just what they wanted
They took and their home. 81 $50 being
charged their The paid the importer at the end
Of the month Just weeks later the rug returned without
much line of explanation The made
inquiries and calmly informed that the had been taken
only approval There nothing be done Thus there
being carried by the rug department ST. $50 rug which,
owing odd size and color may be saabe for years
Another local shop tells this story itself A Brooklyn
moving from house fat. had large lamp and
10 place for Beang the fact friend she the
query: Where did you buy it2" AT Is she replied
When1" Eight years ago That amt very long Take it
back They'll exchange And they did Thus Hourisheh the
art of refurnishing a home for nothing.
There also of repenishng ones wardrobe gratis
we-todo but financially cautious New York woman wishing
keep pace with the changeful old hat
welknown shop be rernmed with blue ribbon The ribbon
was cut put on and charged When the hat home the
woman perceived that she had made color She
turned hat and picked ribbon for which she wished