The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-11-29


editor The Washington Times
"Cant you write an editorial about the way women
waste their time shopping? My wife will spend an
entire afternoon buying few little things that could
buy in quarter of the time. think if you would
advise your women reader@and know that all women
read your paper-to employ business methods in max
ing their purchases, you would accomplish a real
reform"
We are glad to this correspondent but we can
not give the advice for which he asks.
Like most men, he thinks that because women do not
spend their time adding columns Of figures and copying
names and amounts from cash book to ledger they
know nothing about business.
But the employees in the big stores from the cash girl
mp to the superintendent have learned about women
than this Long Suffering Husband"
They know that, when woman enters store, SHE
KNOWS WHAT SHE WANTS. and that SHE WILL GET
II, IF IT Is IN THE STORE.
It is because our correspondent KNOWS NOTHING
ABOUT A WoMAN's BUSINESS that he makes this sad
complaint
He has had no opportunity to learn the ntrcaces Of
fabrics and shades the difference between this season.
style and last seasons style which part Of his wife
working knowledge.
The man who goes into store to buy something for
himself takes the first thing he sees, which is BAD
BUSINESS
The woman GETS WHAT SHE NEEDS, and gets it
the cheapest possible price, which is GOOD BUSINESS
knowledge of what she wants is exact and she makes
exact bargain.
Not only does she know down to the smallest particu
lar of material shade and quality what she has come to
buy but she knows what price she afford to pay for
it. and HOW MUCH IT OUGHT TO COST
Ask the saleswoman of notion counter why She
would rather deal with a man than woman
She will tell you that it is to her interest to I'LL her
salesbook as soon she can-to sell many goods
possible and that she prefers to wait BECAUSE
SHE CAN SELL him ANYTHING.
man becomes very businesslke and important as
soon as he passes the door of a big store.
When he comes to the counter to which he is directed
he begins to look at his watch and dget about until he is
waited upon.
Then nodding lofty to indicate that his Judgment
speedy and accurate he selects something pays for it and
goes his way while the clerk who sold him smiles to
herself over his easy compacency.
Let this man go on an GRAND for his WIFE and he
seldom fails to come back with the WRONG PURCHASE
he does not take pains to inform himself EXACTLY
a. to what he is to get.
he thinks that anybody could do womans shopping
and he sets about with air of superiority which he
soon loses when he has gone to half dozen stores without
finding anything approaching the sample he carries
crmpled In his nervous fingers.
Presently he either becomes disguised and goes home
without buying anything gets something that looks
little like the sample, and is nightly indignant when his
wife tells him that night that she will never send him
shopping for her again
Now that the Christmas season is here The Wash
ington Times could make several useful suggestions
to its readers but tell them nothing about
the art Of shopping Our correspondent excuse us
from that
Since clothes first worn and the materials to make
them first sold, have known exactly how to
buy things and have understood how to buy them chsapy
and WISELY.
And if the who wonder why their business does
not pay better would employ half the knowledge and skill
in making their business purchases that their wives
else in buying their personal and household necessities the
list Of failures in the business world would be half
50 large