New-York tribune., 1920-12-05
Holiday Trade
Aid to Retailer.
Also Iiilldrance
Christmas Bnyine Will In.
crease Cash Resources.
but. VIII Fail to Reduce
Big Unwanted Stocks
Toys in Coed Demand
Sales in January and Fcbru.
ary Are Expected TO Sur
pass Anything This Year

From indications so far. thi. v.,r.
CHRISTMAS business IN tie retail storos
VIII help the merchant in one dirnc-
ion, but will hinder him in anotber
The hold Y season is likely to NM
much needed cash into the retailor'S
tlil, but w.L leave him vi b the sroc.s
ne most desires TO iiquidate still nv
ms she YES, with relative iy little changs
irom their present condition.
Il is a strange twist Of fa.e ths, .hs
lines III which merchants are carrvino
the heaviest stocks are the classes -
merchandise thai the general puhlio
seems to be stunning, except a; the
stimulating influence Of radically cut
prices. The slump in prices has not
been as general snd as widespread ~
many believe. Although there have besn
conslderab. e reductions in wholesale
and retal prices Tor textiles wearing
apparel shoes. etc. there has az vet
been sltte pr'ce cutting on furniturs
household furnishings. toilet articles
mall ware. glassware jewclry and
the multitude Of other lines handled
in the average department store
The meDchant this year is faced
with the problem of going into thu
Christmas season with the usual lines
of holiday merchandise priced on a
higher basis than they were last year
Coupled with this is the general con-
sumer IMPRESSION that prices are on
the downward swing As result ths
efforts to stimulate business this y.ay
have been stronger - an In many gesu
past. Merchants agree that the holt
DAY business done by the stores ls,.
year was d record breaker
Expect Reduced Sales
Few Of them this year hoped u
equal the figures OF last year either
IN dollars and cents or IN the 4nits
Of merchandise sold They admit
that business this year is not As brisk
rs last year. hut declare thai In ths
main II Is sat sfactory.
The one hricnt spot n the holiday
business is in the toy departments.
where business both in money volume
and units appears TO be running ahead
Of last yeaT Two Firth Avenue
store handling toys exclusively say
that their business S fully up 20 the
STANDARD set last year.
a part Of the goo business In toys
IS the result o' better 'aeichandiso
than the retailers were abb 10 show
lost year. In dolls part cularly,
american manufactures are said TO
have improved their quality and the
supply has been further augmented BY
eAe return Of German dollios 10 the
local market Some of .hem boldly
,arry the label "Made in Germany"
without arousing any animosity among
dealers or customers, while others do
rot disclose the land of their origin.
There are fewer Japanese toys on tbs
market this year, espe cially in he doll
SECTIONS. Some joboers who stocked
To-. al
Nciri tion Of continued shortage Of
German. French ana Americar dolls
sre understood to have sustained Sc
Nere losses.
In dol ars and cents, most ir-
portant item this year. the retailer
rrooably VIII c ME th~ough th- Christ
mas season IN excellent shape On
the other hand, the hol lay business
- not going to solve all has problems
ntirely Apparel shoes and textiles
n general are continuing their slow
movement. Il 3 in theep goods tha.
he merchant IS most hoaviy stocked
or in which stocks fhow a great un.
overness. Liquidation o. This mer-
chandise viii have to be mads after
the Christmas season and N many
Quarters retailers frankly cxaress the
9pinion that January and February
VIII see a delupe Of sales much
greater than any that have been held
this year.
Not looking for Profits
we don't expect TO make sry
money on cur mems clothing and saoe
departments during the ne~t year"
SID the president Of leading Fifth
Avenue department store "Riglt now
we are running behind cn these Two
departments. Public confidence in
thai class Of mere andise has been
shaken badly and it Will take some
1ime for recovery Manufacturer.
bankers and the general public sp-
parently want to see the retailer lose
money. In our store We recently had
a series of amusing experiences along
this line.
I'VE ran linen sale ans $ furniture
sale, in which we announced reduced
prices. but confessed 10 1absfr =
small margin of profit Our prices
were low, lower than most of our com
petltors, yet the sale did no. draw
up 70 expectations. "a decided TO
llquidate some If our ru.: stocss and
advertised the fact that we were tsk-
ing loss on them TIE response
was greater tran we anticipated II
the public believes that we are losing
money on certain class Of ners nan
disc, It seems to be willing to help
Us along in that course, but 4 We
confess to even small profit 10 MS
ter how low our prices may be 1,
our customers give is
little support.
Tho multitude Of cut price sales
has only confused TIE consumer m
stead of inducing him to buy. -
fakcs ra !icai price reduction now
10 stimulate business beyona the nor
nal level"