The New York herald., 1921-12-24
DEPARTMENT STORE
SALES MAKE RECORD
Volume Above Any Other
Christmas Period Herein
dividual Buying Is Less.

Christmas sales by department stores
in N.m York city and vicinity, according
to reports received by the Federal Re-
l'sewe Bank of New York from sixteen
representative concerns. were the largest
in volume ever reported with a gain of
3 per cent. in dollar value for the three
weeks ended December 90, 1921, against
the Sam. period year aso and 2 per
cent. gafr ove- the same period S~,o
years aGn The banks monthly review
said In part:
Merchants report that there have
been many more Customers in the stores
and that business has been well distrib-
uted, with increased sales in those De
partments that handle practical and
useful articles. such as house Furnish
inGs furniture, rugs, carpets and ar
ticles OF wearing apparel. A majority Of
the stores report increased sales by
their toy departments. Sales of jewelry
and other strictly holiday goods were
about the same as last year. Medium
priced merchandise was g.. general in
greater demand than the most expensive
or the cheaper grades. The average
size OF each purcs ase was somewhat
smaller than last year
Complete reports for November from
forty-seven firms or corporations oper-
ating sixty-one representative stores in
this district show that sales in that
month were So per cent. below the sales
of November. 1920. This decline, which
conlpares with an Increase of 2.S per
cent. in October over October, 1920, is
attributed by merchants in part to the
closing of the stores o. Arrnistice Day
this year and to the unfavorable weather
toward the latter part of the month.
stores in all cities reported smaller
sales. When allowance is made for price
changes. however, the total amount of
goods sold during November was prob
ably greater than that sold during Mo-
venber, 1920. The number of individual
sales as reported by twenty stores that
keep such records was 7.3 per cent.
greater. The average amount of the in
dividual sale declined ~ per cent. from
$3.50 'in November. 1920, to S3.13 in No
vcnlber, 1921.
Department store sales in November
compare much more favorably with
those of last year than do sales by mail
order houses, but less favorably than
sales by chain store systems. The chain
store sales however, are affected by the
increase in the number OF stores. The
following table shows the changes:
Nov, sa'fs 1921. Nov. Saifs is2o. chs. e
Chain stores. SOL ,05J 600 Sti0 scr. 900 + %
Depart. stores. 3,Gos.00o 36,627.Oo0 So
M. O. houses. 2s, 54i 600 43,GS7 900 --s4s
Mail order sales gs.v, been adversely
affected by the reduerd demand from the
agricultural population. OF the min
systems the five and ten cent stor r. ~
c.ft an Inc, >ase of "a per. cent. y er
sales last .sc-ember, ard cigar stores a
decrease or IS per cent Sales of drv
goods drug ard grocery stores were
about tho came as last year."
The only. new development with an
immediate bearing on the trade situa-
ton in the last week. according to busi-
ness reviews. was the arrival of lower
temperatures. which resulted in an in
crease in the volume OF retail pur-
chases, but with that accession the ag-
gresate did not wholly satisfy.
According to Duts Rericlc, "distribu-
ton of heavyweight goods, which had
been tagging I'm different quarters. de-
rived soine stimulus from the colder
weather. and further reduction OF
| merchandise stocks resulted Despite
the restrictive Influences present, holiday
trade has exceeded expectations in not
few Instances. and the fact that the
| general turnover has not been of the
same magnitude as in some other years.
nor as profitable, is not a reason for
encouragement"
Brddstreet's State of Trade said in
part: Doubts seem to exist at a num-
ber OF cities as TO volume. that is. guam
tity. of buying equaling a year ago.
when prices were higher but purchasing
power was undoubtedly larger. on ball
ance, the trend seems TO be toward n
trade well below that of 1920 in value,
with later information needed 20 fix this
| approximately. Useful gifts rather than
luxuries seem to predominate. although
the confectionery trade seems 10 have
done well. a not inconsiderabe influence
in this direction being lower prices rul-
ing than a year ago."