Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-22
THE REsOURCEFUL SHOPPER
BY Frederic J. Hsskin


Washington. Dec. 2t.--The out
standing fact about the retail market
these days is the variation you can
discover In the price asked for exact
ly the same article at different stores
Some retailers are apparently trying
to stand pat on war time prices, while
others are trying TO build up their
trade and hasten the turnover by
selling at the lowest prices they can,
No doubt. too, the retail price aries
widely because the wholesale prices.
at which goods now in stores were
bought, also vary. Some retailers
have goods in stock bought at war
time wholesale prices. and they are
holding them for n price that will give
them at least their money back
Others who bought more cautiously
have the same articles purchased az
somewhat lower rate.
| Whatever the reasons for this
| variety OF price on the same article, it
certainly exists, and Il creates an un-
usual opportunity for the resourceful
and determined shopper 10 find what
| he is looking for at n low price In
cidentally, the fact that In the same
town the same article is sold for three
or four different prices shows that
most people are not resourceful and
determined shoppers. While con-
stantly protesting against high prices
they, as a rule. tame'y pay what
ever the retailer demands. and they
make no special effort to patronize
the man who offers goods az a low
price. They buy where they are ac-
custOmed 10 buying. and would rath-
er pay few cents or dollars more
Than walk a few blocks farther. This
Is undoubtedly much more true OF
men than OF women.
Cigarettes at Three Prices.
Take for example. such a prepond-
erantly rqale trade as that in to-
tbacco. The most surprising variation
In the prices charged for the same
article Is observable. In this city
for example. there is n certain brand
OF cigarettes which may be purcha set
at II, 1S or 20 cents box. There ar,
just about as many places selling then
at one price as at either OF the others
Put all places seem to be doing ar
equally good business in them. I
. buys where he Is accustomed 10 buy
ing and that a saving OF IS per cen
Is not enough to induce him 10 chang
his habits. In this case. there is no
much 70 induce the retailer to lowe
his price. IL a low price brought
flood Of trade and a high price pro
duced a prompt boycott, IL is ex
tremely probable that the average O
. retail prices would fall
In another case a brand Of trade
? marked and nationally advertise
khaki trousers, widely used by sports
] men, was priced at three differen
e stores. The prices were $3.50, $50
!. and 81. Likewise. a large hardwar
2 store wanted $3.50 FOR a certain hand
{ AK, which Is trade-marRe6. 4 sn1alle
4 place sold the same tool for 81 .65.
2 is safe 10 say that many more OF thei
Z are sold at the higher price than &
6 the lower.
Sporting goods are sn instruct,
= illustration Of the shopping habits
/. men. These goods are bought exclui
8 lively by men. There are about 5000
!. 600 such men in this country who {
!, afield, and the industry which cater
8 to their wants Is a large one. It SUI
n ports, in a typical city OF half mi
: ion people. flve or six stores devote
n exclusively to such goods. The price
e charged for these goods vary from ]
a to so per cent. The leading store @