The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-12
WHY SHOP EARLY2

mas shopping until it shall be more
convenient in point Of time or money.
Why not, then, demand real, substan-
/ tial reasons for the annual urge
shop Early" which, at this time of
the month. is due for paraphrasing
into the older American admonition,
do it now" supplemented with, do
| it early IN the day.
/ The many business interests which,
within the past few years, have done
their utmost to impress the public
with the wisdom of early Christmas
shopping have reviewed in detail the
advantages accruing to the shoppers
as well as to the employees of the
stores. But we are strong for senti-
ment in the United States, and the
people at large, with the national in
stinct dominant, have seen the tired
sales girl as the only figure in the pic
ture.
Well, it's all there and it's all true.
The sales girl does get very tired. She
does need every bit of help the public
can give in averting the crushing
congestion of trade that commonly
develops during and just prior to
Christmas week
/
caps which arise from its tendency to
neglect its own welfare. come nearer
home and are well worthy of sober
lconsideration-eve of sentiment.
The stores as a rule, do everything
within thei over to present, well in
advance of the holidays, the widest
variety of holiday merchandise. 1t is
a service TO the public that costs real
money in addition to much thought
an care. Early investment of capt.
tai requisite for early display of goods,
represents a direct expense and one
felt in ways beyond mere loss of in
terest on the funds employed. There
lis also an obvious eneroachment of
! holiday merchandise on the advertise
ing and store display space, on the
time of the working forces. on the
whole conduct of the business, at the
expense of other merchandise that is
usually regarded as more seasonable
for fall and early winter than for the
actual Christmastide. The public is
offorded every possible opportunity to
enjoy, for its distinctively holiday pur-
chases, the broadcast range of selec-
ton and the best possible service.
In spring and again in fall, people
always know what they need. If, at
the opening of the two seasons, they
don't know, they make all haste to
find out. They do real shopping then.
They give ample time and close OBJ
servation to the obvious duty of get
ting precisely what they want at such
prices as they feel they can afford.
Yet in the matter of Christmas shop
ping, although must has been accom-
plished in the way Of popular educa-
ton, millions remain who let it go
until the last few days; forfeit all the
costly and carefully planned oppor-
tunities for judicious choice: and
spend money for hurried purchases
which have been neither well weighed
nor wen selected.
IL we, as a people, are prone to be
moved by sentimen, we are also pc
cuharly alive to the significance of
figures. Suppose we supplement the
sympathy we feel for the sales girl,
whom we so callously overworl, with
some figures that come mighty near
home to ourselves:
The yearly volume of sales in the
department stores, speciality shops and
dry goods stores of the United States
is $4,000 goo. OF that immense sum
IA per cent, or about 81, 900, 0O0. 600 is
laid out in the month of December
very close to $50 for every family in
the United States Any grown per-
son can approximate, in the instance
of his or her own family, what per-
centage goes for christmas presents"
IL no more than one half-$25 per
family, $500, 900 900 in the aggregate
- ~.
in any one of several months of the
year for what are considered common
necessaries. Yet every other half
billion out of the S7.O00.0oO,0OO is ex-
pended with the utmost forethought
and care in selection. Then why not
this half-billion for our Christmas
gifts?
Why not, then, shop earlyf, syste-
matically carefully, for ones own
satisfaction and, what is more impor-
tant in shopping Of this kind, for the
real satisfaction of our kin and our
friends? Why not spend our $780,
600, 000-if that is fair estimate-to
our own very best advantage, instead
If delaying. guessing and. in the end,
taking the leavings of the thousands
who have already had their pick of
the best2
For there are thousands Of early
shoppers now, many thousands. who
shop not only early in the pre- Christ
mas season but early in the day They
are the shrewd shoppers who have oh
served that stocks are always COM
plete well ordered, freshest in the
forenoon. and that the sales girl is
then at her best and brightest for
their service.
Their numbers are not now restricted
to our own county The shop Early
movement has extended to Canada,
England, Scotland and even to New
Zealand. The substantial reasons.
backing up the desire-which is so
amply justified-to relieve retail sales
forces of needless overwork, have
given it international scope.
1t may be because the pounds, sFil-
lings and pence are scarcer there than
the dollar is here. But there are a
good many millions of US in the Unit
ed States, these days, who have rea-
son enough to make a dollar 20 as far