Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-04-17
ELLEN YOUNG
DOCTOR OF SALES
By Ruth Leigh
Author Of The Human Side OF Re-
tail Selling" The A B c Of Retail
ing" etc.

dries department in the basement is
operated at a loss, Mr.. B~arringer,"
declared Ellen Young to the son of
the founder OF the Barringer De-
partment Store.
Fine! Shoot" Theodore Barrin-
ger had a winsome smile, and ne
leaned forward eagerly.
ITO begin with. it's in the wrong
location. A drug sundries depart
, ment should never be in the base
ment of any department store. Drugs
, and toilet articles represent what we
call utility merchandise. Station
cry Is in the same class. Utility
| goods consist of the smaller comfort
items. useful articles Cor the home
OF for the person. They're something
like impulse goods which a Gus
| toner buys because reminded of a
need. Now suppose q woman passes
| your drug counter. She suddenly
remembers that she needs a box of
face powder and that little Johnnie
must have a new tooth brush. I'm
mediately she steps up to the oun
ter and buys"
sure, that's true" Theodore Bar
| ringer shrugged.
"Well how in the world car a wo-
man be reminded OF needs-either
for impulse goods or for utility mer-
chandise-if you put those depart
ments in the basement? You must
give the best location to goods which
customers buy on impulse or be-
cause they are reminded OF a need.
That explains why the drug sun
| dries and toilet goods departments
In the best stores are usually on the
main floor, and in the most promi-
nent part OF the store, too. In most
cases you must remind people that
you carry utility or impulse goods
before they will buy"
Then you think our drug depart
ment ought to be on the main floor
Most decidedly. 1t will never pay
where 1t il now. I'll tell you an IN
~teresting thing about store arrange
ment. We classify goods into fve
groups. First, there are impulse
goods, such as candies. leather goods
novelties. Customers buy them be-
cause they are we'll displayed or be-
cause they are reminded OF a need
Impulse goods are always In promi-
nent parts of the store. second
there are convenience goods. such as
umbrellas and alarm clocksEgoods
that have a definite use at a definite
time, but not at all times. You have
TO put them in good locations, not
because their sales are always big.
but because when people want them
well, they want them" :
"Sure, like umbrellas on a rainy
day, Sales are dead other times, but
on rainy days, they're big. Yet we
give our most valuable store space
to 'em." Barringer agreed enthu-
~siastically.
Exactly. Stores place convenience
goods just of the traffic routes OF a
store, yet in good locations. Third,
there are necessities, underwear
shoes, carpets-which you can place
on upper floors because customers
will go to any part Of the store to
buy them. They plan their purchase
in advance. Then, fourth, there Is
utility merchandise, such as drugs
and stationery. We've talked about
| them. They r given as good ioca-
| tions as impulse goods"
"And how about luxuries, like Jew
| elry and art goods Don't they belong
in some class?"
Eyes, I was going to put them
In the fifth group. luxury articles
| OF course, can be found in n line
| of merchandise. There may be lux
| uries in face powders, for instance,
| or in underwear-such as fancy silks.
But usually we place luxury goods
that are bought on the spur OF the
moment Gas distinguished from lux
uries that are planned for) on the
main floor. So you see what we
mean by placing certain departments
in good locations. You must think
of the convenience OF the Gus
toner"
I'VE certainly ought to move u
| drug department upstairs. I'll tell
dad tomorrow" said young Bar
ringer.
As Ellen Young was leaving the
B~arringer store that evening she was
stopped by a dapper young man who
told her that he worked in the mems
furnishing department.
II Just wanted to ask o II you
thought there was q chance for a
salesman in a department store. or
If you didn't think it was a work
only for women"
Ellen Young's reply to this Ques.
ton is worth reading. whether you
sell at retail or Wholesalers r in
any other business position. IL VIII
appear on Monday.
Let Miss Leigh answer your busi-
ness questions on buying. selling, ad-
yertising, employment, etc. Ask your
Questions clearly and give all the
facts. Questions requiring technical
answers will be replied to by mail.
Others will be. answered in this
column.
Business Questions Answered
Do you believe in an office execu-
tive encouraging social activities
1900 - hvrGI-