Evening star., 1927-05-02
tD|G STORES TURN
TO SALES STUDIES
sCIasSes in Selling Being Es-
tabIished to Gain Full Share
of Retail Trade.
By j. G. ROYLE,

Special Dispatch TO The star.
NEW YORK. May 2.--Retail trade
showed decided improvement through
out the country in the last month
But independent stores and depart
ment stores still are worried over con
ditions. They do not fear slacken'
ing of buying power. nor do they be-
lieve industrial activity will decline
sharply. They feel that the agrtcul-
turai situation, despite its drawbacks
has much to brighten 1t. But they
are worried because the increase IN
business came in greater volume tc
the mail order and chain store houses.
Earnest efforts are being made to
. analyze this situation. Many mer'
chants declare that the mail order
houses have been successful because
they let the customer sell himself, and
the same Is true in some measure
of the chain stores. The latter, many
merchants claim, do well because they
; do business in small units, which per-
Ynits better individual service to Gus
) toners. Some merchants say frankly
: that they have been outpaced because
/ their employees have not had proper
education in selling.
Spurring the Sales.
Various methods are being taken to
spur department store sales. For one
thing. space in many stores is being
soId 10 the departments of that store
on as strictly a business basis as is
done by a real estate agent. The floor
has SO many square feet of space,
, rental for which is fixed at certain
sum. The space devoted to each de-
! partment is measured and that de-
! partrnent is charged rent for the space.
} If the department cannot pay that
rent. its overhead and show a pront
IL is either reorganiZed or discontinued.
Many merchants have gone OUTSIDE
the department store field for expert
advice in making their stores pay
larger profits. The results of one such
study made in a large department
store in one of the automobile centers
of the Nation are being widely dls'
cussed in merchandise circles The
merchant induced friend, the sales
manager of a big automobile company
TO tell him what was wrong with ms
store. The friend called in bright
Young man and smart young woman
OF his own force. He gave each $lVo
and said:
'Go spend a week in IS store
and see how much of this money you
can keep from spending.
The couple spent eight hours day
for five days and four on SaturCAy IN
the store, but that was all they spent
They returned the 5000 intact. More
over, they reported the astonishing
fact that nobody had tried TO sell them
ANYTHING. They had just looked and
waited and the clerks had just talked
of last nights parties and the weekly
bowling tournament. They made a
detailed report of their experiences in
every department. The adventure OF
the man in the shoe department will
serve as an example.
Shoe Selling Lesson.
The man, otherwise smartly dress
ad. but with a shabby pair Of shoes,
drifted into the shoe department. !.
"Can show you anything" asked
@ clerk. .
1ust waiting for my wife. :.
"Make yourself right at home, "
answered the clerk.
The man sat around the shoe de-
partment for three hours, much or
the time with four idle clerks behind
his chair, but no one tried to sell aim
q pair of shoes.
The report of the shoppers was read
ia the sales force of the store at their
annual dinner and dance, and the pro-
prietor of the store says it has done
his business a million dollars worth
OF good.
Other merchants are conducting
sales schools, not for new clerks, but
for the oldtimers, and are nnding
that after the first flash OF resent
nent. the old statesmen are taking on
>. new lease of life and new attitude
of interest in the firm and Its prog
ress.