Evening star., 1933-12-19
SHOPPING CROWDS
JAMM|NG STORES
Sales Expected to Exceed
Considerably Those of
Last Year.

Throngs of Christmas shoppers,
fiocking to retail establishments in a
last-minute effort to catch up" on
belated gift buying, are rapidly push
ing the sales barometer for Yuletide
business upward to point somewhere
between the 1882 level and the record
for 1881.
While dollars s-and-centS volume Of
sales probably will not attain the figure
Of two years ago. merchants are con-
hdent that the 1882 total will be con-
siderably bettered, check-up today
revealed. They base this prediction on
the Jump in sales over the last week,
and particularly on the tremendous
volume of business transacted Satur-
day and yesterday.
Crowds. reminiscent Of the more
prosperous days OF 1929, are milling
through department stores and gift
shops, and downtown sidewalks are
cent years during this period of shop
ping.
Merchants observe, however, that a
greater percentage of popular-priced
merchandise is being moved than here
tofore. There is a decided tendency,
they say, to the practical types of gifts
in the medium price range, rather than
of cheaper quality The bargain coun-
tiers are patronized, of course. but not
to the point anticipated, AMI the larger,
more expensive merchandise also Is mov-
ing on large scale, but not so much
of it as has been the custom.
Weather May Be Favorable.
The jump in business Saturday and
Monday was attributed by some mer-
chants to distribution of c. w. A. and
P. w. A. wages and to the Government
pay day, which fell on Friday. Cold
Wintry weather is a condition which
stimulates Yule shopping some observers
declare, and they believe the prospect
of falling temperatures during the re-
mainder of the week augers well for the
remainder of the shopping period.
The loss of Christmas eve as a shop
ping day is expected to be felt severely
by the merchants. but in spite of this
they anticipate better volume of bust
ness than a year ago. Realization that
Saturday will really be the shoppers
Christmas eve, however. should make
that day one of the biggest selling days
for gift merchandise in years, they
believe
Edward D. Shaw, secretary OF the
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation, pointing out that Washington
is going through one of the busiest
shopping periods in its history. urged
buyers to use all possible care in max
ing purchases, and to plan their buy
ing In advance of their trips
Suggestions Made.
He suggested the following plan:
l. Make out at home tentative shop
ping lists. Study newspaper advertis-
ing columns, remembering that expert
merchandisers have given intensive
study to the gift suggestions carried in
these Christmas store announcements.
?. Get downtown early in the morn
ing. Stores are far less crowded, clerks
less tired and stocks are in better shape
during the first two hours after the
store opens.
3. Garry home at least small bundles.
During the next few days stores will be
doing double their normal daily busi-
ness and annoying mistakes in the
delivery of packages are far more likely
to occur at this season than at any
other time.
4. If the article must be delivered,
find out from the clerk the probable
time of delivery and have some re-
sponsible person at home at that time
to receive the package. Much Christ
mas merchandise Is delayed in delivery
through failure to do this.
5. Keep your children out of the
downtown section during the rush sea-
son unless accompanied by parents or
some responsible older person.
6. Make every possible purchase dur
ing the next few days. Early shopping
has been unusually heavy throughout
the country this year, and the mer-
| chants stocks are being depleted rap
idly.