Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-05-13
Women Report on the
Return.Coods Practice
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

"It is generally admitted to be more
necessary than ever before that the
products of farm and factory go to
homes for consumption, with fewer
dollars of purchasing power spent in
sending goods back to their source OF
production"
This Is the conclusion of survey
of the consumers viewpoint on re-
turned goods, shown in an analysis OF
reports from declarations Of womens
clubs in various sections Of the United
States which the Department OF Com
merce has just completed. 1t Is said
to be the first study ever made as to
the attitude of the women Of the coun-
try-who, incidentally, do IS per cent
o. the retail buying-on how they may
improve their own methods OF doing
business with producers or distributors
of merchandise.
From detailed reports which have
come in from widely scattered States,
the Department of Commerce con-
cludes that the women themselves are
beginning to realize some wholesome
facts. One is that unless consumers
cooperate in shaving down avoidable
distribution costs, too much centering
of consumers attention on price may
tend toward price reductions at the
expense of quality" 1t seems to be
generally admitted in the question
naires received by the women's clubs
that the large annual volume of re-
turned goods adversely affects price
to consumers without adding profit to
distributors or producers.
The economic waste involved runs
into millions of dollars. Much of this
waste is avoidable and this survey
would seem to indicate that about
one woman out of every two Is of the
opinion that the store was right in OBJ
jecting to a return" In many stores.
returns average from IS to 80 per cent
of net sales.
OF all return transactions for which
retailers and manufacturers were said
to be responsible, wrong size" and
poor quality" led, with 81 per cent
"Over-persuasion Of clerks"-the Gus
toners way of referring to high pow
cred salesmanship"-was said to be
responsible for nearly 20 per cent.
This investigation has been part of
the wise spending" movement which
the women's clubs of the country have
taken up seriously. The cooperative
spirit of the project has evidently
fired the imaginations of individual
women, professional workers, econo-
mists, publishers and leading trade
associations for all industries. Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt has commended
the work.
The Merchants and Manufacturers
Association Of Washington, after an
independent private inquiry, estimated
there is a Nationwide loss of from
$4,000, 100000 to $4,000, 100000 an
nually resulting from abuse Of the
privilege Of returning purchased goods
to stores. It estimates that the total
volume of returned Christmas gifts
alone this year in Washington was
close to q quarter Of a million dollars
in value.
Some time ago the General Fedora
ton Of Women's Clubs adopted a
shoppers creed" The shopper
agrees to remember always that
"cheapness in itself is not always a
bargain" and to consider suitability
and durability as well as price. She
agrees further to avoid merchandise
known to be produced under unfair
competitive conditions. such as sweat
shops or prisons, to be reasonable in
demands for service, and to refrain
at all times from returning any mer-
chandise unless the goods, or the
stores, are at fault"
The Commerce Departments sur.
vey Of returned goods points out that
the determination on the part Of the
American woman to make more eff
fective use of her purchasing power
Is mot only essential to the welfare
of her immediate family" but Is q
factor Of tremendous potential use in
the "co-ordination for business re-
covery."
copyright. 1934)