Evening star., 1935-10-27
October u, 1885.

whom you ask for something she can't supply Il
she would listen attentively to what you say
and answer IL am very sorry we have nothingI
at all like that in the color you want; but Il
could give you something in small pattern
of yellow" and then with certain eagerness
she would ask: "Have you time to let me show
it to you?"
You are pleased, first because the sales |
woman showed eagerness to help you find
what you want, and you as customer would
be very lacking in courtesy not at least to let
her show you what she so much hopes will
please you. When she brings it, you are in
clined to be pleased because you know in
advance that it is not going to be what you
want but neither is it going to be thrust
upon you. And the chances are II at least
within therange of possibility - that you will
take it if you can make it do.
A bad saleswoman lin my judgment, at all
events) is one who simply brushes what you
say you want aside and blandly spreads be-
fore you something that is exactly what you
have explained to her you do NOT want, at
the same time trying to force you to like it by
extolllng its beauties or its bargain values,
and Gaping the climax by telling you that
Mrs. Uppity thinks this is exquisite!
We can all understand seeking to guide
customer who doesn't know what she wants.
But what can result except irritability against
clerk and, because of the clerk, against the
store when customer of intelligence is treated
as moron.
A particular illustration would not really
be valuable because politeness or rudeness de-
pends so much upon the manner in which
thing is said or done.
In social life tact is an asset. but in business,
almost as much as diplomacy, tact is essential
Why tact and good temper and courteous con-
sideration of others is exacted of one who sells
is simple enough to understand. But why the
one who buys is ever led to imagine that the
precepts of courtesy need not apply to her
own behavior, is to be explained only as a
point of view of An upstart and snob.
The test of lady is nowhere greater than
in situations where the advantage is her own.
1t isn't possible to advertise lack of quality
more blatantly than does the overbearing. in
considerate shopper. who rudely criticizes
everything a saleswoman shows her, who treats
her as though she we're some one of COM
pletely inferior class. who keeps her in the
decorating department for an entire morning
or afternoon pulling material about, and then
announces that she expects wholesale prices.
At guess. would say that the greatest
strain upon saleswOman sportsmanshp and
good temper would be in the dressmaking de-
partment where making sale is likely to
exact a greater amount of time and salesman
ship as well as specialized knowledge than is
necessary in department. for example, where
merchandise is sold over counter.
And what careless customer often does to
model dresses does not always 60 on the right
side of the ledger. Perhaps she smears the
front OF the dresses with lipstick as she pulls
them on or off. Or. if the day is very hot and
she wears scant underclothes. she dampens
them with perspiration. Perhaps she tears
them in haste or sheer carelessness; perhaps
she scorches one with her cigarette - but
rarely does she think she did the damage And
in the end she orders none. or perhaps she
buys and then returns everything looking still
more shopworn the next day.
1t is true that almost everyone at some time
buys something and, for one reason or another,
is obliged to send it back. But this is not the'
chronic practise of any well bred person; and
neither is being inconsiderate of sales peoplA
nor of the merchandise belonging to the storefd
Another lack of consideration is shown b.
thoca who fO a ctora fop rvoip,,fac hafOrn1