Evening star., 1938-07-24


actly what articles offered for sale are
made Of what care should be given
them and what can be expected of
them, the council holds.
In order to get a cross section of
opinion on the value of more in
formative labelling, the council has
recently sent 5000 ouestionnaires to
manufacturers, retailers and con-
sumers.
This survey" explained Dr. Faith
NJ. Williams, who represents the AM
erican Association of University
Women on the council, lis to find out
what buyers and sellers want to know
about goods at the point of sale.
The consumer wants TO get his
moneys worth and the seller wants
him to get it, because that is sound
business practice. An informative
label should be of assistance to both
If the buyer knows just what he is
buying and the seller is equally well
informed, a better balance is estab-
lished between them
One thing that might be accom-
plished through more informative
labelling. Is the reduction of the volume
of returned goods, DR.. williams ex-
planned. That this is bad business is
indicated by the fact that in many
stores merchandise representing 10,
20 or even 80 per cent of the total
sales are now returned by customers
because the goods did not fill the
bill"
Informative labelling, and the even
tual establishment by some impartial
national organization, OF standards
for consumer goods, the council be-
lieves, will provide an entering wedge
in the solution of the consumer
problem
Buyers and sellers are both rep
resented on the council, which pro-
vides a discussion forum. the buyers
by several women's groups, organized
on national scale, and the sellers
by national retail organizations.
One unusual feature of its plan of
work is that no legislative action
whatever is contemplated. Results
will be obtained through studies, such
x,
sducation and cooperation.
Xxx
Changes in the marketing of COM
modities within recent years are
largely responsible for today's con-
sumner problems, the council holds.
Fifty years ago, it points out, buy
ing and selling was on a more equi-
table basis than at present. Buyers
end sellers played the game as equals
and as individuals then. But the
balance has been upset. More changes
have taken place. it is said. in the
the past so years than in the pre-
eeding 5000 years The variety in
price and quality, now being offered
to customers is greater than our
grandmothers imagined possible. For
one thing, mechanical refrigeration,
automobiles, radios and other house.
hold machinery have become part
of the modern scheme of living. Our
erandmothers never dream med of me-
chanical equipment and they were
about as competent as We are to Judge
which of the many models offered for
sale is the best buy.
The complexity of modern products
and manufacting as well as the great
variety Of goods confuses the buyers,
who are unable to Judge values accu-
rately.
Fifty years ago most merchants
knew their customers by name now
sometimes as many as $4,000 trans
actions are handled daily by some Of
the modern stores and buyers do
business with a complex. impersonal
corpora ton, instead of with personal
friends
These are some of the factors, the
present maladjustment between the
two groups. Re-establishing the
equality of the buyer and the seller,
Is held to be the immediate problem.
If this cannot be done. the council
states, the whole conception Of trade
Is due for a radical change.
Keen competition for the con-
eumer's dollar has taught the i'm
portance of wise spending" according
to DR. williams. "Present-day needs
are so varied that if the average
person is to have his share of the
machinery that makes life pleasant,
every dollar must be split several ways
Every one wants a car, radio, a
vacuum cleaner and dozens of other
things. plus the necessities. 1t takes
clever shopper to encompass them
all 1t is not enough for the buyer
to beware, she must also be informed" !"
Representatives of the Consumer
Retailer Relations Council for the
American Association Of University
Women are DR.. Ruth Ayers and Miss
Alice Edwards OF New York City and
Or. Williams and DR.. Esther Cole
Franklin Of Washington. Miss Ruth
ORrien and Mrs. Harriet r. Howe
both of Washington. and DR.. Helen
Judy Bond of New York City are the
representatives of the American Home
Economics Association.
The General Federation of Women's
Clubs was represented In a recent
meeting by Mrs. Saddle Orr Dunbar.
Mrs. Dunbar will soon appoint rep
resentatives to the council who will
serve under the department of the
American home, of which DR.. Jose
phine Pierce is the new chairman.
The retailers groups in the council
are the National Retail Dry Goods
Association and the American Retail
Federation.
Cooperating with the Consumers
Retailers Relations Council Is the
Advisory Committee on Consumers
Goods Of the American Standards
Association. 1t includes the A. A.
q. W. represented by DR.. Williams.
. with DR.. Elizabeth May as alternate;
II T. A. Miss O'Rrien and A6rs