CONSIDER THE SHOP ASSISTANT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 60, 3 December 1937, Page 4

CONSIDER THE SHOP ASSISTANT

Help to Make CbrMtma* Shopping Pleasan' PLAN YOUR PURCHASES Three weeks more and Christmas witt be here again. Retail trade in Hastings is now showing signs of the increased, seasonal business that will increase daily until the nsual frantic rtish of Christmas Eve when, for more than 18 hours, the shops of the town will be thronged with customers making their final purchases of food, presents, and decorations for Christmas. Althougft wise shoppers have already put their buying plans into operation, there are many who will spend the final thre# days upon their shopping. In nearly every shop there are now arranged tempting displays of a wide variety of gifts, and in the coming Week there will be added other gifts, with decorations in the traditional Christmas style. Preparations for the Christmas rnsh, of course, are made a long time in advance, and the range of special lines whieh will be on sale thie year was probably ordered eoon after last Christmas. No advantage is to be gained by waiting for the last few days for the completion of shopping, because, in all cases, the full range of Christmas gifts, with the possible eteeption of those in the book line, lg now available on the shelves. The Last-Minute Bttsh. Repeated requests to "shop early'* are as repeatedly ignored by shoppew, who cling to the practiee of indulging in a last-minute scurry for presents, but, in so acting, they are penalising themselves. The cream of the selectiog Will probably have been skimmed away by the prudent 'early shoppers by the time the lateeomer makes his purchaies, and there will certainly not be the same comfort in shopping in the late* stages. How many shoppers will have made any sort of plan or preparation about' their shopping? How many go to tow» knowing just what they want for each and every person to whom they intend to make a present? How many will go through their shopping with some thought for the shop-assistant, who i| faced with the problem of helping a large majority of customers to select gifts, and that at a time when the rush of business is greater than at any other. period of the year. Even a»little preliminary thought might make Christmas shopping e fi peditions easier for all concerncdi While entitled tq expect eoine assist* ance in- selection from a shopkeeper, the thoughtful cnstomer will keep ret quests within reason. A little refleetioa will serve to show that it is asking too much of an assistant, at a time whea there are perhaps hUndreds in a shop, to suggest n suitable present for a , centenarian grondmother who" is almosf blind, or a small child who has already. too many toys and books. Yet this ii done in many instances, and the assis* tant must do his best, keep smiling, and endeavour to attend to the want* "of dozens of other customers as quiclrly as possible. Delivery of Purchases. The extreme readiness of shops and stores to deliver anything down to the smallest package can easily ,be abuseg by customers. The delivery of even a small package means extra work to many people in an organisation whieh is already at full piessure. It is not suggested that Christmas shoppem should carry home all their purchases-- . many of them appear.to accumulate a large number of parcels as it is — but the happy medinm between extrema* should be songbt. An even more importanfc point that will be considered by the thoughtful ehopper is expediency in making pur* chases. Arrive knowing what is wanted, buy, pay and depart. The casual. conve'rsation that may be appreciated by an. assistant on an ordinary day will only make the burden more heavy at Christmas. Make consideration the key-j note of your Christmas shopping.