THE SALE SWINDLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 175, 28 August 1909, Page 3

THE SALE SWINDLE.

WHEN * BARGAINS AREN'T WHAT THEY'RE CRACKED UP TO BE. There are, of course, any number of genuine sales, where customers get fu l l value for the money; but, on the other hand, there are many that ore otherwise (says a writer iu a Home paper). In the world of shopkeepers there are ■wild schemes innumerable to trick the customer not overburdened with brains. I shudder to think of the army of such I have humbugged during my career jis a< shop-assistant, and am glad of th?s opportunity to unburden my conscience somewhat by confessing to some of the devices I have successfully used to ensnare the female haunter of shops. Imagine the windows of a large drapery emporium, and right in front of the jacket and mantle mindow a smart | jacket, honestly worth £4. but marked JE2 9s 11% d .% The merest novice in values can see it is a bargain. | The . "novice" is soon on the sce.te,

demanding the jacket. f "We', have a large stock of exactly the same kind upstairs," the assistant insinuates. But the customer wants the jacket in the window, and, with beautifully-acted reluctance, the assistant goes to fetch the coveted garment. It is sold almost on sight, and along the street the lady trips, hugging her ''bargain.'* Yet, all the same, that "bargain" lias never left the shop. Let me explain. J \ Materials may look the same and yet be very different in quality. Made up in exactly similar style, it is difficult » to detect a.difference in quality where there is absolutely none in design, pattern, or color, unless the two can compared. Briefly, then, the jacket carried away by the ladv was one of ordinary stock; ' that which enticed her was of special * material, made for ghow. For eacli "bait" article thus displayed an exact duplicate in all but quality of materials is kept at the back of the window, but out of sight of anyone looking in from the street. All there its to do is to take out the "show" article, put it in the place of the duplicate, and take the latter to the cus* \ tomer. Now, take silks. In the dress-goods widow will one day appear one or two lines in silk marke,d 3s ll'/ad a yard, lut honestly worth double. i Presently* a watchful shopper comes along and spies the bait. It doesn't take her many minutes to make up her mind about this being a "bargain," audi in she rushes. On the shelves inside is a web of "mercerised" silk of exactly, the same color, pattern, and all else except quality. From this web the customer gets her dress-length. Inside the fhop it is considerably darker than n the window, and the inferiority of the srtic'.e is not easily detected by sight. Sometimes, however, the customer demands & length' cut from the- web in the window, and won't be put off. The is brought forth, and at the same moment the P.I. —• private Information signal is made to the nearest disengaged 1 assistant. Tfcis man immediately begins to imitate down to the last detail the actions of his colleague waiting on the silk-buying customer. The dreg* v length is duly cut from the web taken from the window, the "extras" in buttons and trimmings are added as chosen, and the parcel is made up, the ladv watching every minoyement,. • The assistant is in no hurry over, tying the parcel, and, to crown all, he clumsily drops it on the floor when cutting the string. But, like a flash, lie ha ft it up again, and, with profuse apologies, hands it to the customer. Of course' the parcel is the duplicate made up bv the other assistant. . ,