Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1888 — BARGAIN DAY IN NEW YORK. [ARTICLE]

BARGAIN DAY IN NEW YORK.

How Big Merchant* Can Sell Good* Far Below Their Value. New York Cor. Bt. Louis Globe-Democrat. The rain was coming down in torrents. The big stores were deserted. Women in waterproofs and rubbers were hurrying through the streets. There was not enough business doing in any of the stores to pay for the gas. Ic was a stupid, dreary day, that gives one the blues and makes reasoning about suicide a positive pleasure. “Take all that velvet off the shelves and pile it all on a table near the door. Reduce the price from $2.50 per yard to sl. Have a sign painted that we kc selling velvets for the rest of the day. Don’t sell over ten yards to any one person/’ 8o spoke the superintendent or manager of one of the biggest dry goods houses on Sixth avenue, and the velvets and sign were immediately placed as ■ordered.“We haven’t done enough business to-day to pay our insurance,” he said to the chief clerk of the department where the velvet was sold, “and I want to see what attraction that sign will have.” In fifteen minutes that portion of thfii store where the velvet was on sale was crowded with men and women. They yelled like Comanches and pulled at the rich goods like giants at a tug of war. Richly dressed ladies and poor women with shawls over their shoulders were in the crush. Business men on their way home and young girls from other shops struggled to get some of the handsome goods. ‘ It’s the best velvet in the market, Madame. Our regular price is $2 50 per yard,’’.said the clerk to a would-be purchaser. “I’ll take 20 yards,” said the lady. “Can’t sell but ten yards to one person,” was the clerk’s reply. "Well,” said the lady, “I’ll take ten yards and my little daughter here will take ten yards more. You need not cut it. I’ll pay for it all.” And so the struggle went on until 6 o’clock, when the store was closed. The next day the velvet was put back on the shelf, and what remained was sold for $2.50 per yard. This, doubtless, seems very curious to a person who does not understand the methods of New York storekeepers. But it was not an unusual performance. It was simply an advertisement. Business was dull, and it was necessary to do something to attract the attention of purchasers. The old plan was to put a big advertisement in the daily newspapers and invite customers to call and examine the magnificent display of goods. The new way is to cut the price one-half on some article and thus attract shoppers with money. It is a method that works very satisfactorily, and the p ersons who were able to purchase some’ of the velvet of course told their friends store was crowded the next day, and whoever saw a woman leave a dry goods store without puichasing something? If the price on every article the store is advanced j ust a trifle, why the storekeeper doesn’t lose anything by selling the velvet so cheap. In fact, he probably gains by it. One store may run dress goods in thtf way descril ed. Another may run underwear. Still another furs, or shoes or knickknacks or umbrellas or la :es, or a score of other articles equally dear to the feminine heart. In this way New York women have become known as bargain hunters. No portion of the daily papers is read by them with so much interest as the advertising columns. They know all about every big store in town and know justwteretogotofinibaraainiL-Ifa woman be smart Jshe may drers gor geouily and furnish her house on very little money. She must, of course, know the value of goods, for half of the articles sold as “bargains” are in no sense bargains at ail. deal of old trumpery is sold on “bargain day” for double its worth, but the average New York woman is no fool. She knows a bad article, as well as a good one, as soon as she sees it.