THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 261, 4 August 1928, Page 24

THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER

SMALL SCOPE FOR WOMEN

During the war a number of women worked as commercial travellers, calling upon mercahnts and shopkeepers and selling goods of various kinds. Generally the position taken was one previously filled by father, husband, or brother, and the woman stepped into the breach to keep together a connection until the absent one returned. ■ In those days the woman traveller became a familiar figure in the commercial rooms of hotels frequented by the business fraternity up and down the country. To-day women travellers are rarely seen in the commercial room of an hotel, but that is possibly because they prefer to stay elsewhere rather than intrude into a masculine preserve while their presence is not always welcome (says the “Manchester Guardian”). The number of women engaged in the work of selling goods by calling upon business people with samples and patterns is not large in comparison with their male competitors, but it is much greater than before the war, when the woman traveller was almost unknown. The work is hard and usually imposes a severe physical strain upon a woman, for even with a car there is much standing about and waiting in the street, in all weathers, for the buyer to be at liberty. Women are frequently employed in calling upon shopkeepers with specialities, but are very rarely engaged in wholesale business. The reason for this may be that merchants and manufacturers generally seek recruits from among their own employees who have been brought up in the business, rather than because of any prejudices against

women travellers. But careful perusal of the “wanted” advertisements in the daily papers reveals few opportunities for the woman commercial traveller. Even in trade papers devoted to frocks " and fashions, or to confectionery, perfumery, and other feminine articles, the advertisements for travellers rarely include women. On the other hand, women buyers are frequently wanted and saleswomen for shops are in constant demand, as are demonstrators and house-to-house canvassers. The jnly opening for a woman as a commercial traveller appears to be in cases where some special feminine trait is desired for demonstration purposes. Thus, a manufacturer of face powder apparently considers a good complexion of more importance than actual selling ability. There are very few men, however, who can become commercial travellers without previous experience, as a connection of. some kind is considered essential. Should one have a keen desire to become a commercial traveller, the only way to represent a house of good standing is by first serving an apprenticeship inside and becoming thoroughly acquainted with the goods that are to be sold. It is possible that women have no great wish to engage in a business in which there is a good deal of discomfort and disappointment, without proportionate reward, and have not, therefore, offered their services to employers very readily. But there should be great scope for women travellers now that ready-made garments are taking the place of the dressmaker and so much variety is seen in the shops.