SEASONAL SALES POPULAR

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23258, 20 July 1945, Page 4

SEASONAL SALES POPULAR

Bargain Hunt On Old Excitement Missing Many Timaru shops arc advertising sales and the hunt is on. True, they are not the old-time sales when model hats were to be had for 2/6 and once exclusive frocks for £l. but prices have been reduced considerably for certain lines of fashion goods, and the innate love of a bargain is drawing all women to the sales. Almost since the beginning of the war most firms have restricted their seasonal sales to a period of a few days instead of extending them over a week or so which used to be the custom, and it is a case of the early bird getting the “one only." Speaking yesterday to a representative of "The Timaru Herald." the manager of one drapery establishment said that although this season’s sale had lacked the excitement of pre-war bargain rushes, his customers seemed to have enjoyed themselves as much as of yore. Women shoppers now appreciate value more than they used to, he said, and very few buy an article just because it is marked down in price—if it is half-price and she has a use for it cash and coupons are quickly handed over and yet another “real bargain” is added to someone's record. “Doing the Sales" ■ But “doing the sales" has become much more of an art—in the good old days a couple of 10/- notes and plenty of elbow power was all that was required, but to-day's bargain hunters have to exercis- a fine discretion in the selection of frocks, suits and coats because, no matter how heavily reduced the price is, the full coupon value has to be surrendered. Once it was the thrill of a lifetime to buy a two guinea pair of lounge pyjamas for 30 -. although they would never be worn—it was a bargain then, but a bargain to-day is something not so cheap, perhaps, but which will give good service for a long time. Goods are not being marked down so much now because of Price Tribunal control. Before the war, the reporter was told, there was sufficient profit on fashion lines particularly to allow any left-overs at th'- end of the season or other lines which had not proved popular to be “thrown out” at the sales. Now there was a much smaller margin of profit and, consequently, reductions were less. Contrary to popular belief among the “women in the street,” the larger sales this year are not an indication that stocks are be ing cleared to make room for immediate importations. One draper expressed the opinion that it will be at least 13> months before Britain will be ready to export cloths in any quantity, arid the representative of an English firm went so far as to say that there will be less overseas stock received in New Zealand next year than during 1945. No Increase in Imports Engineers, other experts and factoryworkers have to be released from the Services before the change-over from war to peace production can be even started in Britain: British manufacturers are still rationed in raw materials; tire New Zealand Government is maintaining its import restrictions. These were three reasons given by the draper who does not expect any increase in his English stock for some time and his firm does not propose to take in larger stock of United States or Canadian goods if these should be available before their English orders.

“A high standard of quality is demanded in New Zealand," lie said, “and our recent experiment with American prints has strengthened our policy to buy from Britain whenever possible. American manufacturers are handy in guaranteeing their cloths tc be fadeless, washable, etc., but their British counterparts are more conservative in their claims, and the New Zealand public has been satisfied.”