_Respect in handling inspires respect._--A woman will not bu_Selling Home Furnishings: A Training Program

article unless and until she has identified it with herself--conceived

of it as belonging to herself, and in her own home. Suppose that we are

showing her a length of drapery fabric. If we crush it, or handle it as

if it were calico or cheesecloth, or chance to step on it _before_ she

makes this unconscious identification with herself, she will think less

of it; if _after_, she will think less of us. Either reaction will be

harmful.

In departments using rug racks, often it is necessary to remove a rug

and show it on the floor before the sale can be closed. If we do this

in a way that permits the piece to fall in a wrinkled heap on the floor

we will not damage the rug, but we will hurt the buyer's opinion of it.

A shrewd salesman will ask his customer to walk on the rug; but he will

not walk on it himself.

The same care applies to showing furniture. It is folly to jerk a

drawer violently, or pound a table or dresser top, or thump the seat

of an easy chair, or sit on the arm of a sofa. Such actions reveal

an awkwardness and lack of poise which one does not associate with

good homes and their furnishings. Then, too, your customer, if she

is seriously considering a purchase, thinks of you subconsciously as

pounding her table or sitting on the arm of her sofa.

Similar care should be given to the language with which you

characterize or describe your merchandise. Many an automobile salesman

has lost a live prospect because he insisted on calling a beautiful car

a "job." "This stuff," or even "these goods," may lose the sale of a

fine damask. Wrong inflection in phrases like "It is veneered," "This

is a cretonne," often is fatal.

CONTRAST IN BUYING METHODS OF WOMEN AND MEN

WHO BUYS THE HOME FURNISHINGS?

In this bulletin the buyer of home furnishings is referred to as "she."

This is done partly for simplicity, and partly because most buyers are

women.

As a matter of fact, men do play an extremely important part in

the purchase of home furnishings, and they are likely to be the

determining factor in large sales. This is so much the case that clever

salesmen and decorators frequently try to get the man involved even

in the earlier stages of a large sale, while many highly successful

oriental-rug men make no serious effort on a sale of any importance

until the man is actively interested.

_Accurate percentages impossible._--Such data as we have indicate that,

in the purchase by average-income families of the kinds of merchandise

carried by furniture stores, 5 percent or less of the buying is done

by men alone, 50 percent or more by women alone, and the remaining 40

percent by men and women together.

The percentages, which are of approximate accuracy only, vary widely

with different classifications of merchandise. Women probably buy from

75 to 85 percent of all curtains, draperies, mattresses, and pillows;

men alone buy considerably more than 5 percent of lamps, refrigerators,

and small electric appliances; and men and women together buy from

60 to 70 percent of room-size rugs and the more important items of

furniture.

WHY FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE VITAL

These figures indicate that women have some part in considerably more

than 50 percent of all sales in our business. There is reason to

believe that they initiate fully 85 percent of all sales. This means,

among other things--

1. That we must expect and be set for competition and delayed sales

in the majority of cases, because three women out of every four

shop in more than one store before buying furniture.

2. That we must conduct every interview with a woman shopper in a

way calculated to influence her to return in case an immediate

sale cannot be made. This will demand--

_a._ Prompt and skillful service, with every effort to save

her time; because women of the intelligent classes in recent

years have come to attach great value to their shopping time

and to resent any waste of it as a result of inefficient

salesmanship or store service.

_b._ Careful attention to those elements of salesmanship

discussed under "The daily check-up," unit I, p. 10, because

women are strongly influenced by first impressions, and in a

competitive market rarely return to the salesperson who made

an unpleasant first impression.

_c._ Belief that "high-pressure" selling is a mark of

inadequacy both in the salesman and the firm he represents.

The customer of today is rightfully resentful of it,

although it is true that some seem to react positively to

it. Intelligent selling is marked by efficiency in fitting

merchandise to a customer's desire and need, coupled with an

understanding of her capacity to purchase without financial

strain, and readiness to offer the best value commensurate

with these limitations.

_d._ Convincing demonstration of the value of merchandise under

consideration, even in cases where we are morally certain

that there will be no immediate sale; because in the absence

of such demonstration there will assuredly be no later sale.

This is a point at which many consistently fail, with an

enormous total loss in sales as an inevitable result.

3. That salesmen and merchants alike discard any smug conviction that

"our old customers will always come back to us when new purchases are

under consideration," and must turn to the development of an efficient

follow-up system. The repeat purchases of old customers are not as a

rule sufficient to assure the continued success of any retail business.

Surveys in 1940 show that 60 percent of the home furnishings customers

of the country shift to another store for their "next" purchase. This

does not mean that they never return to the original establishment. It

does show the need for salesmen and merchants to keep in touch with

those whose confidence they have once developed. Properly handled, the

customer likes the friendly follow-up and unquestionably it affects her

shopping habits.

DEALING WITH WOMEN CUSTOMERS

While generalizations on human motives and thought patterns always are

dangerous, a few observations are set down here for consideration.

As buyers of home furnishings, women are in general more conservative

in matters of price than men. Women's traditional role has been that of

the conserver, rather than of the earner. Her attitude in the furniture

store is due partly to this fact, partly to the fact that under present

conditions she feels that a larger measure of personal and social

satisfaction is to be gained by expenditure in fields other than home

furnishings. Her capacity as family purchasing agent compels her to

keep constantly in mind a wide range of immediate and future needs, and

to plan the division of her dollar on that basis.

Women are more interested in details than men; more inclined to

postpone decisions; more indirect in their thinking; more responsive to

appeals based upon instinctive and emotional reactions; less attentive;

and less responsive to complete-explanation sales talk.

Women respond more strongly than men to appeals based upon time saving,

efficiency, durability, quality, and the guaranty of performance, and

far less strongly than men to appeals based upon family affection or

sympathy. Appeals to elegance or modernity make a stronger appeal to

men than to women.

Women respond more quickly to appeals made to their dislikes than to

their likes, but with men the case is reversed. This fact, coupled with

woman's habit of indirect thinking and her reluctance to go on record,

makes questionable the use of the "yes-channel" method of selling which

is often successful in dealing with men. The theory is that by asking

questions to which the logical answer will be "yes" in the earlier

stages of the sale, you groove the way for a final "yes." It is good

theory, but fails with women buyers.

For the same reason the habit of repeating the question "How do you

like this piece?" or "Isn't this beautiful, desirable, etc.?" is

dangerous. Women do not like to be cross-questioned, or forced to

declare themselves. Their inner response to a "don't you like" question

is likely to be destructively negative, no matter what they may choose

to say out loud.

Women respond more directly and strongly to the appeal of color than do

men, and less strongly to the appeal of line and form. They often have

strong prejudices against certain colors, certain types in texture,

pattern, and proportion. These the salesman must uncover skillfully and

avoid in showing merchandise.

The buying psychology of a woman naturally is influenced by her age,

social position, experience, and income. On the upper levels of

intelligence and income women buy much as men do. They are interested

in "reason why" talk; their thinking is direct and their decision

prompt. On the low levels we find women who, however shrewd in buying

foodstuffs or clothing, have had little experience in the purchase of

furniture and floor coverings. Lacking both taste and knowledge, these

women often are childishly credulous. They buy on the basis of easy

terms and what is to them eye-appeal, and have little or no concern

with what would constitute value in the upper levels.

RECENT SURVEY REVEALS NEW VIEWPOINTS OF VITAL INTEREST[3]

Seeking to eliminate guesswork in designing a 1940 line, the Kroehler

Manufacturing Co. conducted a Nation-wide survey on consumer

furniture-buying habits. In 49 cities 1,817 families of all classes and

age groups were interviewed in their homes. By virtue of scientific

statistical sampling and complete coast-to-coast geographic coverage

the survey should correctly represent the typical viewpoint of no fewer

than 26 million people and more than 6½ million families. Since the

Bureau of the Census shows that 51.2 percent of our families own their

own homes, approximately one-half of these interviewed in the survey

must have been home owners. Because three-fourths of our people live

in one-family dwellings, about three-fourths of those interviewed must

have been thus housed, and one-fourth lived in apartments conforming

likewise to census specifications.

The summary of the survey's results provides a basis for analyzing

buying habits and style preferences. But more important to us here,

the study developed certain inescapable conclusions for all those who

actually sell home furnishings.

_Fewer than one-third had bought their last furniture at the same store

from which their last previous purchase had been made. Two-thirds went

elsewhere._

Why this huge turn-over?

Is it because furniture stores and departments, as a whole, fail to do

constructive selling?

Is it the result of dissatisfaction with previous purchases?

_Thirty-three months elapse between major furniture purchases of the

average family._--A lapse of nearly 3 years between large furniture

purchases is astonishing. The Chicago Automobile Trade Association says

the average family buys an automobile every 2 years--not because the

car is worn out, but because of model changes. To increase furniture

purchases dealers must put more emphasis on style changes through

better display, better advertising, and better merchandising.

_Over one-half of all furniture buyers shopped more than one store

or department._--Better selection, better floor display, and better

selling might have converted many shoppers into buyers in the first

store. What happened there?

_Fewer than 10 percent of actual buyers simply bought to replace

out-of-style furniture._--Furniture lined up in ranks along aisles

like wooden soldiers, and advertising which shouts nothing but price,

will not motivate purchases.

_Six out of ten customers wait until they are in the store before they

choose a style._

Floor displays that confuse will not help.

Drab window displays will repel.

Doubting words will not highlight lovely furnishings.

ENRICHING YOUR VOCABULARY

Ability to talk well is an invaluable asset to the salesman of home

furnishings. It will not take the place of a winning personality, or

of energy, enthusiasm, and knowledge; but it will raise any or all of

these factors to a higher power, and make them vastly more productive.

An unpleasant voice, stumbling and hesitant utterance, faulty grammar,

and a narrowly limited vocabulary are serious handicaps.

Even in small and ordinary transactions, and in dealing with customers

whom you might not suppose to be observant, careful choice of words

is highly important. Avoid slang, bad grammar, and careless habits of

expression because these will not help you with any customer, while

with many they will arouse a sort of intellectual contempt likely to

result in sales resistance. How often do we meet with salespersons

whose only descriptive words seem to be: Nice, swell, smart, grand,

slick, gorgeous, elegant, stunning, pretty, and lovely.

It is particularly important to avoid the easy habit of using the same

few words over and over again for description or characterization.

Many of us, without the least realization of what we are doing or

its probable effect will assure the same customer that 10 pieces in

succession are beautiful. That certainly will not increase her desire

to buy; but it may well diminish her confidence in us as intelligent

and discriminating guides to such a purchase. A varied vocabulary is a

wonderful asset in selling.

_Training to use a wider range of words._--It is easy to form the habit

of using a wider range of words since we know the words already, and

nothing is required but practice in employing them. And it is highly

important, because in order to make sales of any importance, we must

first sell ourselves, and _language_ is a close third, at least, to

_appearance_ and _manner_ as a means to customer confidence. With many

buyers it comes first. A few lists of words are set down here in the

hope that they may prove of some value:

An _article_ may be beautiful, handsome, good looking, lovely; or

of charming, pleasing, delightful, satisfying, smart, modish,

stylish, or fashionable appearance; of flawless, superb,

appealing, moving, striking, notable, gorgeous, picturesque,

distinguished, colorful, or exquisite beauty.

Its _design_ may be sturdy, staunch, vigorous, structurally sound

or adequate, impressive, stately, dignified, chaste, delicate,

dainty, refined, simple or of a charming simplicity; ornate,

ornamental, elaborate, highly decorative; with trim, smart,

or graceful lines, in good, rare, or perfect taste; of great,

unusual, or rare distinction.

Its _surface_ may be ornamented, embellished, adorned, decorated,

garnished, arrayed, or beautified with ornament that is

intricate, gem-like, jewel-like, or of exquisite, or finely

wrought detail.

Its _lines_ may be straight, direct, strong, vigorous, virile,

incisive, clean, forceful, masculine; curved, soft, luxurious,

graceful, gracious, suave, sinuous, yielding, flowing, or

feminine.

Its _colors_ may be rich, vivid, brilliant, gorgeous, glowing, gay,

stimulating, inspiring, exhilarating, cheerful, flushed, clear,

unfaded; soft, sober, mellow, softly blended, quiet, restrained;

polychromatic, many colored, a rich mosaic of color; its color

scheme, smart, in today's mode, direct from Fifth Avenue;

popular, intriguing, refreshing, satisfying, or delightful.

Its _texture_ may be fine, smooth, satiny or satin-like, velvety

or velvet-like, lustrous, glossy, caressing; vigorous, open, or

rough.

It may be comfortable, comfort-giving, restful, reposeful,

soothing, inviting; give an impression of ease, easy comfort,

cushioned ease; invite rest, repose, or relaxation.

These words will be especially useful in the process of "high-lighting"

or introducing a piece with a brief characterization designed to

enhance its value before the serious work of selling it is undertaken,

as in the phrase, "Here is an armchair of _flawless beauty_," employed

in introducing the Chippendale chair.

Technical terms, provided you explain them almost immediately, are

effective. To speak of the cabriole or the term leg, the Spanish or the

bun foot, the saltire or the silhouette stretcher, or of marquetry,

_vernis martin_ (pronounced, roughly, ver-nee mar-tang) _bombe_ fronts

or _varquenos_ will not harm you with any customers, while with many it

will serve to intrigue interest, deepen appreciation of the importance

of furniture, and add to your own prestige as a man who knows the

details of his business.

SUGGESTIONS FOR BUILDING YOUR VOCABULARY

Any salesperson in the home furnishings field will find it convenient

to adopt some simple plan of acquiring the expanding vocabulary which

always is an asset:

1. Purchase a book of synonyms. Take an article you are to

offer for sale, for instance, an armchair. Try, first, to use

correctly a dozen different descriptive words which apply to this

particular armchair. Then take the idea of _design_ or _texture_

or _surface_ of this armchair and add a list of 10 to 20

adjectives which might well be used in discussing this chair with

a customer. You may depend upon it--she will prefer, "Here is an

armchair of flawless beauty" to "Here's another pretty number."

2. _Read_ descriptions of latest offerings shown at the furniture

markets; _study_ closely the choice of words in presenting

illustrations of special thumb-tuft carpeting, a drop-leaf table,

wing chairs, any simply styled grouping; _use_ these newly found

friends exactly, confidently, and constantly in your own selling

procedures. Practice! Practice!

3. Give close attention to the diction of others who have achieved

vocabulary masteries beyond your own. Seek ever to acquire a

facility in expression which will impose no handicap to you at

any step in your sales procedure.

4. Subscribe to one or more trade journals in the home furnishings

field and cultivate the habit of selecting for study those

articles which will add something to your steadily growing

vocabulary, and enhance your appreciation of the power of words.

HIDDEN FACTORS THAT INCREASE SALES

Since ancient times, the sense of touch and the sensation of feel

have been important factors in the buying and selling of practically

all commodities. To see a piece of smooth satin partially sells a

prospective customer, but to feel its soft texture in her fingers makes

the luxury of the fabric a reality, something to own and cherish which

will enhance her loveliness, and this hidden value, expressed in the

sense of touch, is usually the factor which makes the customer buy

better merchandise than she might have considered and which climaxes

the sale.

In selling home furnishings, the hidden value revealed by touching the

piece under consideration is extremely important. Fine furniture which

has been hand rubbed has a luxurious feeling which is as soft as satin.

Only by rubbing your fingers over a lovely finish can you appreciate,

to the fullest extent, the exquisite fineness of a hand-rubbed finish.

Feeling the smooth pull of a drawer which slides properly on its

guides, tracing the design of inlaid marquetry with the fingertips,

searching for rough spots in drawer interiors with sensitive fingers

and caressing soft-textured upholstery fabrics with the fingers all

vividly bring to the attention of the customer the quality and true

hidden beauty of the piece under consideration, which may not have been

discernible to the naked eye. The sensation of feel should be made to

augment the sense of touch whenever possible, but salespersons should

bear in mind that a woman's hand is extremely sensitive and the sense

of touch should first be brought into action before the sense of feel;

for example, let us suppose a woman is considering a rug, which has

a particularly fine texture. Invite her first to feel the texture of

the rug beneath her fingers; have her compare this feeling with a less

expensive rug so that she may mentally compare the difference; then

ask her to step on the rug. Get her to feel the luxury of it under

her foot; bring to her attention the spring of the wool, the comfort

of stepping into the deep pile and other factors which excite the

sensation of feel. You will find these powerful factors not only in

helping her decide upon a better rug but in assuring her that she is

getting quality for her investment.

[Illustration:

Courtesy Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Co.

Figure 6.--The feminine touch.]

When selling upholstered pieces, always have the customer sit in the

chair or on the sofa. Ask specifically if it is small enough, or if she

thinks it will be large enough, for her husband or whoever is to use

the chair. Stress the comfort angle; notice if she can sit gracefully

in the piece and whether or not she has difficulty in getting up, once

seated. As she touches the fabric bring out facts about the texture and

the weave. (See fig. 6.) As she experiences the various reactions she

is silently selling herself and only suggestions on your part which

help her to recognize the various sensations of touch and feel are

necessary.

Bear in mind in all phases of selling home furnishing, whether the

customer is considering a chest of drawers, a chair, rug, lamp, or

cigarette box, getting her to touch it to get the "feel" of the article

and to try it for comfort, luxury, restfulness, or other sensations are

potent hidden factors in better selling.

QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

_1. How will a knowledge of the processes of manufacturing of an

article enable the salesman to explain its wearing qualities, its

price, its sanitary qualities, its fitness for a particular location

within a room, and its appearance?_

_2. What types of information may a home furnishings salesman get from

a public library?_

_3. What sources of merchandise information are available to you and

how familiar are you with them?_

_4. What five kinds of special information are needed by retail

salesmen?_

_5. What steps do you take systematically to acquaint yourself with the

correct descriptive words and phrases currently used with newly arrived

merchandise?_

_6. There is a vocabulary of suitable words and phrases for use when

showing furniture to all types of customers. The same words are not

equally effective with all customers. What plan or device do you use in

making a wise selection of these descriptive words and phrases?_

_7. Make a list of words which under any ordinary selling situation you

would never use._

_8. Why is the excessive use of superlatives an indication of ignorance

of the article being sold?_

_9. For each of the following make a statement which involves the

opinion of a recognized authority:_

_Reading lamp._

_Glowing colors._

_Floor coverings._

_Glass curtains._

_Telephone stand._

_Wallpaper._

_Armchair._

_Pictures._

_10. In the light of the discussions in this unit, what profitable

work may a retail salesman attend to when not actually waiting on

customers?_

_Respect in handling inspires respect._--A woman will not buy an