Retailing and Merchandising in Textiles and Appare 3(2+1)
Lesson 09 : Non-Store Retailing
Peddlers
In the peddler's pack were pots and pans, shoes and boots, pins, thread, combs, ribbons, and laces. The peddlers also brought news, including information on the latest fashions in the cities. And the peddler took orders along the way for items to be delivered on the next trip, although the peddler's route was often so long that a year might pass in the meantime. The peddler also reported back to producers about the items that pleased or displeased customers. Thus peddlers became the first "market analysts.
Peddlers disappeared as the nation grew. They were replaced by traveling salesmen, who took samples of merchandise to stores and shops along their route for the purpose of soliciting orders for at least some of the sampled merchandise. Door-to-door or in-house selling techniques are used to this day, but only for certain types of fashion merchandise. Cosmetics are probably the number-one fashion product sold in this manner today.
Participants