Flo's Review
You know the saying, "The customer is always right," which you either love or hate to hear depending on if you're the seller or the buyer at that point? You can (possibly) thank Harry Gordon Selfridge for that. And also, "Only ____ shopping days until Christmas." I never stopped to think about how the latter phrase came into existence, but now I know -- and so do you :)
Harry Gordon Selfridge worked at Marshall Field in Chicago as a young man around the turn of the century and was inspired to start his own department store in London after taking a trip there in 1909. He realized this dream not much later, and Selfridges had a library, a salon, and a smoking room. It was known for its massive displays and had the first demonstration of public television.
The Romance of Commerce was published in 1918 and you can actually read the e-book for free. This review is of the abridged 144-page version that publishes in September 2013. While this book wasn't really for me, I can definitely see it being recommended reading for any businessman or businesswoman working in retail. I appreciated how Selfridge started the book by giving examples to show how he thought everyone, at some point, has been a merchant. This leads into his discussion of different tips and observations that I am sure form the cornerstone of how many businesses operate today.
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