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From: jss@sjuvax.UUCP (J. Shapiro)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.singles,net.consumers
Subject: Re: Re: A *real* problem
Message-ID: <1203@sjuvax.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Jul-85 01:25:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: sjuvax.1203
Posted: Mon Jul 22 01:25:10 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jul-85 03:15:27 EDT
References: <11626@brl-tgr.ARPA> <874@ccice5.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Haverford College, Haverford, Pa.
Lines: 45
Xref: watmath net.women:6588 net.singles:8105 net.consumers:2689

> > 
> > Stores and any other retail businesses that have hours like 9-5 on
> > weekdays and either limited or no Saturday or Sunday hours.
> > 
> > These operations insult women -- they are stating, by their hours of
> > operation, that they expect that evey household has a non-working member
> > that can come to them during the hours that they are open, and that
> > person has traditionally been the "housewife". 
> > 
> > Will Martin

Oh crap, Will, that is simply untrue. Consider that these stores by the same
flawed argument insult men as well.

The reality of the matter is that 99% of all business goes through a distri-
butor of some sort, and that the reason everyone adopts a 9-5 convention is:

	1) doesn't interfere with breakfast and/or dinner too badly
	2) allows a convention for when to be able to reach other companies
		with whom you do business.

The alternative would be to be open 9am to 9pm, or in any case, extended
hours, but this would only help in the end consumer point-of-sale businesses.
Consider that the vast majority of such businesses are sole or dual
proprieterships or corporations involving only one or two principals, both
of whom have families and stomachs to feed and care for and spend time with.
Acme or your favorite major department store or supermarket can hire their
cashiers on a 9-9 basis because the sale doesn't require as much direct
advice from the salesman about the purchase. A small computer store owner,
on the other hand, has to be knowledgable and present to avert problems.

9-9 is only possible, in short, where the purchasing agent and the salesman
can be different without jeopardizing solvency. This is in part why the
mom and pop type of stores are being squeezed out - it isn't only price compe-
tition. It is also availability at the buyers chosen hour of the day for
purchases.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that because the small store owner has
decided that it is time to go home for dinner JUST LIKE YOU HAVE that he is
snubbing you or anyone else. One might equally well argue that you should
work out a flextime arrangement so you could shop. This is essentially what
you ask of the shopkeeper.

Jonathan S. Shapiro
Haverford College