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Macy's men are also masters of all the subtle and not-so-subtle nuances of selling. They have discovered that goods sell fastest on the ends of counters or at stands in the middle of aisles, and fastest of all on the main floor; the store stocks only the hottest-selling impulse merchandise there, never its slow movers. Macy's also plays to the peculiar variances in consumer tastes in different parts of the U.S. Women's hats sell best in heavily Catholic neighborhoods (the women wear them to Mass). In New Haven, an Ivy League town, women go for tailored clothing. Power lawn mowers move fastest in Atlanta (where lawns are big), but not at all in San Francisco (where lawns are small); picnic tablecloths do not go in San Francisco, either—too windy. His-and-her shirts sell well only in Toledo, Kansas City and Atlanta; isometric bars for exercising sell well only in New York and San Francisco.
No Hicks. Like most modern merchants, Macy's is well aware that U.S. consumers are becoming more educated, sophisticated and selective. "There are no hicks any more," says Dave Yunich. The average purchase in the nation's department stores has risen during the past decade from $5.02 to $6.12, and the crucial consumer—the one who does most of the buying—now earns between $8,000 and $15,000 a year. Tastes have expanded along with incomes, to the extent that fashion has become a deciding factor even in the children's departments; colors and styles that catch on with adult shoppers quickly move into the children's market as well. Among Macy's current bestsellers are Spanish-styled cribs made of walnut and boys' slacks cut along Italian lines. The impact of foreign travel—2,800,000 Americans went abroad last year—is reflected in the fact that Macy's now sells more British goods than any store outside the Commonwealth.
Purchasing power is increasing most rapidly for two disparate groups: the oldsters and the youngsters. Thanks to the payoff from their pension plans, stock market investments and Social Security, older people have both the wherewithal to spend and the feeling of security that inspires spending. U.S. families headed by men 65 or older now have net assets averaging $30,718. They have become active, productive buyers of everything from retirement homes to baubles for the grandchildren, are purchasing expensive durable goods as if they had 50 years to live, and will undoubtedly step up their spending when the Medicare bill—which will probably be passed early this year—gives them a new measure of security. Young marrieds, too, believe that pensions and medical insurance will take care of the future, are living to the hilt now. At the same time, so many moonlighting students have taken part-time jobs that the average U.S. teen-ager earns $400 a year, and spends practically every penny of it.