11.   By noon, the room was full of men and women, moving from the sample racks to the general merchandise.

12.   By inventing the general merchandise mail-order catalog, Ward could keep prices low through bypassing the middlemen, like small-town shopkeepers and itinerant salesmen.

13.   Chain stores include conventional supermarkets and general merchandise stores such as Daiei and Ito-Yokado.

14.   Continuing a pattern built over the last several years, general merchandise discounters such as Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart will still reign supreme this holiday season.

15.   Economists say general merchandise retailers are simply enjoying the fruits of a good economy the way they should have been all along.

16.   For that, he sends customers to the few nearby general merchandise stores that carry computers and computer products.

17.   Fractional percentage gains were posted by stores selling general merchandise, food, clothing and drugs.

18.   General merchandise stores also suffered.

19.   Fred Meyer, a predominantly Western chain, sells groceries but also electronics, apparel and other general merchandise.

20.   Gymboree, headquartered in Burlingame, said yesterday that Melanie Cox, the former general merchandise manager of Urban Outfitters of Philadelphia, has been named president.