unauthorised distributor who is aggressively selling her products at inflated prices.

Mrs. Samuels said yesterday she has an exclusive distributorship from Lady Remington, the Chicago costume jewellery offshoot of the firm that markets Remington shavers.

In a nine page contract dated January 25,1993, Mrs. Samuels is appointed "as exclusive distributor...and (can) sell said merchandise through independent contractors to consumers in the designated sales territory of Bermuda''.

Mrs. Samuels, as a distributor, is required to purchase at least $50,000 worth of merchandise a year from the company for resale here. But she said that a New York distributor has recruited someone locally to try to tap into the Bermuda market.

She said: "I'm aware that there is competition out there, but fortunately Lady Remington has made it very difficult for anyone competing against an exclusive.

"Because my competition is an unauthorised local dealer they must go through the New York organisation to get their merchandise. This costs their customers up to an additional 40 percent US on the list price I'm able to charge and, while I'm able to get my orders in within 10 days, others dealers take at least six to eight weeks.

"The downside is that anyone ordering through an unauthorised dealer may think Lady Remington does not give good service and that's definitely not the case.

"The merchandise is high quality and there is a unique life-time exchange guarantee on all of the pieces in the Lady Remington jewellery collection.'' The company is owned by Mr. Victor Kiam, whose TV commercials for Remington shavers featured Mr. Kiam himself as the pitch man, who declared that he liked the product so much himself that he bought the company.

The fashion jewellery accessorising firm was founded in 1971 and purchased by Mr. Kiam in 1986. It is now expanding its market outside of the US with outlets in Canada, Australia, Greece, New Zealand, Mexico and Singapore, in addition to Bermuda.

Competing in an increasingly lucrative and aggressive direct sales and service industry, the company has grown by 300 percent since 1987, establishing new sales records in each of the past five years.

Mrs. Samuels, who has seven fashion advisors available to the Island, said: "The New York people were told that they could not distribute in Bermuda. The company is expanding its international focus.

"I just hope this matter can be resolved quickly, because it is only through my distributorship that people can get the high quality merchandise faster and at better prices.'' The businesswoman worked as a buyer and a sales manager at Office Equipment for almost 20 years.

WITH THE GOODS -- Mrs. Alfreda Samuels has the exclusive distributorship for Lady Remington in Bermuda.