This episode reveals the canny secrets of the retail game in the early part of the 20th century. Moving from department stores in America to England to Australia, the program examines the wily tactics of the world’s greatest retailers, like turning religious feast days into excuses for sales.

The first episode introduces viewers to the world’s first department store created by the cunning and visionary 19th century French entrepreneur, Aristide Boucicaut. His new kind of enterprise changes not only his fortunes, but also the lives of women and modern society forever.