By the meter
Meter (also Elle products , dry goods , or long goods ) is a material, in particular fabric that is sold lengthwise. Price information for the " running meter " is then customary in trade . It is cut from the roll, rod or the like in the length desired by the buyer before it is sold. In contrast, haberdashery is sold by piece, volume or weight (general cargo or bulk cargo ).
The name is derived from the unit of measurement used , as long goods were previously measured with the measure of length used at the time, the cubit . After the transition from cubits to meters in the 19th century, the term changed to yard goods.