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THE MUSIC TRADE
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EDWARD LYMAN BILL, - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorial Stall:
GBO. B. KELLER.
L. E. BOWERS.
W. N. TYLER.
Wit. B. WHITE.
F. II. THosirsoN.
EMILIB FRANCES BADEB.
L. J. CHAMBEELIN.
A. J. NICKLIN.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
E. P. VAN HARLINGEN, 195-197 Wabash Ave.
TELEPHONES : Central 414 ; Automatic 8G43.
PHILADELPHIA OFFICE: MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL: ST. LOUIS OFFICE
ERNEST L. WAITT, 173 Tremont St.
H. W. KAUPPMAN.
E. C. TORREY.
CHAS. N. VAN BUREN.
SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE: ALFRED METZOEH, 425-427 Front St.
CINCINNATI, O.:
NINA PUGH-SMITH.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION,(Including postage), United States, Mexico, and Canada, $2.00 per
year ; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.00 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
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REMITTANCES, in other than currency form, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
Directory ol Piano
Manufacturers
The directory of piano manufacturing firms and corporations
found on another page will be of great value, as a reference
for dealers and others.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE-NUMBER 1745 GRAMERCY
NEW
YORK,
MARCH
3 , 1906
EDITORIAL
D
URING the past week there has been a continuance of the
features of the situation with which the piano trade are
familiar. The volume of business conducted now is extremely
large, and affords every reason to believe that the large demand
will continue uninterrupted.
There is, however, one unpleasant feature in connection with
the business recently, and that relates to the collection department,
for it must be admitted that collections during the month have not
been up to expectations. In certain sections of the country they
have been positively slow.
This condition of affairs has been brought about by the bank
situation, and while the outlook should not cause the slightest
alarm it cannot be denied that collections have not been just what
was anticipated.
SUBSCRIBER asks what we think of special sales, adding,
"can you suggest a name for same out of the ordinary?"
Special sales are inaugurated these days under various names,
and one enterprising merchant in Ohio evidently figures that the
vocabulary of names applicable to special sales is about exhausted,
and he has inaugurated a special sale name contest.
This is in truth a novelty, and for the benefit of readers who
are planning sales we might say, that this new interest-creating
scheme has evolved the following names: "Customer's Benefit
Sale," "Just Right • Sale," "Great Economy Sale," and one very
brilliant mind suggests "The Avalanche Sale." This latter appella-
tion might be adopted with good effect, if the sale could be big
enough to warrant it.
We have in mind some recent piano sales, where the term
avalanche would be peculiarly appropriate. Then, too, the idea
lends itself well to illustration, for the artist could readily repre-
sent -an avalanche of pianos rolling down the mountain-side.
A
'"INHERE would also be opportunity for the ad. writer to dwell
J- upon the natural avalanche which occurs in mountainous
regions when the warmth of the spring loosens up the great masses
of snow.
Everyone seems to have omitted the word volcano. Now a
volcanic sale would be particularly well applied to some piano
slaughter sales which have been inaugurated. Probably we shall
hear more of special sales as the spring opens, for the majority
REVIEW
of merchants are tempted at one time or another to liven things
up a bit by inaugurating special sales and they invent any excuse
to fit the case.
W
E know of some piano men who have adopted a regular
plan of holding two special sales a year, and in this way
they get rid of considerable stock which is undesirable. If, however,
the special sale plan is persisted in the public will become educated
away from buying goods at regular prices. They will be apt to
defer their purchases until a special sale comes along, and thus
as a direct result of the special sale policy, piano profits will be
reduced all along the line.
Many wise merchants became aware of the dangers of too
frequent indulgence in special sales, and they made up their minds
they would eliminate specials, to no oftener than twice a year.
T
HERE are invariably in every business establishment a large
number of offerings which are really special in value, and
purchasers are well satisfied with the opportunities presented to
purchase them, but to make the main object of the special sale, the
increasing of business during a particular period is considered by
some business men to be a serious error. For instance, the special
sale may be a great and permanent advertisement. If the sale is
of the right kind, the prestige of the house is increased for over
a considerable period, but at the same time a lot of prospects
have been exhausted through the inauguration of the special sale,
and the piano business is not like the dry goods, or that of many
other trades in which a customer makes frequent purchases, but
one sale closes business possibilities for a long term of years.
Therefore no sale should be closed without at least a fair profit
to the merchant.
I
T pays to use particular care and foresight in connection with
special sales. They should be carefully mapped out and
planned; every detail decided upon in advance, for if the reputation
of a well-known piano is slaughtered, it is hard work to again get
a good price for it. People are waiting for the special sales, and
while reasonable excuses may be made for out-of-date styles, and
shop-worn stock, and all that sort of thing, great care should be
exercised in placing regular lines on the bargain counter. The cut
in prices, no matter for what causes, is accomplished with great
and grave danger.
' I ^ HERE are constant changes going on in the music trade in-
X
dustry, and these changes become more apparent when we
review piano trade history for a term of years. By a retrospect
we realize how many dealers have embarked in the manufacture of
pianos, who to-day are facing new conditions, some of which are
not easy of solution.
Many of the old-time manufacturers, too, must be keenly alert
to a possible loss of prestige as well as of present and future
business which they may suffer through a trade alliance with
dealers who are engaging in the manufacture of pianos.
It is but natural that these men should give prominence and
sometimes precedence to their own product, and in doing this they
are only following out a policy which is recognized as strongly
influencing men everywhere.
B
UT in some cases it is a fact that the name and reputation of
famous old instruments have been used as a hoisting power
to place new creations upon the market. The new products have
not only been lauded by the salesmen as "just as good," but they
have been sold in some cases as "a mighty sight better" than the
original.
The argument has been frequently made that all of the good
points have been absorbed from various instruments, handled by the
dealer, and the useless features eliminated, all of which are talking
points, and may interest some purchasers and always to the detri-
ment of the old makes.
This unmistakable trend of business has caused a good many
manufacturers to think that it might be timely for them to make
preparation to be somewhat more independent of the dealer in many
respects, and as a result a good many branches have been in-
augurated, all of which are not run before the world, however, as
having direct relation to the parent house, but they are branches,
nevertheless, and the argument is made in selling customers from
these depots that there is but one profit—from factory to consumer,
that the dealer's margin of profit is eliminated in the deal. This
argument, naturally, has some effect in a good many instances.