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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
fixed retail price, and every article that comes
out with a fixed price, just makes it so much
harder for them. Those who have followed the
Some Reasons Set Forth by O. F. Darling Why This Policy Should be Adopted—Restricted Price
effect of the movement against this class of
Pays Better—Enables the Dealer to Buy Right and Gives His Store and Goods a Prestige
trade are aware that they have had a very
in the Eyes of the Purchaser—Catalogue House Competition Need Not be Feared With
hard time to obtain goods of standard reputa-
Fixed Price Goods—No Danger of Cutting Prices or Losing Sales.
tion to fill their orders. A great many manu-
Through the prizes offered in The Review facturer of this class of goods strives to keep facturers are to-day refusing to sell this class
much interest has been displayed in the benefits his goods in the front rank of its kind. When of trade, and are doing everything within their
which will unquestionably accrue to the trade you quote your customer a price on goods that power to prevent them getting their goods.
Such manufacturers should have the support of
by the manufacturer establishing the retail have a fixed price, you are sure that your next
prices at which his pianos shall be sold; and in door neighbor cannot sell him for less, and with every dealer in the country.
this connection the remarks made recently by that fact in mind you can concentrate your
With fixed retail prices, we are not tempted
0. P. Darling, of Detroit, while not directly efforts in convincing him of the superiority of
to cut the price from fear of losing the sale,
bearing on pianos, have a relevance that make such goods over those of a cheaper make, which for we know that all are quoting a uniform price
them of especial interest to our trade.
nets you less profit.
on that article.
Do not lose sight of that little word, profit.
Mr. Darling recently read his paper, which
Let us endeavor to maintain the fixed price
embodied the following remarks, in part, at the That is what we are all after, and to get our and see to it that others do likewise, feeling
Convention of the Michigan Retail Hardware share we must be on the lookout to take ad- that it is to our very best interest to do so
Association, and prefaced his remarks by stat- vantage of every opportunity that comes our
and at the same time feel that we have taken
ing that he had written to twenty-five manu- way.
an advance step in an effort to keep the busi-
facturers asking the following questions:
In the fixing of retail prices, 1 believe that ness that we have chosen in the front rank,
1.—Are you convinced that it pays you bet- it should be done as much as possible by the among those of the most honored and respected
ter to have your goods sold under a restricted manufacturer, for it is to his interest more in the retail trade.
price than to have them sold at any price that than to anyone else to have the article that he
manufactures placed in as favorable a position
the retailer may see fit?
THE SCHAEFFER IN TEXAS.
2.—Have you any serious trouble in getting before the trade and buying public as possible,
your trade to maintain the price that you set and if he can show a good margin of profit What the Eminent Musical Director of Baylor
and protection to the dealer, in the handling of
on your goods?
College in That State Thinks of the Schaef-
3.—What per cent, of profit does the price his goods, it will go a long way toward con-
fer Piano.
set on your goods allow the retailer for hand- vincing that dealer that he should handle them.
The manufacturer standing back of the fixed
ling?
Herman J. Bal, the musical director of Bay-
4.—And in your judgment is it possible for price on his goods gives the price a much firmer
lor College, Belton, Texas, recently forwarded
all manufacturers of standard goods to main- appearance than it would otherwise have if
the following communication to the J. W. Car-
maintained locally, and the retailer has much
tain a fixed retail price on their products?
ter Music Co., 1009 Capital avenue, Houston,
A reply was received from everyone of the more confidence in the stability of the prices Texas, who represent the Schaeffer pianos in that
twenty-five manufacturers in which they said set.
section, which is self-explanatory:
It is much easier for a dealer to buy right
that they were all maintaining a fixed price on
"Gentlemen—This last year in recitals at Bay-
their goods, and had been doing so for periods on articles that have a maintained price, that
lor College, Belton, Texas, I used a Schaeffer
ranging from two to eight years. They have is, to buy so that he will not have to carry an
piano which had been in use in the college for
found no serious trouble in getting the dealers overstock, than it is to buy goods that have no four years, in preference to using a grand piano
to maintain the fixed price, when the dealers set price; the chances of a steady business is which had just been bought especially for re-
had found that they must do so if they wished much better then. When we handle goods sold
cital purposes. I am delighted with the Schaeffer
to handle their goods. The majority of the at open market, we must always have in mind
piano, and have found that neither time nor
manufacturers believed that it was possible for the thought that our neighbor may cut the
use lessens its beauty of tone."
every manufacturer to set and maintain a fixed price and compel us to meet it or carry over
Professor Bal, who has written the above let-
price on any article that he might make if he a portion of our stock, and if by any chance we ter, is one of the best known musicians in the
really desired to do so. In reference to the per are obliged to carry it over, we are assured of
South, and was director of the Conservatory of
a like price for the next season. One other rea- Music in Belgium for twenty-five years. This
cent, of profit to the dealers, the per cent, of
son why a dealer should handle price main- position he resigned in order to take charge at
profit varied as we must expect, from the varied
lines of goods represented by these manufac- tained goods is because they are, as a rule, good
Baylor College. His tribute to the Schaeffer is
sellers; it generally takes less time to sell a in line with many others received from emi-
turers. Mr. Darling then proceeded:
price maintained article, than it does one on nent musicians, of all of which the manufac
PERCENTAGE OF PROFIT.
which the price is left to the option of the turers can feel justly proud.
The average per cent, of profit on the goods dealer. The manufacturers of this class of
of the manufacturers that I have corresponded goods are heavy advertisers and with their ad-
MUELLER WILL SET ASIDE.
with is 48 per cent, to the dealer, while the vertising they also instill in the minds of the
average per cent, of profit on goods of like public the price at which the article can be
The will of the late Arthur C. Mueller, who
nature, but on which there is no fixed price is bought and the result is, that when a person
left part of his fortune to J. V. Steger, the well-
36 per cent., showing an increase of 12 per cent, calls to look at an article advertised in this known piano manufacturer of Chicago, has been
way, they know just what they can buy it for, set aside by the County Court at Omaha, Neb.,
in favor of price maintained goods.
The number of articles that are on the mar- and they do not, as a rule, object to paying the on a petition of Edgar Mueller, a half-brother
ket with a fixed price at the present time is very price, and this saves the dealer a great amount of the deceased, on the ground that he was men-
large, so much so, that we can hardly believe, of time, as he has only to work on the merit
tally incompetent to dispose of his property. The
unless we have investigated the matter, and the of the article in order to make the sale.
decision will be appealed.
great variety of use that these articles are made
COMBATING CATALOGUE HOUSES.
for, makes them all the more profitable to the
NOW THE BURGESS PIANO CO.
dealer. *
I do not believe that there is any weapon
There are a great many ways, that we as on which the dealer can rely with as much
The Burgess Piano Co., of 528 East Genesee
retailers, are benefited by fixed prices. There certainty in his fight against the catalogue and street, Buffalo, N. Y., have succeeded the Bur-
department stores as he can on the fixed price gess & Hites Piano Co. They expect to move
is a very great satisfaction to me in selling an
article of this kind, for when a customer asks on goods. They cannot sell this class of goods into larger quarters at an early date, owing to
for an article on which there is an established at cut rates, and as they are to a great extent the growth of their business. Last week their
price, I know that i t is one of good quality, standard goods, that are widely known, it de- branch at Batavia sold seven instruments, sev-
which means a satisfied customer and more prives them of no small portion of a good profit- eral of which were for cash. In a recent com-
able business. The time is not far distant when
business from him.
munication from the firm they state that they
One of the many good points of price main- the fixed price will be a mighty thorn in the will consider it a favor if any firm knowing the
whereabouts or location of C. C. Hites, formerly
tained goods is, that as a rule they are of the side of the catalogue house.
with the company, will communicate with them
very best material and are of the very latest
We have nothing to fear from the competition
improvements. You will find that the manu- of the catalogue houses on goods that have a at once.
RETAIL PRICE SHOULD BEJ^IXEDJSY THE MANUFACTURER.
THE
ERNEST A.
TONK
E XTRAORDINARY
DURABILITY
PIANO
ARTISTIC
DESIGN
LIGHT AND
A
RESPONSIVE
Correspondence with active
dealers solicited.
William Tonk&Bro.
INCORPORATED
452-456 Tenth Ave., New York