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THE MUSIC TRADE
is a paragraph which is headed: "Prices at factory—Boston."
Then follows a list of the various styles of uprights and grands, with
their retail prices opposite. This is, we believe, the first magazine
advertisement wherein any piano manufacturer has come out
squarely with the statement as to his regular retail prices on all his
leading styles.
In the Steinway advertisements one or two prices have been
given, but the President, Frank A. Lee, of the John Church Co.,
announces in his advertisement prices on a variety of styles, and
then closes with the line: "Art cases from $1,000 to $10,000."
For years The Review has advocated persistently the establish-
ing by the manufacturer the prices at which his product shall be
offered to the retail purchaser, and when a great house like the
John Church Co. takes up the subject so emphatically it is at once
an act of vast importance to the trade. It shows that the manu-
facturers of the Everett piano are not only believers in one price,
but they announce to the whole world precisely what their prices
are, and every Everett dealer who asks more than the price named
by the manufacturers is justified in doing so only at points where
exclusive freight tariffs legitimately increase the cost of the in-
struments.
REVIEW
turers have been giving every advantage possible to their dealers, but
they cannot continue to pay more for everything which enters into
instruments without in turn asking a sufficient advance to make good
the increased cost.
November has opened up with the purchasing, carrying and dis-
tributing facilities of the country in full operation. Delays in ship-
ments do not diminish, and complaints are frequently heard in all
trades of the inadequacy of the railroads to grapple the transporta-
tion problem speedily.
W
ITH the increased competition which is making itself felt
in every business throughout the land, the retailer is con-
stantly casting about for new lines of goods closely allied with his
own, and which can be handled with profit. The music business
has narrow limitations, for it does not afford a tremendous variety
of lines which can be blended harmoniously with piano selling.
We have, however, advised at various times piano dealers to add a
talking machine department to their enterprise. Some of those
who have entered the talking machine business have found it to be
extremely profitable. It is, however, absolutely useless to figure
that the talking machine business will take care of itself when added
to an enterprise any more than«did piano players. For a long time
dealers who put in piano players did not understand why they were
HIS plan, in our opinion, is the correct one, and in order to
not making money out of this new department. They heard
place the piano industry on a permanent footing and offer
through the various trade papers that "Mr. So-and-So" was doing
instruments in their proper class the retail prices must be named
a splendid business with piano players, and they did not understand
by the manufacturer.
why they were not, as well. Those, however, who took pains to
Who is better qualified to judge of the value of a product than
investigate found excellent reasons existing why "Mr. So-and-So"
the man who manufactures it? If this plan were adopted generally
was making money out of players. He had an attractive room,
it would do away entirely with piano misrepresentation. Instru-
ments would then be sold in their class, and it at once fixes the wherein a stock of players were at all times kept in splendid condi-
tion, and the department was under the charge of a man who under-
status of special brandy pianos at a single stroke. If one-quarter
stood the possibilities of the piano player and how to show it to
of the manufacturers of this country should agree to adopt this
excellent
advantage. They found, also, that this concern was dis-
plan and advertise in all their literature the retail prices at which
tributing
attractive literature in their particular vicinage. They
their dealers shall offer their instruments, it would eliminate all of
were
also
giving little entertainments—in fact, the disappointed
the fraudulent claims which have been made for certain instruments
man
found
that the successful piano player man was using his"
and place the whole business on a cleaner and better basis than
brains
and
financial
resources to make the piano player business
ever before. One price is all right, but that price must be the
pay.
And
it
was
only
on those lines that it would pay.
right one, and it cannot be the right price if a dealer in one town
asks one hundred dollars more than his neighbor does for the
same instrument and same style in an adjoining territory. Stand-
HE truth of this is seen in the fact that every piano player
ard instruments must be sold at standard prices, and the sooner the
establishment in the United States which has been run on a
manufacturers as a whole arrive at this conclusion the better it
paying basis has been specialized. The player has been shown in
will be not only for themselves, but for the entire industry. The
some warerooms in such an indifferent and unattractive manner that
dealers will readily take to this, because they can see—that is, the
when people came in and asked if they had piano players, the sales-
better class of dealers—that it will work to their benefit, and it will
man would say, "Oh, yes, we have one around here somewhere; here
do away in a large degree with the piano "knocker" who has been
is one over here," dragging out a dust covered player, which is
in evidence in every section of the country.
usually out of order, and then he himself understands nothing about
it, and as a result the investigators go out, disgusted with the whole
There can be no national standard of values, until the manu-
player business. How could the player pay with such treatment?
facturers themselves fix their own prices upon their instruments,
The dealers who have added talking machines should study
and let the world know their values.
piano-player history. They should fit up rooms which are sound-
proof, so that the records may be tested without disturbing other
TANO stocks over the country average well for this season of
salesmen of the establishment. The talking machine business will
the year, and this condition is conclusive proof that the deal-
pay, and pay handsomely, if treated properly, but it will not be a
ers have planned well in advance to take care of their holiday trade.
remunerative portion of the business, unless it is specialized, and
From this time on until we reach the holidays trade will be of such
placed in care of a man who understands the possibilities of the
a character that it will at once deplete the various wareroom stocks.
talking
machines, how to display them, and can talk intelligently
Then, again, a good many dealers feel that there is' liable to be an
about
them.
Then the talking machine business will pay, and
advance in instruments within the near future, and have been stock-
pay
well.
ing up to save by the present prices.
It may be said that advances in almost every line of manufac-
HILE on this line we might say the same about the music
tures are taking place constantly. Talking with a well-known hard-
boxes. There are many dealers who could vastly increase
ware man recently, he said that industry had been compelled to
their
sales
of music boxes if they would exhibit them in an attractive
accept the rising tide of prices, and that the advances of prices had
manner,
but
too many place their music boxes in some obscure
been conservative, and had been compelled under pressure of condi-
corner
of
their
warerooms, where they are rarely ever seen, and
tions which seemed to be unavoidable.
never
shown
by
salesmen unless some particular caller asks for
Piano manufacturers face precisely the same condition; with all
them.
material advancing, labor demanding higher remuneration, and with
It would be a good plan for the holiday season to make a
the cost of producing goods at steadily advancing prices, piano
special music box display, and in this way a large amount of trade
prices must under the law of trade reflect the up-lifting influences.
might be secured for music boxes, and the more attractive the ex-
hibit the more interest it will draw. Music boxes should be in
ALK with t'hc piano p'^te men, and we will find that they are not
large demand during the holiday season, and the only way for the
anxious to close contracts for next year because they do not
music dealers to increase that demand is by placing special emphasis
know just what the conditions will be in the metal market. It may
upon it—have salesmen talk them and show them, and, first of all,
be said, as far as the piano industry is concerned, the advances have
get them in .an attractive environment.
been in all cases, moderate and reasonable. And piano manufac-
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