Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
WINNER OF THE REVIEWONE^PRICE PRIZE CONTEST
C. S. Peregrine, Dealer of Colville, Wash., Is the Lucky Man—Makes Some Good Arguments in
Favor of One Price and That Price by the Manufacturers—Mr. Peregrine Has Had Many
Years of Experience in the Retail Field—Some Strong Arguments Presented.
It was some years ago when The Review first manufacturers would be willing to accept the
aroused a national interest in the one-price sys- one-price system; but if a good per cent, of the
tem by offering a cash prize for. the best written rranufucuirers would do so^ they would certainly
contribution by any member of the trade upon have the support of a large per cent, of the retail
this subject. The publicity which we gave the trade. Many dealers would at once discard all
one-price system at that time aroused wide- pianos that were not properly priced, and such
spread interest, and for years we have advo- pianos not recognized by the representative:
cated the establishment not only of one price, dealer would soon be branded as wildcat pianos
well adapted for the fake sale business. The
but that price by the manufacturer.
So warmly has the work of The Review been many fake methods of advertising great bargains
are nearly all hinged on the proposition of sell-
supported in this matter that the president of
the Piano Manufacturers' Association strongly ing pianos out of their class. When the light
favored the plan, and resolutions were passed at has been turned on, by established prices and
Washington which practically indorsed the posi- the public no longer kept in the dark, then the
tion of The Review, for the Dealers' Association greater portion of all this fake business will be
went on record as favoring this plan which had gained by the regular trade.
Quick Sales Would Be Made.
been advocated by this paper only.
Sales at present are often very slow and hard
The dealers declared themselves "unqualified-
ly in favor of the absolute establishment of a to close on account of the price being questioned
one-price system that will prevail throughout and the purchaser expecting heavy discounts.
the country by the manufacturer in his contract Quicker sales under a one-price system mean
less expense in selling. With little or no dis-
with the retailer."
The article which we print below is con- counts from established prices, each deal will
tributed by C. S. Peregrine, of Colville, Wash., bear a reasonable profit. Taken as a whole, the
upon the subject, "Benefits which will accrue to total sales and profits should compare favorably
the trade by the manufacturer establishing re- or better than at present, and much more satis-
factory to both the trade and the public.
tail prices at which his pianos shall be sold."
Outside of the question of profits the trade
Benefits of One Price Established by the Manu-
will be placed on a much higher plane, when
facturer.
conditions are such that the reliable dealer
ItY ('. S. l'KltKliKINK, COI.YILLK, W A S H .
backed
up by the manufacturer can realize that
In considering the subject of the "Benefits
which will accrue to the trade by the manufac- his integrity is not doubted when he quotes
turer establishing retail prices at which his piano values, and when the retail business in
pianos shall be sold," we will first notice some general is looked upon by the public as being a
of the effects it will have with the manufac- more honorable business of fair and reasonable
turer. If uniform prices are established, it fol- dealings at, all times.
lows that the value will have to be there, or the
piano will sooner or later be regarded as not
SOME TRADE BRIEFLETS.
worth the price asked. The tendency will be,
increased sales of the better makes. When the
Work is nearly completed upon an addition to
real value of each piano is known by the public, the Steck factory in Gotha, Germany, that will
the demand for first-class pianos can no longer increase the facilities to almost treble the present
be supplied by the cheaper makes, when the cus- capacity.
tomer is willing to pay the price of a first-class
instrument. This will be a decided point in
Formal consent has been given by the muni-
favor of the maker of the better grades, and cipal authorities of Johannesburg, in the Trans-
not much encouragement for the thump-boxes. vaal, for the international exposition to be held
Having no reasonable prices established, the op- next year in Milner Park.
portunity is open for all the swindling that is
being done, and, as a consequence, the public
Leverett & Crawford will shortly open a store
has a general distrust of the retail trade. Tlie in Mangum, Okla., and will carry a complete
mail order factories and concerns, with their uni- l".ne of pianos, organs and other musical goods.
form prices, are being patronized by trade that
can in part be gained by the local dealer and
E. T. Lumpkin, one of the well-known piano
the manufacturer who sells to him. Regulate dealers of Baltimore, Md., was a visitor to several
prices so that the customer knows that he can of the west side piano manufactories during the
receive good value at home and he will certainly past week.
be more apt to patronize the local dealer.
Will Do Away with Many Trade Evils.
Porch Bros., Johnstown, Pa., have incorporated
It is the retail trade that will be benefited the
most by the one-price system. We have already
noticed some of the advantages that are gained
by the retailer in connection with what has been
said of the manufacturer.
Many of the very worst evils that the trade
has to contend with to-day will be practically
done away with. The tricky dealer who has
been in the habit of quoting low prices on his
competitor's line will find his game badly
blocked. The offering of a heavy discount fron?
the established prices of his competitor's pianos
would imply that his own line could be sold
at the same discount. With only a reasonable
profit to start on, there can hardly be room
found for the foolishness of free music lessons,
free tuning and the like that sometimes go in
on a deal as trimmings. Also the exchange price
of all old pianos would adjust itself to about
v/hat the dealer actually expects to get out of
the old instruments. This would be the natural
result if nil new pianos were so priced that an
unusually large profit could not be asked.
Dealers Will Support the Plan.
with a capital of $100,000.
Mr. Joosten, of Jansen & Joosten, piano deal-
ers, Flanagan, 111., passed through New York
recently on his way to visit his old home in
Germany.
HASBROUCK "MAKING GOOD."
The Hasbrouck Piano Co., of 539 West 21st
street, are making good their reputation of keep-
ing busy all the year around. The month has
opened with them with a big batch of orders,
which, with their other trade, will keep them
busy for some time to come. In speaking of the
reception accorded their pianos by the trade, Mr.
Hasbrouck says: "Every dealer that has taken
on our pianos has sent us a letter testifying as
to the great satisfaction they give to the pur-
chasers. It will not be our fault if the public
is not satisfied as we aim to give them in ma-
terial, workmanship and construction the best
the market affords, and at a very reasonable
price. Dealers cannot find a better proposition
It is no!, likely that all retail dealers or all than the Hasbrouck piano."
Hvg.
V. S . P i l l . O i l .
Less
competition
You don't find the com-
petition in selling the Victor
that you do in pianos. There's
no price-cutting. One dealer
can't undersell a n o t h e r .
Business is good for everybody
and profits are liberal and
assured.
Victor Talking Machines
and Records
are a splendid proposition for
piano-dealers and are profit-
ably and easily handled in con-
nection with pianos. Better
returns on less capital.
We don't leave Victor dealers
shift for themselves. Victor
goods are advertised regularly
in magazines t h a t r e a c h
49,000,000 readers every month
and this ,i>oes a long way
toward making selling easier
for the dealers.
The Victor business in your
neighborhood should be yours,
and you can get it without any
trouble. Write us to-day for
full particulars.
Victor Talking
Machine
Company
Camden,
N. J.