Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
The Piano Manufacturers' National Association is unable to
grapple with this situation in its present form. The by-laws of this
association do not prohibit the manufacture or sale of the special
brand pianos, therefore no rules are violated and no penalties can
be imposed. All the resolutions this side of Hades may be passed,
but they mean nothing because there is no power behind them to
see that they are enforced, unless the resolutions are made by laws.
The proposition to secure National legislation to compel the
manufacturers to put their names on pianos which they manufac-
ture will never reach even a hearing before a Congressional Com-
mittee, and why, because the Government has nothing to do with
this matter whatsoever. And it would be a serious reflection upon
the integrity of the piano industry if this subject were brought up
for federal consideration. There are laws which amply cover the
fraudulent selling of goods and that which does not interfere with
the health of the country the Government is not likely to take action
upon. There must be a moral awakening and the sentiment behind
the awakening must be of sufficient strength to enforce rules and
then something may be accomplished along these lines.
M
ERCHANTS' names appear on various articles of merchan-
dise, and if there is fraud practiced on the purchasers in
their sale then the recourse is the man who sold the goods. John
Wanamaker has silverware made for him bearing his imprint and
there are plenty of people who believe that the name of John Wana-
maker on a piece of silverware counts for as much as Gorham or
some other manufacturer. The Government is not likely to take
action in one case and not in all. There are plenty of hat mer-
chants who have their own brands in hats, other in shoes and so in
every trade, and the Government would not take up one without
the other, because that would be class legislation of the most violent
type.
T
HE question of price seems to be an all absorbing one nowa-
days in trade circles. It is asserted and clearly proven that
the special brand or stencil piano is frequently sold out of its class
and at a price which should entitle the purchaser to a better in-
strument.
Along these lines it might be well to take up the subject of
what constitutes a co'rrect price. What profit is a man justified in
securing in legitimate trade work? There are some special inven-
tions and some patented articles on which two or three hundred
per cent, is made and the greatest of all corporations in the world,
the Standard Oil Co., makes one thousand per cent, annually. Now,
what is the correct profit for a piano merchant to make in his
regular business? Should it be 50, 100 or 200 per cent., or should
it be 300 per cent. ? Who can answer this question intelligently ?
I
N scores of stores throughout the land the most valuable space
in the warerooms is going to waste. We refer to the show
window space. While the piano business at the first blush does
not seem to afford great opportunities for window decoration, yet
upon close investigation it will be seen that many new and novel
features may be introduced in window decoration. The settings
may be educational as well as of artistic interest. Many dealers
place two or three pianos in their windows with no attractive back-
ground. In such stores, too, it will be noticed that the windows
are rarely ever kept clean. They show the absence of the cleaner
and polisher and as a result passers by the store rarely stop to look
at what may be shown in the window, or, if they do, they go on
with a feeling in their heart that if the window display is typical
of the stock within they would prefer to trade somewhere else. A
false impression is given by a music trade establishment having an
unattractive or neglected window. This is the best space in the
store and every man should use the space to the best possible
advantage. Frequent changes must be made in order to add to
the attractiveness of a window.
T
HERE are some houses in the music trade who appreciate fully
the value of window space. Take for illustration, Lyon &
Healy. At all seasons interesting displays are made in the windows
of this great establishment, and it is rarely one passes by them
without seeing a throng of interested sightseers halt and view the
window sights, which are changed frequently enough so that they
form a never ending source of attraction.
REVIEW
Concentration is the secret of success.
Stick to quality.
It is the kind of work that will tell.
Well, there seems to be a good demand for Teddy Bears any way.
The salesman who knows his business is never found smoking in the
warerooms.
Now is a busy time at the country fairs.
it up in good shape.
The boys are whooping
It isn't a question of how much a man does but how he does it that
counts in the business world.
If the demand did not exist for the special brand piano why should
the number still be increasing?
The likeliest harvest of customers' signatures are the signatures
that you can gather in right now.
One need not be a prodigy in order to be a successful business man,
but he must have action and energy.
The latest advertisements of some of the piano dealers show that they
have special talent for dime novel writing.
This is the time to tackle your fall campaign. All seasons are open
seasons when you are "gunning" for orders.
There is many a man who is a victim of an unhappy temperament
and who suffers more from it than the one who possesses it!
A DROP FROM KENTUCKY.—Some of us are made on the order of
billboards—a flashy front with a vacant lot behind.
Some of the biggest men in the music trade industry began life way
down the ladder, but Lord! they have climbed some.
It seems nowadays that the honest stencil, dishonest stencil, legitimate
and illegitimate are all bunched together. Biff bang!
Do not fritter away half of the time in trying to convince a future
piano prospect of what rank instruments your competitors sell.
There are only a few things of which a prospect needs to be con-
vinced. Principally among these is his confidence in the integrity of the
house.
The Music Trade Show is over and the one for 1908 will be bigger
than ever, so says the gallant captain, who never fails to accomplish what
he sets about.
If a fellow has graceful tact so much the better. If he has an honesty
of mind that will not let a man be misled in the smallest degree, so much
the better still.
It is a matter of general business experience that the salesman who
gets the test salary also gets the best price for his goods for he believes
in quality standard.
IN PRINTER'S PARLANCE.—"John," said the printer's wife, as he
came home with a black eye, a cut nose, and a bandaged jaw, "where on
earth did you get that display head?"
Remember and get a good early start these bright fall mornings.
Begin your campaign right now and see how far ahead of the other fellow
you are when the holiday season begins to come on.
Don't have too many strings to your bow or too many irons in the
fire. Better have one or two good strong strings that are not easily broken
and keep one or two irons at a white heat all the time.
READ GENTLY, GENTLE READER.—The office boy had pied the
first page by dropping the form down two flights of stairs. "I wish,"
murmured the gentle editor, "that you had broken the news more gently."
The Cackling Old Woman of Paris says that she has been fighting
the stencil for twenty years. Wonderful! And the business has kept on
expanding at a phenomenal rate, showing what marvelous powers for
development as well as touch the Cackler has.
USURPING THE EDITORIAL PREROGATIVE.—Editor (to caller
who has been airing his views)—Look here, are you the editor of this
paper?
Caller—No, no; certainly not.
Editor—Very well, then; don't stand there and talk like a fool!
k