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THE
MUSIC
TRADE
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
H UKITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NiCKLiN,
CARLETON CHACE,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
L. M. ROBINSON,
W M . B. WHITE,
GLAD HENDERSON,
L. E. BOWERS.
BOSTON OFFICE:
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN
H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
£ P. VAN HARLINGEN, 37 South Wabash Ave-
J
„, . .
T., • „ -„
HENRY S. KINGWILL, Associate.
lelephone, Main 69oO
Room 806. Telephone, Central 414.
PHILADELPHIA:
MINNEAPOLIS a n d ST. PAUL:
s»l. LOU1H:
R. \V. KAUFFMAN.
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDE JENNINGS,
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY, 88 First St.
DETROIT, MICH.: MORRIS J. WHITE.
CINCINNATI, O.: JACOB W. WALTERS.
BALTIMORE, MD.s A. ROBERT FRENCH.
INDIANAPOLIS, IND.: STANLEY H. SMITH.
MILWAUKEE, W I S . : L. E. MEYER.
LONDON, ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Uuildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
Published Every Saturday at 37S Fourth Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Posi Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year; Canada,
$3.50; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS, $2.50 per inch, single column, per insertion. On quarterly or
yearly contracts, a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $75,00.
REMITTANCES, in other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Hill.
PlftVPF PiflllA null
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
riajCI TiailV aUU
t j o n s O f a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu-
TA|»hnli*9l H p n a p t m o n f l s
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
I C i U I U l U V C | i a i IU1CUI3. d e a l t w i t h > w i l l b e f o u n d , n another section of this
paper. We also publish a number of reliable technical works, information concerning which
will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prix
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal.. .Charleston Exposition, 1902
Diploma... .Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS
5982—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting 1 all Departments
Cable address: "Elbill, New York."
NEW YORK, S E P T E M B E R
20, 1 9 1 3
EDITORIAL
I
N the financial and political worlds a great deal of "house clean-
ing" is going on these days. The "constructive" ideas of the
past ten years are being reversed in a most emphatic way.
There has been a remarkable change in the viewpoint of things,
supposedly wise men believing that a tearing down process is neces-
sary in order to reach a sound foundation upon which to build anew.
Whether this policy is the right one is to be determined; meanwhile
in the process a great many people have suffered.
In the trade field there has also been a veritable meta-
morphosis. The get-rich-quick puzzle contest schemes which had
such a vogue a few years ago have been obliterated, not willingly,
but through publicity and the force of public opinion. Dishonest
advertising methods have been severely and successfully assailed
with the result that laws have been enacted in a great number of
States preventing merchants from misrepresenting goods.
There is a strong sentiment against improper methods of trad-
ing in all lines, and both manufacturers, merchants and buyers are
falling back on the old-fashioned idea that "honesty is the best
policy"—that after all it is actual values that count.
A great many businesses have been hatching the wrong ideas.
There has been a complete obliteration of the ethical side of things.
The cleverest man was he who could obtain the most money irre-
spective of the value or the merits of the product he handled. There
has been a change in this respect for the better. But it has only
come after a long fight. And it goes to show that wrong cannot
remain long in the saddle, for right will prevail, ultimately.
Take the matter of piano retailing: For some years past piano
dealers have had a veritable craze for featuring pianos manufac-
tured with their names on the fallboard and cast in the plate—in-
struments sold with their own personal guarantee, at a price often-
times far in excess of that which the same instrument bearing an-
other stencil name sells for at some other dealer's. Then in con-
nection with the exploitation of such instruments there have been
many extravagant statements made.
It seems to us that if the same amount of energy and expendi-
REVIEW
ture of time were placed in exploiting pianos made by firms of recog-
nized standing—firms whose names and products have a national
reputation, dealers would not only be working along more ethical
lines, but would be in a stronger position with their customers, and,
moreover, uplifting trade standards.
There is an increasing demand for pianos of recognized worth
and national standing, and the dealers who are handling and prop-
erly advertising pianos whose names are so widely valued, are
doing more business than ever before.
These are revolutionary times. The plans and policies of some
years ago in the business, political and financial worlds are under-
going changes. It is always well for the business man to watch
the trend of things—to keep in touch with public sentiment. If he
does so he will find that to-day there is a healthy trend toward the
fundamental idea—that justice must prevail—that right must tri-
umph—that pianos must be sold in their class.
The old names in the music trade industry are becoming more
valuable than ever before, and backed by enterprising management
are becoming more influential. There are many reasons for this,
and one in particular is the increasing appreciation of music in
America. As the people become more cultured musically, they are
more particular as to the choice of piano desired in their home,
with the result that they buy those instruments which have a na-
tional reputation—whose nr.mes have a cashable and recognized
value,
T
HE one price system in selling pianos for advertising purposes
and as a matter of principle are two widely different things.
The first is open to various tricks of the trade that will make for
hidden discounts and the other mcludes a valuation on used instru-
ments taken in exchange that, so far as any piano man is able to
judge, guarantees the purchaser a fair valuation for his instrument
and no more.
The final test of the one-price system comes when a customer
is dickering with two competing houses for a piano worth in the
neighborhood of $650 or $700, and, with nothing to offer in ex-
change, sets his maximum expenditure at a figure twenty or twenty-
five dollars less than the list price of the instrument. With one
of the piano houses weakening, it is hard for the manager of the
other, selling the most desired instrument, to see the prospect walk
out of the store for the last time, because even for cash he cannot
be offered a discount of four per cent, or less.
There have been cases where, under similar circumstances, the
salesman of a so-called one-price house has allowed twenty-five
dollars in exchange for the prospect's pocket knife or cigar cutter
and thus stuck, officially, to the price marked on the piano. Such
cases are far from rare, and are not more to be condemned than
occasions when an old piano or organ is taken in exchange at a
price far in excess of its possible value even when almost new.
One prominent piano house near New York meets the excessive
allowance competition by offering to sell the exchanged instrument
to a friend of the customer at 15 per cent, less than the amount
allowed, and though the plan has worked successfully in many in-
stances, no one has yet tried to take advantage of the offer.
The manager of the one-price house, who sticks strictly to
both the spirit and letter of the one-price system, must have the
courage to work against heavy odds until the real honesty of his
principle is recognized, and; upon winning out, is deserving of all
the congratulations his fellow piano merchants can shower on him
for his business courage. And, incidentally, there are an increasing
number of piano merchants and their managers who are deserving
of such congratulations.
T
HE merchant and his salesman should bear one fact in mind,
that the first impressions are the most lasting, and if you
give a man a good impression of your place when he enters you
have accomplished half the battle of separating him from his money.
A quick walk forward, a pleasant greeting and close attention are
not hard things to give, and they will make sales where a glum
dyspeptic countenance with mouth drooping at the corners and a
general look of having eaten something that did not agree with
you will put a customer in an antagonistic mood that will mean a
hard fight to win his confidence and his trade. Look into this in
your place of business. Endeavor by every means to insure every
customer or prospective customer a cheerful reception and make
him feel that he is welcome.
It will be worth your while.