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THE
MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
tUVVARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILL A NE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Staff:
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
A. J. NICKLIN,
CARLETON CHACE,
L. M. ROBINSON,
AUGUST J. TIMPE,
GLAD HENDERSON,
W M . B. WHITE,
BOSTON OFFICE:
L. E. BOWERS.
CHICAGO OFFICE:
JOHN H . W I L S O N , 824 Washington St.
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VAN HARLINGEN
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EDBTSN.
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Published Every Saturday at 373 Fourth Avenue, New York
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PlilVPP PijIIlA StnA
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
• IOJC1 • lailV a i m
t i o n s o{ a technical nature relating to the tuning, regu
Tpphnif*!ll flonilPtmontc
lating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos are
IClllMlldl V e p d l IIIICIIK. d e a U w i t h > w i l l b e f o u n d ; n a n o t h e r section o f 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
Diploma
Parts Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal- • .Charleston Exposition, 1908
Pan-American Exposition, 1901
Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal. .Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905
ILOKO DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 5982—5983 MADISON SQ.
Connecting- all Departments
Cable address: "Elblll, New York."
NEW
YORK,
MARCH
1 4 ,
1914
EDITORIAL
D
OES a ground floor location, as compared with an upstairs
showrooms, tend to lower the standard of the trade handled
by a retail piano merchant? is a question that the average dealer
will be quick to answer in the negative, and yet the experience of
a prominent manufacturing house which maintains retail ware-
rooms in a certain large city would go far to indicate that the ques-
tion could be answered in the affirmative, for the books afford in-
teresting testimony.
The concern in question for some years conducted a retail busi-
ness on one of the upper floors of a large office building, and,
through the efforts of a large crew of outside salesmen, sold a sur-
prising number of instruments at prices ranging from six or seven
hundred up to eleven or twelve hundred doilars. The most pleasing
feature of the business, however, was the fact that at the end of the
year when the books were balanced there were not more than a
half dozen of the many accounts that could be considered as really
delinquent, and even they were good for final collection.
When the company, a year or so ago, moved to a ground floor
location on a prominent thoroughfare with attractive warerooms
and a handsomely displayed stock to appeal to the passing throng,
the sales increased in volume to a considerable extent, but not
enough to satisfy the management of the company for the reason
that the rent and lighting expense had been more than quadrupled,
the sales force practically doubled and the increase in sales were
far from being in proportion to the increased expense.
Another surprising fact was that at the end of the year the
books revealed a large number of overdue accounts, some of which
were sure to lead to repossessions. In short, the telltale books
proved to the satisfaction of the retail manager that despite in-
creased business in the ground-floor location the increase in net
profits was decidedly disappointing.
One of those connected with the company for some years and
thoroughly conversant with the conditions under which it was doing
business, offered the following comprehensive explanation of the
failure of the ground-floor wareroom to accomplish what had been
expected of it. According to this informant the outside salesmen
in the old days picked their prospects, and, naturally, being after
results, were careful to spend their time only on those prospects
who were in a position, if interested, to spend on the average of a
thousand dollars for a piano or player-piano.
Prospects who became buyers under such conditions were of
the class that could well afford to pay cash or make most favorable
terms and live up to them with the resultant cleanliness in the book
accounts and a minimum of defaulted payments. The prospects
who dropped into the upstairs showrooms were not attracted by a
window display and special terms advertised on cards, but came to
look over the line with a knowledge of the approximate prices
charged. Such visitors had not been tempted in a moment of
weakness to assume an obligation they were in no condition to meet.
In the ground-floor store the increased business was made up
largely of sales to transients—to those attracted by the instruments
on display—and who dropped in without any previous knowledge
of their value. Of such trade there is always a large proportion
made up of people who will contract for an instrument at a price far
beyond their means, with the result that they are either struggling
constantly to meet their obligation month by month, lapse in their
payments or drop them altogether, which results in repossession
and loss to the piano house.
It is much easier to judge credits before the prospect is ap-
proached or before he has selected an instrument than after the
sale has actually been closed. In the first case it means only the
turning down of a prospect, but in the latter case it means the loss
of a real sale, and the most honest or faithful salesman, or credit
man, cannot help but being a trille prejudiced in favor of the pros-
pect when a sale hangs in the balance.
Possibly the experience of the piano house in question is unique,
but the probabilities are that it is not, for smaller dealers in various
cities have before now moved from residence or upstairs warerooms
to elaborate ground-floor locations only to move back to their old
quarters when the opportunity offered and where they secured
better results in their business.
The condition is not alarming, for the dissatisfaction of the
house mentioned above does not lie with the actual volume of busi-
ness done, but rather with the volume of business, as compared with
that done under less ambitious and less expensive conditions. The
experience based on actual facts opens the way for much discussio'n
regarding the relative value of locations. Is it the big store in the
expensive location on the main business street, or the small store
and upstairs on the side street, with the bunch of hustling outside
men, that brings the greatest results in proportion to the effort and
expense put forth ?
N the last issue of The Review there appeared a communica-
tion from Geo. F. Usbeck, president of Bjur Bros. Co., in
which he made suggestions that both of the National Associa-
tions of Piano Manufacturers and Merchants at the coming con-
ventions take up for consideration and action the elimination of a
serious trade abuse—that of quoting wholesale prices by piano
merchants in competitive work.
Mr. Usbeck set forth his views in this communication, and
lie has subsequently stated to The Review that he is prepared
to show individual cases where dealers have quoted wholesale
prices in order to break up competitive sales. Mr. Usbeck says
that the better class of dealers, of course, do not resort to such
methods, but he affirms that undeniably there are some men who
pursue these demoralizing tactics in their competitive work, lie
further emphasizes the fact that the manufacturers themselves
hold the key to the situation, and if concerted action were taken
this evil could be speedily eliminated.
These words, coming from a manufacturer who has been
one of the sufferers in tactics of this kind are well worthy of
careful and serious consideration.
I
P
LANS are under way to make the gathering of piano mer-
chants at the convention of the National Association of
Piano Merchants in New York in June one of the largest and
most noteworthy in the-trade's history, and the local piano men
are preparing a welcome that will prove worthy of the metropolis
of America and one of the greatest piano markets in the world.