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REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXVIII. No. 11
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York. Mar. 15, 1919
Single Copies 10 Cents
2 Per Year
Export Trade Possibilities
B
USINESS men in and out of the music trade have for months been harping upon the opportunities that
now face the manufacturers of the United States in the development of foreign trade, for they realize
that the conditions existing in Europe—the chaos that has developed in the manufacturing fields over
there, the increase in wage standards, so that they compare somewhat favorably with those in this
country, the building of a great American merchant marine, and other factors too numerous to mention—have
all combined to place this country in a position to dominate the foreign fields if a fair effort is made to realize
on the opportunity.
Certain American piano manufacturers have for many years been engaged in developing export trade in
a greater or lesser degree, but they represent only a small proportion of the trade. For the others it appeared
to be too much trouble to meet the demands of such business, for they felt that they had enough to do to take
care of domestic needs. Moreover, even recently there have been some who appeared to doubt the fact that there
was really a demand for American pianos from foreign manufacturers.
The doubters should be convinced, however, of the actual existence of this demand by the inquiries that
are being received by piano manufacturers all over the country for pianos to be shipped to Great Britain, the Scan-
dinavian countries, Spain, Italy, Latin-America and Australia. These inquiries are growing in number, and it
is nothing unusual for the average piano manufacturer to receive from ten to a dozen letters from foreign
concerns, either direct or through export agents, asking for quotations and information relative to shipments.
Where such inquiries have developed new sales it has been found that the business has been most satisfactory, the
majority of the invoices being paid in New York, or through export organizations.
It may be, of course, that there is a duplication in the matter of inquiries; that ten concerns receiving ten
inquiries apiece does not mean that there are one hundred foreign houses looking for goods, for the same
concern will write to half a dozen or more manufacturers for the same information, but the fact is proved,
however, that where manufacturers have been in a position to handle some foreign trade, and have answered
the inquiries satisfactorily, the demand for shipment has been very prompt.
C. B. Garritson, of the Kroeger Piano Co., in an interview with The Review last week, declared that he
would not be surprised to see within the next few years an export trade absorbing 200,000 or more American
pianos annually. Perhaps the figures are high, and Mr. Garritson may be a bit too optimistic, but the fact
remains that export shipments are on the increase; that the piano manufacturers giving attention to the matter
have little difficulty in arranging for agencies in foreign parts, and that the sales for export are actually being
turned down, because the manufacturers in many cases are overwhelmed with domestic orders.
Any number of foreign concerns have expressed their willingness to contract to take twenty-five, fifty or
one hundred pianos of certain American makes. Naturally the figures are not particularly impressive until it
is realized that if one foreign concern can take fifty pianos of a particular make each year, with hundreds of
other foreign agencies taking rhef same number or more pianos each year, the aggregate will be most
satisfactory.
That the Government, even in the enforcement of the War Revenue measure, appreciates fully the fact
that the export business is going to become a genuine factor, is indicated by the fact that rulings have been made
providing for the waiving of excise and other taxes on goods intended for export, and for the recovery of
taxes paid on such exported goods through- error.
One of the greatest arguments for the careful consideration of export trade appears to lie in the fact that
the cultivation of foreign markets will provide an outlet for surplus products of this country. In other words,
(Continued on page 5)