Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
fflJJIC TIRADE
VOL. LXIX NO 18
Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., at 373 4th Ave., New York.
Where Generosity Is Not a Virtue
S
O FAR as general appearances go, piano merchants of this country by right should rank among the
most generous of its citizens, because they give so much away free to each buyer of an instrument.
Nor do the majority of them have to be inveigled into making a free present to close a deal, for so
broad is their generosity that they insist upon making the fact known to the public through their
advertising, telling the prospective piano or player-piano purchaser of what he may expect free as soon as
he gets into the customer class.
Before the war, when prices were normal and supplies of benches, scarfs and music rolls could be laid
in very comfortably without threatening to wreck the bank balance, the practice of giving "throw-ins" with
practically all purchases was frowned upon as being a trade evil that should be eliminated as soon as
possible. There were grave discussions regarding the problem; resolutions were passed, and by some few firms
action was taken. To all intents and purposes, however, the "throw-in" practice exists just as strongly today
as it did io years ago, despite the fact that all the articles given free have jumped in price from 50 to 100
per cent, or more and that competition in the retail field consists of endeavoring to get more instruments than
one's fellow dealer, in order to meet demands, rather than to beat the fellow-dealer out in the matter of sales.
It is no uncommon thing to see, even today, in the newspaper, player-piano advertisements offering a new
instrument at less than the $400 mark, and with it "free and without charge" a bench, scarf, a couple of dozen
rolls and a cabinet in which to put them. With existing prices, a conservative estimate places the wholesale
value of these goods thus given away with a piano as upwards of $35, or close to 10 per cent, of the total price
asked for the instrument. It is well enough to say that the price has been boosted to cover these incidentals,
but if such is the case, what is there left out of $385 or $395 to represent a profit on the main transaction itself?
Retailers themselves, while admitting the evils of the "throw-in" practice, declare that it is necessary in
their business, that a bench and a few rolls are essential to the operation of the player-piano and that without
these articles the instrument is practically useless so far as the customer is concerned. Maybe so, yet milady
would have quite a difficult time keeping her corsets adjusted were it not for the several yards of string in the
back. Just the same milady must pay extra for that string over and above the price of the corset. Of course,
there are some dealers who are as generous as the piano men and who give the strings at their own expense,
but they make it a mighty strong selling point. A homely example perhaps, but nevertheless to the point as
indicating that because an item is essential it need not of necessity be given free.
The piano merchant is in a peculiar position just now. He is giving more for his pianos and is, or should
be, getting more for them. Although the value of his sales may have increased, the volume has decreased and
this decrease in volume means that he must cover his overhead and make his profit on the instruments he can
sell. Tt means that he must watch his expenditures closely and consider that the cost of a few hundred benches,
rolls or scarfs per year, to say nothing of the cost of tuning services, should serve to discount bills on several
pianos or players. It is the dealer who is discounting his bills or, better, paying cash on the spot, who is getting
a fair share of the factory production.
If there ever was a time in the history of the trade for weeding out the "throw-in" practice and for
educating the public to pay for accessories, this is that rime. No records are given away with talking machines,
nor are they expected; accessories are charged for in addition to the price of automobiles and sewing machines,
and the fancy band on the hat also increases the cost. Why should the piano merchant alone be the represen-
tative of charity in business? This is not the time for mere resolutions condemning the practice. It is the
time for action, if piano merchants are to be free from this "throw-in" burden in the future. It is up to the
individual merchants, in co-operation with their fellows, to bring about this desired end.