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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
PUBLISHED BY EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Inc.
President and Treasurer, C. L. Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Vice-President,
J. B. Spillane, 373 Fourth Ave., New York; Second Vice-President, Raymond Bill, 373
Fourth Ave., New York; Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAYMOND BILL, B. B. WILSON, Associate Editors
WILSON D. BUSH, Managing Editor
CARLETON CHACE, Business Manager
Executive and Reportorlal Staff
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Lyman Bill, Inc.
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
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tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
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are dealt with, will be found in 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
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Diploma... .Pan-American Exposition, 1901 Gold Medal
St. Louis Exposition, 1904
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NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 11, 1920
No. 11
UNIFORM HANDLING CHARGES
T
H E suggestion made by a Seattle piano man to the effect that
retailers on the West Coast should get together and decide upon
a uniform amount to be added to the price of each piano, to cover
freight, war tax, unloading, weighing and general handling charges,
is at least worthy of consideration, for these various expenses inci-
dent to the handling of pianos are growing steadily and the end
is not yet.
It may be inadvisable for dealers to agree upon definite fixed
charges to be added to piano prices, but through co-operation and
discussion they can at least evolve some fixed scale to provide a
basis for determining such charges. Experience has shown that
in more than one instance dealers have not thoroughly appreciated
the cost of piano handling from the factory to the home, and through
that lack of understanding they have paid out of their profits
charges that should be passed on to the customers.
The automobile dealer is afforded protection through the quot-
irg of retail list prices as f. o. b. factory. This permits of the adding
to the fixed price of the car all the incidental expenses connected
with getting the automobile from the factory and into the possession'
of the purchaser. At this late date it would probably be a difficult
thing to quote piano prices as f. o. b. factory, so the next best thing
is to have a proper understanding of the amount of handling charges
to points distant from the factory, and see that those charges are
fully covered in the price paid by the retail buyer. It would seem
that the subject was important enough to receive some attention
from the national associations.
THE W O R K OF THE LEGAL BUREAU
I
months General Counsel Pound has been called upon to provide in-
formation on passports, export matters, the work of the Alien Prop-
erty Custodian, various National and State legislation, income tax
problems, questibns on the State Revenue Laws, and a score of other
matters of importance to practically all the trade.
Most of these decisions and opinions are published in the Cham-
ber's Bulletin, for it has been found that questions affecting one
particular piano manufacturer or merchant generally have a bearing
on the business of others. One does not realize the many legal
problems confronting the members of the music industry today
until something is known of the questions that come up for action
before the Le*gal Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce.
THE REVIEW'S TRADE SURVEY
V. D. WALSH, WM. BRAID WHITE (Technical Editor), E. B. MUNCH, L. M. ROBINSON,
C. A. LEONARD, EDWARD LYMAN BILL, SCOTT KINGWILL, THOS. W. BRESNAHAN, A. J.
NICKLIN, L. E. BOWERS
Vol. LXXI
SEPTEMBER 11, 1920
T is generally recognized that one of the most valuable depart-
ments of the Music Industries Chamber of Commerce is the
Legal Bureau, which, since its establishment, has accomplished so
much for the benefit of every division of the industry. ]t is not
generally known, however, to what extent this Bureau assists manu-
facturers and merchants in handling various legal problems, and the
wide diversity of questions offered for settlement. In the past few
i
N The Review this week there is presented a comprehensive and
accurate survey of general business conditions in every section of
the country, compiled with the assistance of several hundred of the
leading merchants located in every State in the Union. Practically
every member of the trade has his own ideas regarding existing
conditions and the prospects for Fall business, but this symposium
gives the facts upon which predictions can be based with a fair
degree of assurance.
On the whole the conditions and prospects are most satisfactory
and quite in contrast to the outlook as it was presented in the Spring.
Things apparently are shaping towards normal with considerable
rapidity, which means that music dealers will have to buckle down a
little closer and work a little harder to produce desired results. With
stocks in good shape, however, there is nothing to interfere with
building up good business totals.
The Review at this time desires to thank the several hundred
music merchants who have lent their assistance in reviewing the
situation in their respective districts and reporting, their findings
for the purposes of the symposium.
COVERING THE MUSIC FIELD COMPREHENSIVELY
M
USIC merchants in increasing numbers are coming to a realiza-
tion of the fact that the term "music store" does not apply to
an establishment which concentrates on the handling of pianos or
talking machines alone, but indicates a store in which practically
everything in music may be purchased-—a musical center, as it were.
This handling of all lines of music represents a good business prop-
osition, as has been pointed out frequently. There is in the aver-
age piano store a fixed overhead that, although it must be main-
tained constantly, functions only when the purchaser of a piano
is in sight.
It is realized that the average piano salesman has considerable
spare time each day that can be devoted to the selling of other
musical goods, thus increasing the income of the store and of the
salesman himself. It is also realized that there is available in the
average establishment considerable space that is not ordinarily used,
but for which full rent is paid. If this space is used for musical
merchandise stock, for instance, it can be made productive of
income.
In order to guide the music merchant in broadening the scope
of his business along correct lines, The Review for some time past
has been conducting a special Musical Merchandise Section in which
questions of merchandising, of advertising, and of the proper main-
tenance of stock are all handled authoritatively. A number of
music merchants have taken occasion to comment on the practical
help they have received from this one section of The Review alone.
For those who also maintain sheet music departments there has been
incorporated in The Review for many years a live sheet music de-
partment, recognized as the best of its kind.
The standing of The Review in the player-piano field has long
been established, and has been maintained through the medium of
the only substantial Player Section conducted regularly by any trade
publication. The Technical Page also has been accepted as the
forum for the serious discussion of the scientific problems of the
piano industry.
The steadily increasing prestige of The Review in the music
industry and its rise to its dominating position is due in no small
measure to the practical assistance that is given to the music mer-
chants through the various departments published regularly and
conducted carefully.