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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
AN ANALYSIS OF CONDITIONS IN THE FLORIDA TRADE
A. H. Smith, of the Walker & Smith Music Co., Tampa, Makes the Following Interesting Survey
of Music Trade Conditions in His State, Written Specially for The Review
The Review is indebted to A. H. Smith, of the Walker
& Smith Music Co., Tampa, Fla., for the following interest-
ing survey of trade conditions and prospects in the State
of Florida. Throughout the report runs an undercurrent of
optimism that is distinctly encouraging.—Editor's Note.
No one word is fully sufficient to describe con-
ditions in the music industry in Florida. It could
be summarized as fair, spotty or poor, accord-
ing to clientele. Dealers appealing to the classes
have (or should have with adequate effort) fair
volume of sales. Stores dependent upon the
masses are generally finding sales and.collections
either spotty or poor.
A noticeable slackening in demand was felt in
Florida soon after the beginning of 1922, long
after it was noticed in Georgia and other South-
western States. The causes seem unusually ob-
scure and difficult of analysis. The diminution
in retail buying from accounts from widely dif-
ferent sources fell off on an average of about one-
third. Four factors are generally traced as hav-
ing an adverse effect upon retail sales, the light
tourist season, decreased earnings among un-
skilled and semi-skilled labor, high initial pay-
ments made upon home dwellings and the length-
ening of credit terms by local automobile dealers.
The lessened tourist travel is general and explain-
able. Wage reductions at first affected the negro
population, curtailing a large outlet for phono-
graphs, small instruments, records and player
rolls. Soon spreading to all but the strongly or-
ganized trades, it then diminished the buying
power of 75 per cent of the city populations. High
initial payments and instalments upon home pur-
chases are due to a general belief that dwelling
costs will suffer readjustments, and home build-
ers want houses built on 1922 costs to stay sold.
The new policy of several dealers in medium-
priced cars of giving terms as long as twenty-
four months is more than anything else cutting
into piano sales.
Meanwhile other factors are making for an
improvement in the local situation and promising
a more attractive outlook for future trade. Among
these the most conspicuous are rising prices for
citrus fruits, an abundant crop in farm products
(at rather low prices), brisk, general homcbuikl-
iug at lower costs, heavily increased phosphate
shipments and an epidemic of good roads bond
issues, Hillshorough County leading with a three-
million issue, all of which will directly benefit
all classes of workers and indirectly benefit all re-
tailers. Therefore, everyone is optimistic about
the outlook for Fall and Winter business. The
consensus of opinion universally indicates a
greatly revived buying of musical instruments not
later than next November.
As before stated, sales are off. Probably most
dealers who have not lengthened their terms un-
duly find purchases in money value about 33 1-3
per cent less than 1921. A large percentage of
this lessening is attributable to reduced retail
prices. On the other band, few dealers have
been fortunate enough to reduce overhead ex-
penses. In fact, most city retailers have had to
renew leases at greatly increased rates. In
Tampa, at least, medium-priced players lead in
demand. Small, inexpensive grands are moving
fairly well and the same is true of the very best
grands of known make and reputation, especially
Steinways, Knabes and Chickerings. Used pianos
are rapidly becoming a problem. Phonograph
and record sales are lagging heavily. The liquida-
tion of "wildcat" brands is about complete, and
even among the well-known lines accounts are
being rapidly closed out.
Overrepresentation
among hardware, furniture and drug stores rapidly
becoming a matter of past history, the outlook
for accounts placed with exclusive music stores is
decidedly more hopeful. The player roll business
is decidedly unhealthy. Small goods, especially
saxophones, are moving in fair quantity. The
radio craze seems to be abating without tempt-
ing many dealers to embark on the 25 per cent
discount adventure. A hopeful sign to phono^
graph dealers is the increased interest in port-
ables and period designs.
Collections are generally poor, with a high per-
centage of repossessions. Many dealers, reluc-
tant to take losses upon reduced resale prices, are
being very lenient. Others are repossessing to
the point of hiring additional storage space. We
are pulling ours quick, favor shown to none, when
accounts get 10 per cent past due, preferring to
sleep nights in 1923. Terms offered here are
not as bad as in the metropolitan centers, but they
are bad enough. It is a safe conclusion that
dealers reporting large volume are offering ex-
ceptional terms. Advertising copy, on the whole,
is still ethical except in the cases of the furni-
ture men, who have been unloading their wild-
cat inventories.
Wholesale purchases of instruments have not
reflected conditions in Florida. Even dealers
buying very lightly from their factories have been
doing a fair business reselling their repossessions.
All stores visited by the writer seem to be well
stocked. Repossessions of table model phono-
graphs sold to working people have been the
heaviest. Pianos come back oftcner than players.
Two opposing trade currents, two conflicting dis-
tribution policies are at this time noticeable in
Florida, one the policy of conservative retrench-
ment shown by most of the large factories in par-
ing down small, long-time accounts, the other
the rapid multiplication of new agencies by at
least two other consignment houses. With two
exceptions large Eastern and Western manufac-
turers have been observing local conditions with
a watchful eye and a general policy of conserva-
tive retrenchment has been the result. Two large
Middle West houses are, however, opening new
accounts on a large scale, staking new dealers
in all the smaller towns of the State.
JULY
15,
On the whole, the outlook for future trade is
distinctly encouraging. Where home building is
very active there is bound to be an increased de-
mand for musical instruments. In a rapidly grow-
ing State like ours dealers who have worked
hard this Summer are bound to benefit in the
business rebound sure to follow a return to nor-
mal buying power.
NOW WITH KOHLER & CAMPBELL
Harry S. Holmes Joins Sales Force and Will
Cover New York and Eastern Territories
Announcement has been made that Harry S.
Holmes has joined the sales organization of Koh-
ler & Campbell, Inc., New York.
In Mr. Holmes Kohler & Campbell, Inc., have
secured a man well trained in piano selling. He
H. S. Holmes
has spent his entire business life in the piano in-
dustry, gathering a wealth of experience that es-
pecially fits him for his new connection with
this prominent concern.
Up to five years ago Mr. Holmes centered his
efforts in the retail selling field and was con-
nected with the retail sales organizations of some
of the most progressive piano merchants of
Greater New York.
While Mr. Holmes is well versed in all various
types of pianos he has become especially inter-
ested in the reproducing piano field, and has given
special study to this type of instrument. He
has spent several of the recent years in the ex-
ploiting of this type of piano, having traveled ex-
tensively in promoting and developing the retail
sales of the Welte-Mignon (Licensed) equipped
instrument.
Mr. Holmes will cover the Greater New York
and Eastern territories for Kohler & Campbell,
Inc.
Decidedly an Art Product
This beautiful bench demonstrates the skill of our .
designing department, the completeness of our
equipment for the highest class of cabinet work
and the perfection of our finishing processes. Al-
though there is no "stretcher," the manner of con-
struction gives all of the requisite strength and
solidity. It is not only an artistic bench but an ab-
solutely durable and satisfactory one in every
respect.
Send for Catalog
Style 141—Louis XV Design
for Upright Pianos
Hand-carved French legs, five-ply veneer top,
15 x36 inches, with beveled edges; music compart-
ment has three-ply veneer birch bottom. It is furnished
finishes. Hand-rubbed and polished all over.
Standard Piano Bench Mfg. Co.
in
1922
1223-1225 W. Lake St.
CHICAGO