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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
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; Secretary, Edward Lyman Bill, 373 Fourth Ave., New York;
Assistant Treasurer, Wm. A. Low.
J. B. SPILLANE, Editor
RAY BILL, B. B. WILSON, BRAID WHITE, Associate Editors
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Vol. LXXVI
NEW YORK, MARCH 24, 1923
No. 12
BALANCING ORDERS AND PRODUCTION IN YEAR
REVIEW has received a number of messages of com-
i- mendation from the trade on the charted article in last week's
issue on the question of having dealers spread their orders through-
out the year more or less evenly rather than concentrating them
within a period of three, four or even six months. The figures and
charts prepared from information gleaned from the books of manu-
facturers proved a revelation to more than one member of the
trade, who, until the facts were presented in graphic form, had
little real conception of the lack of balance that generally exists
between orders and production.
In certain cases it seemed as though dealers actually planned
to work as contrariwise with the manufacturer as possible and still
keep a few pianos on their floors, and in those same cases it was
shown how a slight readjustment, without placing any burden on
the retailer, would serve to bring shipments and production more
closely to a balance and prove of benefit to both interests.
It was quite evident in making the survey that those of the
trade who were skeptical regarding any plan for distributing ship-
ments through the year on a more or less even average believed
that the object was to develop and preserve an absolutely even
balance between orders and production. It has been shown, how-
ever, that although such a result may not be obtainable, even though
desirable, it is still possible to rearrange shipping schedules in a
manner to bring genuine relief to the manufacturer and still leave
with the dealer the option of ordering more heavily during certain
months.
This question of balanced shipments is a live one in the trade
and worthy of study on the part of both the manufacturers' and
merchants' associations. The members of both of them are directly
interested in its solution.
FACTS IN THE USED PIANO SITUATION
T
HE countrywide survey of the used piano situation, published
in The Review last week, serves to emphasize two very important
points. The first is that excessive allowances are calculated to
bring about a jam of used pianos in warerooms and warehouses
because they cannot be resold without a heavy loss, and the dealer
hates to face that loss. And, secondly, even a moderate allowance
MARCH 24,
1923
upon a used piano of low grade is likely to represent money thrown
away.
Retailers are almost a unit in declaring that in cases where
used pianos are moving at all sales are confined to instruments of
well-known makes and better grades. The reason apparently is
that there are a number of discerning individuals who desire instru-
ments of known quality, but who hesitate for one reason or another
to pay the price asked for a new instrument of such standing.
When it comes to the low-grade piano, there are a sufficient
number of new instruments, both pianos and players, offered by
various retail organizations at prices that are attractive enough to
steer the prospect away from the medium-grade or cheap used piano.
Not that real bargains in medium-grade used instruments are not
taken up by purchasers frequently, but the demand is not over-
whelming and has dropped off steadily since the wartime peak, when
new instruments were not available.
The main thing emphasized in practically every interview was
that allowances were too high and that there are not available means
for determining a fair valuation on the used instrument.
Some of the merchants believed that the proposed schedule
of depreciation being prepared by the Chamber of Commerce will
serve to help solve the problem, but others are pessimistic and hold
to the opinion that the question of valuations and allowances must
be settled by the individual and their fairness to himself and his
customer depends upon his courage in the face of competition.
As The Review has stated before, the problem of the used
piano is one that might well be given a prominent place in the
program of the National Association of Music Merchants at Chicago
in June, for there is room for much helpful discussion on that
subject. The survey of the situation covering many of the leading
centers of the country as presented last week may well give the
members of the trade who look somewhat into the future reason
for pause.
THE NEW WELTE MERCHANDISING PLAN
I 'HERE is much material for sober thought in the announce-
*• ment of the merchandising policy of the Welte-Mignon Corp.
in marketing the Welte-built instruments, particularly in that the
policy is one of open territory and non-restricted selling, offering
the products of that corporation to the entire retail trade of the
country at uniform prices and without limitations of selling area.
George W. Gittins, president of the Welte-Mignon Corp., has
several excellent reasons for the adoption of this new distributing
policy, which marks a novel development in merchandising repro-
ducing instruments that is very likely to have an influence on the
future of the trade, particularly on the relationships of manufac-
turers and retailers.
The piano trade has long existed on the restricted territory
plan and, while in most cases that system has worked out to the
general satisfaction of the manufacturers and the selected dealers,
there have been instances where territorial restrictions have worked
a genuine hardship on the manufacturer and brought about loss of
business, particularly where the retailer lacks the sufficient energy
or business acumen to take the fullest advantage of his agency
franchise.
The progress of this open territory, uniform price policy of
the Welte-Mignon Corp. will be watched with much interest, not
alone by those who have had the courage to sponsor this innova-
tion, but also by other members of the trade who are committed to
the restricted territory plan.
TUNERS WHO HAVE COURAGE OF CONVICTION
tuners in Harrisburg, 111., recently combined forces and
T WO
ran a full-page advertisement in the local newspaper in which
the importance of frequent and proper piano tuning was strongly
emphasized. The copy had a punch to it and the fact that the
tuners claimed the record of having handled 10,000 pianos in seven-
teen years and of having tuned practically 100 per cent of the pianos
in local schools and churches without question left an imprint upon
the minds of readers.
The main point from the trade angle, of course, is that these
two members of the tuning profession, namely Gene Strange and
A. J. Cook, had the courage of their convictions and the spirit to
spend a substantial sum of money to bring the importance of their
profession to the attention of the public.