Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
flUJIC TIRADE
VOL.
LXXVI. No. 20 Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 373 4th Ave., New York, N. Y.
May 19, 1923
Single Copies 10 Cents
93.00 Per Year
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Making It Every Man's Convention
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A CCORDING to reports regarding the convention programs that have thus far reached the trade, it
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appears that the chief subject of discussion will be matters of particular interest to the retail division
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\ of the industry, the proper understanding of which is likely to make for better merchandising.
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Some of these discussions will take place in the sessions of the Music Industries Chamber of
Commerce, the Trade Service Bureau of which has launched several movements of direct interest to the man
who puts the goods into the home. There is, for instance, the retail advertising contest which has already
brought excellent results and which will permit those who attend the convention to study at first hand the
types of music advertising which are considered by experts to be representative and best. Then, too, there will
come up for discussion the depreciation schedule on used pianos upon which a Chamber committee has been
working for some time past, and which, if given the proper attention and support, will at least mitigate many
evils developed through the over-valuation of pianos taken in exchange.
It is understood, too, that the Merchants' Association itself will give considerable thought to the ques-
tion of the used pianos and their handling upon a basis that will prevent them from continuing to be a
liability to the retail piano trade.
The question now arises as to what effect all these various discussions will have towards the betterment
of the trade as a whole, for unless the retailers show an appreciation of the facts presented to them, and an
interest in their carrying out the plans suggested, the convention from the angle of business good can hardly
be called a success.
It rests with the Association members as individuals in a large measure whether the convention pro-
gram is constructive or not. It often happens that piano merchants, particularly those who do not go.to con-
ventions regularly, are inclined to criticize the subjects chosen for discussion. Yet these very men will admit
that they themselves have not suggested subjects to be talked over and settled if possible.
The great difficulty seems to be that even the convention delegates themselves in many cases are in-
clined to view the proceedings in the sessions as daily routine and not to consider them in a way that is likely
to get the best out of the discussions for their own use and advantage. Even this year it is probable there
are many matters that could be handled in convention which will be entirely overlooked, for it is natural for
those charged with the preparation of the programs to take the subjects that appear uppermost in arranging
their schedules.
There are also a number of Association members who view the annual meetings as an excuse for a
vacation and devote themselves chiefly to the social side of the meetings. This is all well and good if the in-
dividual feels that way about it and can afford to spend the time and the money. In such a case, the dealer
probably does not expect to carry back with him any great number of thoughts that will help his business.
For the retailer who goes to Chicago next month for serious purposes, what he gets out of the sessions
will rest in a. large measure on what he himself puts into them. If the questions that are discussed are of
little interest to him or do not affect his particular business, then he has little complaint to make if he has not
beforehand presented to the Association officers some definite ideas as to what he himself and retailers in a
similar position would desire to see brought up for consideration.
It is unfortunate that the full convention programs are not advanced sufficiently to permit of a detailed dis-
cussion 1 of their various phases at the present time. In view of that fact Association members must consider
those questions that are put before them and then wait until another convention to bring about a general dis-
cussion of such special matters as they feel warrant their attention.
And in the meantime conditions may have completely changed, which has a.n influence, too, and serves
simply to create still further delay.