Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
MARCH 8,
1924
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
THE POINT OF REVIEW
the Pacific Coast is going to have its own convention just a
S O month
or so after the National Associations meet in New York.
The decision to hold such a meeting is a departure in the music
industries for, if memory does not fail, this is the first time that
music merchants representing a well-defined section of the country
have ever decided to meet for the study of their common problems.
We have had National conventions, of course, and many State con-
ventions, but never a sectional one, using the word in its proper sense.
Jt is a move in the right direction. Pacific Coast dealers have many
problems of their own requiring common action for their solution,
which could not be adequately considered by the National Associa-
tion in convention assembled. Here these dealers will have an op-
portunity to thresh them out, discuss them definitely and arrive at
exact decisions. It is too bad, however, that the meeting will be
held after the National gathering. It would be better, at least in
the writer's opinion, that this meeting had been held prior to it, so
that delegates could have been sent to the National convention, em-
powered to speak for the entire Pacific Coast trade. When the
convention is held in the coming year it is to be hoped that this
procedure will be followed, for probably time was the thing that
prevented it this year.
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ND this brings up the question of the National meeting in June.
Things as yet, of course, are in the embryo and programs in
the process of formulation, but here is a suggestion that those in
charge of this phase of its activities might give some thought to.
The big question to-day before the trade, and especially the piano
trade, is distribution. Closely bound up with this is the question of
overhead. Unquestionably piano overhead at the present time is too
high. If the average piano dealer or manufacturer does not believe
this, all he has to do is refer to the figures compiled some time ago
by The Review, based on the reports of many prominent dealers in
the trade. These showed a percentage all out of proportion. As a
matter of fact, this is not a necessary condition. To those who have
considered it for some time it appears that the fault is to be attrib-
uted to bad distribution, to faulty buying of the lines handled and to
following lines of least resistance in selling policies. All these things,
formulated more definitely of course than this mere outline gives
them, should be considered and discussed. It would be setting no
precedent in trade association activities to do this, for some time ago
the National Dry Goods Association devoted an entire four days'
meeting to the question of distribution alone and with profit to every
one of its members. The Review will have more to say on this
question shortly, in fact, a good deal more before the Ides of June
roll around.
A
r?XHIBITS or no exhibits is the question that is causing most
-•—' discussion in the trade at the present time. The decision to bar
exhibits from the convention hotels is being discussed pro and con
and the cons seem to be just as strong as the pros. Evidently the
exhibit idea has taken a strong hold on the industry, both from the
manufacturers' and the dealers' standpoints, for complaint is being
heard regarding the decision of the Associations to have no exhibits
in the convention hotel this year. Exhibits have nearly always been a
feature of the conventions, and it is going to be interesting to watch
the developments that are sure to arise from the present situation.
One thing is to be hoped, however, and that is that the old discus-
sions, based largely on sectional interests, will not play an important
part in them. The question of exhibits has enough merits, which-
ever way you take to discuss it thoroughly, without bringing in things
which have no relation at all to it.
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HE other day The Reviewer was invited to attend a conference
of retail salesmen called by the sales manager of the organiza-
tion. As he understands it these conferences are a regular feature
with this house. Well, there is no question that such conferences
are theoretically very good for any retail sales force, but it is a
matter of regret to say that this particular one, if it were a fair
sample of what usually takes place, simply represented a waste of
T
time. So far as The Reviewer could see, the sales manager made a
speech, the salesmen listened and agreed, and then a general adjourn-
ment was taken with expressions of relief on the latter's faces. The
trouble with this sales manager is that he talks too much. Confer-
ence, as it is generally understood, means to talk together. Confer-
ence, as this sales manager understands it, is to talk alone. No
doubt his salesmen would be perfectly willing to admit he was an
orator without having him convince them of it every week. If he
would let them have their way, he could rest on his oratorical bays
and let his men have more time in chasing the elusive prospect.
V£
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IX
A SALES conference to be any good at all must give everybody
-L *• a chance to talk. The individual salesman must be encouraged
to stand up and tell his tale so that the rest of the boys can listen
and the sales manager learn. The man who is on the inside, directing
a sales force, has a difficult time in getting the angle of the men who
are on the outside doing the fighting. He is too liable to be inflexible
in his policies unless he is in close touch with conditions. Now, if
the force is of any size, it is difficult for him to get out and he has
to get much of his information second-hand. Where is he going to
get it unless he gets it from his men ? And how is be going to get it
unless he permits them, and, what is more, encourages them, to talk ?
Get two or three salesmen heated up over some point in discussion
and a sales manager will learn more in five minutes of actual facts
than he can evolve from the thin atmosphere of his private office in
five days. Successful ones know that; self-important ones admit it
but never practice it.
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\/VARIOUS members of the piano trade, and particularly those
* handling a variety of musical instruments, some time ago took
cognizance of the importance of radio and many of them tied up in
one way or another with radio lines. It is but natural, therefore,
that piano manufacturers have themselves given thought to com-
bination instruments including radio just as have the talking ma-
chine men. Now three makers at least have put on the market
pianos and players equipped with radio receiving sets and others are
in prospect. From the angle of the efficiency expert this new de-
velopment in the piano trade provides an interesting and from one
side a rather amusing situation. We have all heard the story of the
individual, somewhat shy of worldly goods, who, when he buttoned
his overcoat, locked his wardrobe. The situation has developed in
the'piano trade wherein certain of our chosen citizens in moving
their pianos can move at the same time all the musical furnishings
of their homes, for these instruments combining in their interiors
radio, talking machines and banjo or mandolin effects represent
practically every angle of musical activities. From the standpoint
of the occupant of the small apartment this new idea of combining
several types of instruments within one case should make a strong
appeal.
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me
A GOOD deal of significance should be attached to the way in
•*• *• which methods among retail music merchants are gradually
changing. During the last few months The Review has had a num-
ber of articles regarding new departures in this field, such as the
development on a broader scale of the neighborhood feeder store
for the large central warerooms, the store completely devoted to
demonstration of the player-piano, and a number of other new
policies, that are new so far as they concern the retail piano trade
Giving all this consideration, one can easily see that the last word
in retail piano selling is a long way from being said. As a matter
of fact, the statement was made not long ago that average retail
selling in this field is not more than 50 per cent efficient. It caused
a dispute, of course, for there were piano men present, but the
further the discussion went the greater became the agreement. If
the statement is true, there is one compensation, however, and that is
there are many retail dealers at the present time who are doing their
best to increase the average. More power to them, for the greater
their success the greater is going to be the output of pianos and
the greater the entire profits of the industry.
THE REVIEWER.