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THE
MARCH 15, 1924
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Selling the Reproducing Piano Roll
The Difference in the Problem of Merchandising the Ordinary Player-Roll and That of Merchandising the
Record Roll for the Reproducer—The Experience of a Traveler That Shows the Sales Oppor-
tunities Which Exist for the Latter—Profit as Well as Service
H E reproducing piano, as it is now con-
stituted, is a very wonderful instrument
in itself, mechanically, but its sole value
as a reproducing instrument lies in its ability
to render by mechanical means perfect inter-
pretations of great piano artists. In other
words, it is the record made by the pianist of
note and ability that sells the reproducing piano
and keeps it sold. Without that record the
manufacturers would have little excuse for
demanding from the public the increased price
asked for instruments equipped with reproduc-
ing mediums as compared with those not so
equipped.
In the face of this come reports of dealers
in reproducing pianos who pay little or no at-
tention to their roll or record departments,
and regard those departments more or less as
nuisances. They carry a small number of records
as a part of their service to the customer, but
make little or no endeavor to hold and increase
the owners' interest by keeping those depart-
ments up-to-date and attractive.
Difference in the Problem
There has been much said and written of the
lack of interest shown in the ordinary music
roll department by the average dealer, although
there are outstanding examples of retailers who
by giving intelligent attention to handling rolls
have built up most substantial businesses. It can
be said for the dealer handling the ordinary
type of roll, however, simply as an explanation
and not in justification, that if the customer
cannot find the desired selection in his Hbrary
he can go down the street and get a roll of the
same or another make that will meet his re-
quirements.
With the reproducing record, however, such
is not the case, since the records are designed
to be played on one particular type of instru-
ment for which the dealer is frequently the sole
representative in the territory, and if he cannot
supply desired selections listed in the general
catalog the customer is deprived of that pleasure
and entertainment which becomes his by right
when he purchases the instrument. In this case
there is seldom the opportunity offered for
going down the street and patronizing another
dealer and the result in nine times out of ten
is a. dissatisfied owner.
A Traveler's Experience
That there are opportunities for turning the
record department into a real profit'maker has
been amply demonstrated, but unfortunately
there are a number of dealers apparently alive
in the matter of piano selling who do not get the
proper slant on the roll business. A traveler
for a reproducing record concern recently went
into a mid-West city and found that the dealer
had only about 300 records in his stock as rep-
resentative of a catalog of several thousand
selections. In other words, he did not even have
one of a number to offer to the prospective
customer.
The traveler endeavored to induce him to
place an order for rolls that would give him a
representative library and one upon which he
could secure a profitable return. The dealer
could not see it that way and said the demand
did not warrant the expenditure. The traveler
got desperate, secured a list of reproducing
piano purchasers from the dealer and spent an
afternoon calling on half a dozen customers.
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The result of his visit and intelligent conversa-
tion was a sheaf of orders calling for more rec-
ords than the dealer had on his shelves.
Even with the orders on his desk ready to be
filled the dealer was still inclined to argue the
question from the angle that the profits were
not sufficiently large to tempt him and yet his
gross profit on the orders turned in by the
traveler alone would have netted him some $130
in cash, not a bad return for one afternoon's
work.
Two Answers
There are two answers given to the question
involved, one is that the piano dealer, particu-
larly the reproducing man, has learned to think
in terms of big sales units and regards the
possible thousand dollar profit on a reproducing
grand much .more earnestly than he does the
cumulative profits arising from the sale of 75
or 100 records per day. Not only that, but his
attitude is reflected in that of his salesmen and
in their case is emphasized by the fact that
there is usually no commission coming to them
from roll sales and they cannot see the logic
of doing some work for which they are not
paid.
It is all well enough for the dealer to regard
his roll department as a service to customers,
for at worst he receives some return from every
roll or record sold. The salesman, however, is
interested in the sale itself as a unit and when
it is completed and the contract signed feels
that he has done all the work that is required
of him.
This, of course, is not the general rule, for
there arc salesmen, and many of them, who
appreciate the advertising value of a satisfied
customer, see to it that their customers are
not left to shift for themselves in the matter of
rolls, perhaps to the extent of receiving only
the monthly list of new numbers, but take oc-
casion to take up some of the newer and better
records at intervals for the purpose of demon-
strating and selling them, perhaps at a loss
of time at the moment, but at a considerable
profit when the returns are counted from those
prospects, friends of the original customer,
secured through demonstrations and through
the medium of personal contact in the cus-
tomer's home.
This method of record distribution, however,
is not to be left entirely to the hands of the
salesman, who in justice to himself and his
pocketbook naturally desires to devote as much
of his time as possible to the sale of the in-
struments themselves.
Broader Roll Distribution
The continued success of the reproducing
piano depends on a broader distribution of rec-
ords sufficient to keep present owners constantly
interested in their instruments through the
medium of new music and to acquaint as large
a proportion of the public as possible with the
possibilities of recording and reproducing the
actual playing of prominent artists.
There have-been reproducing pianos sent into
the home with only two or three records, leav-
ing it to the discretion and implied interest of
the purchaser to build up his own library. If
be is naturally musical and works according to
theory he may buy 100 or 200 records on his
own initiative, but if he simply sits tight he not
only becomes dissatisfied with his purchase but
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conveys that period of dissatisfaction to those
of his friends who might be considered as
prospects.
This situation is frequently due to fear on
the part of the salesman that should he seek
to sell to the purchaser of a reproducing grand
$100 worth of rolls or so, he might jeopardize
the sale of the instrument itself and thus lose
the commission on an amount ranging from
$1,000 to $4,000. Particularly is this the case
if the customer has been inclined to haggle
over the price, although it is hardly logical that
an individual who can pay $3,000 for a piano
will quibble unduly and change his mind When
asked for an additional $100 to cover the cost
of the material to make his instrument playable.
One Dealer's Experience
At least one well-known dealer has solved
this problem of the reproducing piano by adding
$100 to $200 to the established price of the
various instruments in his line, for which addi-
tional amount he supplies an equivalent value
in records of the customer's selection. That
he put this policy into effect a number of months
ago and still sticks to it enthusiastically an-
swers the question as to his success.
He reports that in only two cases has he had
any trouble in getting the extra amount, very
few customers questioning the price from that
angle. In one of the cases cited he succeeded
in making the customer take and pay for a
fewer number of rolls and in the other after
prolonged argument he let the instrument go
out without the rolls and then arranged for a
special follow-up campaign to bring about rec-
ord sales.
Two definite ways for increasing record sales
not from the angle of service, but from the
angle of profit sufficient, if the matter is handled
properly, to pay the rent, is to offer a small
commission to the piano salesman on all rolls
he manages to sell to his customer. This at
least gives him some return for his time. The
other method is to put a competent clerk, male
or female, in charge of the record department
and give that clerk a worthwhile salary and
then offer a small additional commission on
sales over a definite quota. It's surprising 1 just
how that method will stimulate business.
This question of the broader distribution of
the reproducing roll is a pertinent and impor-
tant one and in future issues of The Review
there will be offered articles dealing with the
manner in which certain dealers have solved
this problem to their own profit and not alone
directly from roll sales, but from increased piano
business.
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Adds Concert Hall to Store
BANGOR, AIF... March 8.—The installation of a
small concert hall in the rear of the store is
one of the features of the recently completed
alterations in the Andrews Music House on
Main street. The space occupied by the hall
was formerly used for the Victrola department,
which has now been moved to the second floor
of the establishment and the record department
with demonstration booths has been installed
nt the front of the store. The new hall is to be
known as Andrews Music Hall and will be
obtainable for all kinds of musical and SOC'TVI
events.
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