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THE MUSIC TRADE
1925
REVIEW
The Kohler & Chase Rent-Sale Plan
Big San Francisco Music House Develops Improvement on Approval-for-Sale-Plan by Advertising Definite
Schedules of Rentals for All Instruments in Its Line—Plan Gives Sixty Days for Cus-
tomer to Have Instrument in Home—The Kohler & Chase Guarantee
HE idea of selling on approval is not in
any sense a new one, for it has been ap-
plied to many lines of trade from time
immemorial as a means of conveying to the
wavering prospect the confidence of the seller
in the satisfying qualities of the goods he has
to offer. Piano merchants, as well as those in
other lines, have expressed to customers an
inclination to let the instruments speak for
themselves, as it were, in the homes, on the
promise that any real or fancied fault could be
remedied and that in the event of complete
dissatisfaction a refund of the purchase price
would be made.
This plan has worked out very satisfactorily
as a rule, though the customer was called upon
T
since that time with results that have been most
satisfactory to the originators.
Appeals to Various Classes
The plan is now copyrighted by Kohler &
Chase and many dealers are making inquiries as
to how they will be permitted to use it. In the
opinion of O. R. Bowman, manager of Kohler
& Chase, the plan is especially desirable be-
cause it appeals to almost every class of pur-
chaser with equal prominence. It reaches the
undecided through the fact that the prospective
customer has sixty days to make a decision
while the instrument is right in his home. It
appeals to the man with money in a savings ac-
count who is not ready to withdraw it for thirty
or sixty days. It impresses the wealthy buyer
ing, and when every excuse from an expected
rainstorm to the approach of night was grasped
by the salesman in an effort to place the in-
strument in the parlor of the farmhouse, where
the women folks might enjoy it for a day or so
and bring influence to bear upon the head of the
house to make the purchase.
Getting the Piano Into the Home
The modern family is in the same position
to bring pressure to bear, and once the piano or
Select a Piano today on the
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to rely on the dealer's word as to possible ad-
justments and likewise was called upon to make
the necessary payments to warrant the delivery
of the piano to the home. Another form of
the approval plan has been to send instruments
out on free trial for periods ranging from one
month to two, though the majority of high-
grade houses hesitate to adopt this method in
the belief that it savors of cheapness and puts
them in the class of the "bargain" shop.
The "Rent-Sale Plan"
It has remained for Kohler & Chase, of San
Francisco, to develop a new and convincing
approval plan which they term the "Rent-Sale
Plan," and which is designed to place any new
instrument on the company's floor, ranging
from Ampico grands down the line, in the cus-
tomer's home on a rental basis for a period of
two months, during which he may decide
whether or not the instrument is satisfactory
and he cares to purchase it outright. In the
event that the purchase is decided upon the
usual first payment is made on the instrument
and the amount paid in rent is applied in full
to the purchase price. Should the prospect be
dissatisfied with the instrument after the two
months' trial Kohler & Chase will call for it
and bring it back to the warerooms without
any extra charge to the customer beyond the
rent already paid.
The "Rent-Sale Plan" was developed some
five months ago in the advertising department
of Kohlor & Chase after considerable study and
experimenting, and has been in use steadily
Quality
because there are offered the finest of pianos
under the Rent-Sale arrangement.
An impressive printed guarantee form is given
with each instrument protecting the customer
in the purchase. This guarantee covers the
privilege of exchange within one year for any
new instrument of equal or greater value; the
replacement of a defective instrument within
five years and guaranteeing mechanical perfec-
tion in workmanship and materials for fifteen
years. A service guarantee includes tuning for
one year in the city and suburban territory, the
extension of payments during sickness or unem-
ployment and cancellation of contract in case of
death.
Getting Away From the "Free Trial" Idea
A feature of the plan that particularly appeals
is that, although the rental terms are low in
comparison with the retail prices of the instru-
ments, ranging from $4 on certain types of
uprights to $35 or more on reproducing grands,
there is a sufficient amount of money involved
to keep the prospect interested, and to serve to
check the operations of a very considerable
group who see in free trial offers an opportu-
nity to have the use of a piano or player for
at least a few weeks without any cost to them-
selves.
It has long been recognized by piano sales-
men that with the piano once in the home sales
resistance is decreased to a minimum. This
rule held good in the days when the sale of
pianos and organs from wagons along country
roads was the accepted means of merchandis-
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reproducing piano finds a place in the home
there is generally discovered some way in which
to keep it there. Experience has shown that
in the Kohler & Chase plan prospective cus-
tomers who were short of cash for the moment
appreciated the opportunity for using the in-
strument at a nominal charge for two months
until sufficient cash to make the down payment
was conveniently available. The doubtful ones
likewise have welcomed an opportunity to test
out the instrument in the home for two months
before committing themselves to pay the full
purchase price.
Under the Kohler & Chase plan the instru-
ment is sent out under a special form of rent-
sale contract, in all respects similar to the reg-
ular instalment contracts used by the house,
including the provision for the payment of
eight per cent interest, with the exception that
the company agrees to cancel the contract at
the expiration of sixty days upon written notice
from the purchaser and reclaim the instrument,
retaining, of course, the amount agreed upon.
The fact that the rent-sale plan, which has
been widely advertised by Kohler & Chase, has
worked out so satisfactorily for the initial five
months' period has moved that house to con-
tinue it as a regular feature of its business.
Quality