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REVIEW
THE
VOL. LXXXII. No. 20
Published Every SaUrday. Edward Lyman Bill, Inc., 383 Madison Aye., New York, N. Y., May IS, 1926
* ln 'llw?$S
Some Reasons Why Piano Sales Are
Not Larger Than They Are
Out in Elgin, 111., Eighteen Women Out of Twenty Report That They Have Never Been Solicited by a Piano
Salesman—The Case of a Rental in New York Which Was All Ready for a Sale—All Sales-
men Ringing Bells But No Piano Salesmen—Some Houses That Make Them Do It
A
MATRON living in Elgin, 111., an hour
or so from Chicago by rail, at a recent
meeting of a church sewing circle com-
mented upon the fact that a piano salesman
had visited her home the same morning and
succeeded in interesting her in a new piano in
exchange for an older instrument in the house.
In the course of the conversation it developed
that out of the score of women, all of whom
had maintained homes there for a number of
years, only two had been approached by sales-
men representing piano houses.
If the experience of these women had been
out of the ordinary the incident might well be
forgotten, but it appears that such experiences
are rather commonplace, not only in the mid-
West, but in the East and in other sections of
the country. Take an average group of home
owners and question the women and it will be
found that in nine cases out of ten, while they
complain more or less about the number of
solicitors for vacuum cleaners, furniture, rugs,
electrical appliances of various parts, and even
for decorating jobs, who come in a fairly con-
stant procession to the front or back doors,
there is rarely numbered among the visitors
the representative of a piano house.
Not General Enough
Not that the canvassing method or doorbell
ringing method of selling is not followed in the
trade, for there are houses that use this system
with sufficient success to warrant its continu-
ance year in and year out, but the practice is
not general enough to make any distinct im-
pression upon the general public. One man,
for instance, has been living in a newly de-
veloped surburban section of New York for a
matter of two years, and during that time sales-
men for practically everything used about a
house have called on frequent occasions, yet
among them all came only one piano salesman,
who followed a telephone Canvass made by one
of the prominent metropolitan concerns. A
friend of his had lived in a large, modern apart-
ment building, but without the usual discourag-
ing door tender for even a greater length of
time, but has yet to hear of a piano salesman
ringing the apartment bell. In both cases the
homes are of a type that would indicate that
the occupant is in a financial position to buy
and pay for a good piano, and yet no one has
gence and persistence were used the results
have measured up in a most satisfactory
manner.
What Baldwin Does
In the Chicago district, for instance, the Bald-
win Piano Co. is credited with doing one of the
largest, if not the largest, retail piano business,
and doorbell ringing and canvassing constitute
fTlHE statement is sometimes heard in one of the primary sales methods of this house.
J. the piano industry that it is confront' As to the success of that method, it may be
ing a saturated market. Here are a few ex- said that it has been continued over a long
period, and, according to officials of the com-
amples which show that the problem is not pany, will be continued indefinitely. The plan
one of saturation at all, but rather a condi- is to reach every home in Chicago by direct
tion of a lack of intensive selling.
There canvass at least once during the year, and,
was a time when the piano salesman was although this goal may not be realized in full,
one of the few who approached the house- it is certain that it has brought results, for the
retail sales exceeded in the Chicago district
wives' doors; today that condition has en- over $2,500,000 during 1925.
tirely changed with the result that direct
Chickering & Sons, in New York, use the
canvassing by the piano industry is more telephone and the canvassing salesman for
difficult today than ever before. But it is reaching as many homes as possible in the
metropolitan district, and the results since this
almost more important that it be done.
policy has been put into effect are said to be
satisfactory. Certain it is that the Chickering
house is coming in contact with a very substan-
tial proportion of the population by one means
and proceeded to hire an instrument of rather
or another, and, if only the law of averages is
ancient vintage at the rate of $6 a month, or $72
relied upon, the percentage of actual sales
a year. That piano is still in the house and
still being rented at the old rate, which means should be substantial. As a matter of fact, they
are sufficiently numerous to encourage the con-
that this particular Gothamite has already paid
tinuance of the system.
a little over $500 for it in rental alone, though
the instrument could originally have been
No Cheapness at All
bought for perhaps $250. The point is not that
It may be said in passing that the adoption
the man has been paying rental for such a long of the direct home door contact with the pros-
time, but that neither the house renting the pect by these representative concerns should
piano nor some competing concern has ever set at rest at once the argument occasionally
made an effort to interest this particular indi- heard that the canvassing method savors of
vidual in the purchase of a new instrument, cheapness. The fact of the matter is that all
though in all probability he would prove an ex- too many piano dealers are riding for a fall
cellent prospect if once approached. It is signifi- because they are more interested in maintaining
cant that in a matter of furnishings and elec- dignity than in getting business. Each family
trical equipment the apartment is all that could
has a certain amount of money to spend for
be desired, and the ownership of all these ap- ' the necessities and luxuries of life beyond mere
pliances has been acquired while the old piano
food, shelter and clothing, and when that sum
was still being rented.
is exhausted it must wait for new funds. Under
There has appeared in The Review at fre- the new method of doing business salesmen are
quent intervals articles regarding the methods getting into the home while the money is there,
and when the housewife or her husband gets
followed by various concerns in canvassing both
in larger cities and in small towns, it being through paying for those things that are practi-
(Continued on page 4)
shown that in every case where proper intelli-
inquired as to whether such an instrument was
in the house or not.
An Example
The case is told of a New Yorker who nearly
seven years ago wanted a piano for a short time