Music Trade Review

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MAY 18, 1929
Anti-Chain Store Bill in
Wisconsin Nears Passage
MADISON, WIS., May 13.—The "license bill," one
of the anti-chain store measures brought before
this session of the Wisconsin legislature by
Senator Ben Gettelman, has been ordered en-
grossed by the Senate and sent to the joint
committee on finance.
The bill provides that the man who owns
one store would pay $1 while chains operating
from two to five stores would pay $25 annually
on each store over five; those operating ten
to fifteen would pay $200 on each store over
ten; those operating fifteen to twenty would
pay $500 for each store over fifteen, and for
every store over twenty a fee of $1,000 is pro-
vided.
Music dealers and other retailers declare this
bill to be one of the most drastic measures
introduced against chain stores in any legisla-
ture and its progress to engrossment has at-
tracted widespread attention among retailers,
manufacturers and chain store owners. Oppo-
sition to the measure is reported by some
manufacturers, who declare that it would in-
jure their business because of the large volume
of selling done each year to chains.
The Music Trade
Review
Radio Merchandising Can Be Improved
by Putting Stop to Prevalent Abuses
By READ A. DIMMOCK
Fowler Piano Co., BinghamVon, IV. Y.
OW can Radio Merchandising be improved? By putting a stop to the abuses which are
most prevalent.
We all know that, unfortunately, there are grave abuses in the radio business—but then
it's a juvenile business. First of all, there's the service problem and excessive service costs
so much money that profits are liable to be nil. Now, service in the automobile business,
whether you buy a $500 or $5,000 car, is for ninety days only. I believe, and I think I am
correct in stating, that any dealer sticks reli-
giously to that. Then, why is it that radio cus-
tomers seem to be expecting a year's full serv-
A MAJORITY of the problems and so-
ice? There's no sense to it—no reason. I won-
-iJ. called evils of the radio trade come
der if some manufacturers and a few irrespon-
home directly to the dealer in his contacts
sible distributors are not a little to blame.
with the public and are either created by
This one year's free service thought is estab-
him or forced upon him as a direct result of
competition for sales volume. What one
lished in the public's mind, and it occurs to me
dealer thinks of some of the problems, their
that excessive free service is furnished because
causes and remedies therefor, should prove
of a few small manufacturers who, finding it
interesting. The accompanying paper was
difficult to get good representation, have been
read by Read A. Dimmrock, of the Fowler
Piano Co., Binghamton, N. Y., at the recent
selling "house-to-house" through a canvassing
convention of the New York State Music
distributor. These salesmen are on "commis-
Merchants and Radio Dealers Association,
sion only" and to make a sale and get their
held in that city.—EDITOR'S NOTE.
commission they will gladly accede to the cus-
tomer's demand of a year's free service. What
Even a Dead Woman
that promise is worth is problematical, but the
damage is done and the thought of one year's
Can Cause Trouble free
stances over which we have practically no con-
service is fixed.
trol—we must work this out individually.
Will every radio merchant agree to give very
DENVER, COLO., May 14.—Owen Cattell, who
We must do a little figuring and use com-
operates a musical instrument store in Boulder, little thought to these irresponsible manufac- mon sense and then I am quite sure that if
Colo., owns a skull of an ancient Incan woman, turers and jobbers—and will every radio mer- every radio merchant can win the approval of
which was brought back from South America chant agree to a specific time for free service, his own conscience and listen more attentively
by him in 1921 when he was a member of the and for discussion I would place that time at to the dictates of business reason, we shall find
Mulford Expedition for the Exploration of the ninety days and so advertise it if thought best. an improvement in radio merchandising.
Next, there's what I am pleased to term the
Amazon Valley. This sa,me skull caused the
"approval
hound"—perhaps the biggest nui-
music store proprietor some trouble during the
past week. It was reported that a skull of a sance and most costly is this gentleman—you
woman was seen in his home and at once the know the fellow wants to try all the radios
Boulder police started an investigation. The and has mighty little intention of buying.
There's no excuse for us tolerating this
skull and Mr. Cattell were taken to the police
station, where he had to explain the matter to costly nuisance. Any reliable merchant will
make good on anything reasonable; he's got
the chief of police.
to
for the sake of his future in business. He's
Mr. Cattell, the son of Dr. J. McKeen Cat-
tell, noted American psychologist, has accompa- got to play square. So again I say why should
nied numerous expeditions into South America we send a radio to Mrs. Brown on Saturday
as an anthropologist and scientific photogra- afternoon especially when Mrs. Brown says
"Will you be here for it Tuesday morning—
pher.
We maintain special
take the radio away then." So in connection
Repair Departments
with this matter I offer as a suggestion for dis-
New Portable Line
cussion the thought—if anyone meets with one
for the convenience
of these approval hounds, and Heaven knows
Geib & Schaefer Co., Chicago, Introduces there are plenty of them, send his name im-
of d e a l e r s a n d
"Dul-C-Ton" Phonographs to Trade
mediately to the Chamber of Commerce on a
tuners.
card of a particular color which is furnished
CHICAGO, III., May 13.—The complete line of
to each radio merchant. Then the Chamber
Dul-C-Ton portable phonographs, manufactured of Commerce phones each radio merchant that
by the Geib & Schaefer Co., this city, is de- the name of Mrs. Brown, of such a street
scribed and illustrated in a new folder which has been handed in on a pink card—you know
the company recently issued.
Send your work to
what that means. Let us make it more and
The features of this new line include an un- more difficult for this class of prospect to con-
us for prompt at-
usual quality of tone assured by scientifically tinue having a good time at our expense.
designed patented tone chamber; attractive
I realize circumstances alter cases some-
tention and careful
compact cases and standard-made mechanism. times. Twenty-five or more years ago the ap-
Six models are described, each having par- proval hound was considerably in evidence in
workmanship.
ticular features. The cases are covered with the piano business—but not now. We will not
special waterproof keratol in fancy grain two- allow the approval hound to ruin our business
tone shades of various colors, including black,
just for his benefit. Some manufacturers and
red, blue and brown. The company also in-
troduces a phonograph record-carrying case some jobbers are to blame. Most manufac-
Write tor our price lists on
turers, I think, have advertised "try it in your
with double index which holds fifty records.
home," so a,s a suggestion for discussion I
would ask the New York State Music Mer-
chants' Association if we could get manufac-
New Ricca Traveler
turers and jobbers to use a slogan like this in-
Announcement was made this week by Hugo stead, "See your nearest dealer—He's thorough-
Ricca, head of Ricca & Son, New York, of the ly reliable." That would help us all, I think.
appointment of Charles C. Adler as sales man-
The matter of discounts should be discussed
ager. Mr. Adler was affiliated with the Lester at the coming convention. Then there's the
Piano Co. for fourteen years and has had a too large an allowance for old radio sets—or
Established i n 1 8 0 6
wide experience in the wholesaling of pianos. baby carriages, of what not. Different schemes
He has just completed a trip through New have been tried out in the piano business in
York State, Pennsylvania and Southern points connection with allowances for old pianos to-
The PRATT READ PLAYER ACTION CO.
which proved most satisfactory.
ward new ones—but practically none of them
Deep River, Conn.
He is representing both the Ricca and Sho- were workable. The matter of certain loca-
ninger lines.
tions being very poor for reception are circum-
H
Pratt Read
Service
key—action—player
repairs and materials
PRATT, READ & CO.