Music Trade Review

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A Scientist Discusses Dicounts
T the regular monthly meeting of the
Associated Musical Instrument Deal-
ers of New York, held last week, the
principal speaker was John A. Red-
field, a scientist, a college lecturer, an authority
on acoustics and an author, • who is widely
known in scientific circles. Mr. Redfield de-
livered a highly interesting address to this
assemblage of musical merchandise retailers,
discussing many varied phases of musical in-
strument construction and retail distribution,
and there is no doubt but that everyone privi-
leged to hear this eminent authority on acousti-
cal tone profited greatly from his remarks.
But Mr. Redfield at least made one mistake
of a serious nature in the course of his re-
marks before this body when he attempted to
tear down that fundamental theory—merchan-
dising on a strictly one-price foundation—that
is so vital to the sound growth and develop-
ment as well as the future welfare of the retail
music merchants of America. The noted sci-
entist took advantage of the opportunity dur-
ing his talk to attack the policy of selling to
schools, supervisors, professionals, and the like,
through the dealer, on a list price basis.
He said the day had passed when the manu-
facturer or jobber should sell to schools
through the dealer. "Eliminate the retailer in
this business, go after it direct and quote liberal
discounts in order to get the business!" urged
Mr. Redfield.
And he continued to say that the dealer is
an unnecessary entity in the transaction of
such business, as it can be done direct and on
a larger scale. On this point he went into de-
tail, challenging the dealer to show him where
he (the retailer) had any right to enjoy a
slice of profit on such business, and so forth
and so on.
We have given a brief digest of the particular
phase of the Redfield address that is under dis-
cussion. And in justice to the large number
Of music dealers all over the country, as well
as the many manufacturers and jobbers of
musical merchandise who are so vitally con-
cerned with this matter, and who are affected
by the Redfield statement, it is our purpose in
this editorial presentment to refute some of
the conclusions expressed by Mr. Redfield and
at the same time set before the trade a few
facts that are so well known to most of us and
generally accepted by the leading manufac-
turers and jobbers of band and orchestra in-
struments as vital and fundamental in their
relation to the development of the music busi-
ness along sound lines.
In the first place let us state to Mr. Redfield
that no business can succeed when it is con-
ducted with a hat-box full of prices, and vary-
ing discounts as well. Show us the successful
business in any other line that is operated in
such a way. The retail music store is the
natural outlet for musical instruments in any
community, and therefore it behooves every
manufacturer and jobber to give those dealers
the fullest protection and co-operation that are
so vital to the successful future of every store.
And when the day comes whereby discounts
will be promiscuously granted to schools,
teachers and the like, then we will have reason
to feel that the future of the music business
is shaky indeed, that its very foundations have
been rocked to the bottom, and the retail stores
are in a precarious situation. Mr. Redfield used
the illustration of school books to support his
belief that manufacturers and jobbers should
slash their prices and sell direct to the schools,
and he also declared that when this comes
about we may expect a greater volume of
orders from schools, all leading to the forma-
tion of bands and orchestras. But, should this
be done, where will our dealers be found to-
A
professor and win him over to the no-discount
side of the case, then may we respectfully
urge him to read the following message from
Mr. R. C. Poyser, sales manager of the Pan-
American Band Instrument and Case Co., of
Elkhart, Ind., who has so persistently fought
against the discount evil and has been one of
the outstanding leaders in this movement, along
with Mr. William J. Haussler, president of the
National Musical Merchandise Association, and
other well-known members of the trade. Mr.
Poyser was referred to by Mr. Redfield, being
cited.as one of the trade members making such
a strong stand against the granting of dis-
counts to schools, etc. Then, when he has read
this letter, we feel quite sure Mr. Redfield will
arrive at the conclusion that it would indeed be
disastrous to the entire music business to per-
mit the spread of such a system of discounts:
Statement by Mr. Poyser
"Editor, The Music Trade Review:
"I am glad that you have written to us about
Mr. Redfield's comments upon our discount
policy, as he stated them at a recent meeting
of the Association of Musical Instrument Deal-
morrow to carry on music's message in the ers of New York.
community, to keep in touch with the develop-
"Knowing Mr. Redfield personally, as I do,
ment of bands and orchestras and serve the I am sure that his remarks were actuated by
needs of these musicians? Is it not a fact that the same desires that we are striving for—to
our music business will rapidly get down to equip every possible American youngster with
the scale of a mail order trade on a national good dependable musical instruments at the
plane? Will it not be true that every music lowest possible cost, realizing that the lower
merchant in the country will be completely the cost, the more American pocketbooks we
wiped out? And what business can afford to will be able to fit.
operate without retailers, substantial and high-
"Please turn back the pages of the Music
class representatives in every section? Cer- Trade Review to that issue in which we pub-
tainly the automobile industry, the radio manu- lished copies of our two open letters on the
facturers, the furn'ture people, and all the prin- discount question. Our purpose in this letter
cipal enterprises of the nation, have their re- was to attempt to accomplish the very thing
tailers, operating on a sound basis and keep- Mr. Redfield is trying to accomplish—that of
ing wide and clear of the pernicious evil of avoiding the practice of paying more for a
superfluous discounts; in fact any discounts at musical instrument than it is worth by the
all. Show us, Mr. Redfield, now that you have means of inflated prices beyond the actual
started this discussion and have assumed a cer- value of the merchandise. You will note that
tain knowledge of the fundamentals of mer- the last line of this letter states that we do
chandising, where anyone can go to an auto- not believe in paying EXCESSIVE discounts
mobile dealer in any part of the United States to anybody. We did not state that no dis-
and buy one or even a group of automobiles counts whatsoever were to be allowed.
at any price other than the regularly estab-
"Another purpose of this letter was to expose
lished list price, excepting for a slight dis- the illegitimate practices of many music super-
count for cash, perhaps. And in this we do visors and others who have authority for the
not even except municipal buying commissions. specification of material in schools who reap
Mr. Redfield, please allow us to set you straight a harvest of profit, gained at the expense of
on one fact in this respect, namely that there students purchasing instruments.
is no rosy future for the musical instrument
"A close study of our open letter to the
business of this country if we pay heed to dealer published at the same time will reveal
your suggestion, cast aside the retailer and that we are not defending, or protecting that
indorse your highly theoretical but certainly type of dealer whom Mr. Redfield is criticiz-
impractical idea of selling to schools and the ing, as we state that 'we and PAN-AMERI-
like on a wholesale discount basis. It would CAN wholesale distributors have pledged our-
soon be a case of "dog eat dog" and that round- selves to support this policy in the sale of
robin plan of discounts would lead to even PAN-AMERICAN instruments, so long as the
greater sins in this well-established and ef- retail dealer SAFEGUARDS PAN-AMERI-
ficiently conducted music business of the nation. CAN I N T E R E S T S IN H I S COMMUNITY.'
We have too strong a program of convincing
"Perhaps Mr. Redfield has formed his opinion
propaganda emphasizing why every school of the average dealer activities by those of his
should have its bands and orchestras, formed own personal acquaintance. Let's remember
among the students to develop them into ;
there are 'black sheep in every flock.'
more wholesome appreciation of the finer
"We have no sympathy for that retail music
things of life, to form their characters and
dealer who by his apathy, his lack of progres-
make better citizens of the present Young
siveness, his laziness and his stubbornness re-
America, without baiting them with luring
fuses to function as a progressive merchant
price discounts. Let us immediately forget
should. This dealer will, by his own hand,
this rash recommendation and go forward on
strangle his own existence.
the old standards; moreover, let those dealers,
"The progressive retail music merchant to-
jobbers and manufacturers, if there are many,
day acts in a dual capacity—that of purchasing
turn with the majority and all co-operate to
agent for his community, and as selling agent
make this year and those to come great periods
for the manufacturer. So long as this merchant
of musical development in our schools, not on
fulfills these functions, he certainly is entitled
any such commercial premise as price and dis-
to a remuneration for his services, even as you
count appeal, but on the imperishable founda-
and I.
tion of ethical methods.
"If there is no reason for the existence of
If we have failed to convince the eminent
{Continued on page 16)
Read This!
it
Vitally Concerns
Every Member
of the
Music Business
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