Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
The Music Trade Review
JANUARY,
REVIEW
(Registered in the U. S. Patent Office)
Published on the First of the Month by
Federated Business Publications, Inc.
at 420 Lexington Avenue, New York
Publishers of Antiquarian, Automotive Electricity, India Rubber World, Materials
Handling & Distribution, Music Trade Review, Novelty News, Rug Profits, Sales Man-
agement, Soda Fountain, Radio Music-Merchant, Tires; and operates in association with
Building Investment, Draperies and Tire Rate-Book.
President, Raymond Bill; Vice-Presidents, J. B. Spillane, Randolph Brown; Secretary
and Treasurer, Edward Lyman Bill; Comptroller, T. J. Kelly; Assistant Treasurer,
Wm. A. Low.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON, Editor
CARLKTON CHACE, Business Manager
F. L. AVERY, Circulation Manager
RAY BILL, Associate Editor
E. B. MUNCH, Eastern Representative
WESTERN DIVISION: FXANK W. KIRK, Manager
333 No. Michigan Ave., Chicago. Telephone: State 1266
Telephone: Lexington 1760-71
Cable: Elbill New York
In order to insure proper attention all communications should
be addressed to the publication and not to individuals.
Vol. 90
B
JANUARY, 1931
Cheapness Is Not the Answer
EFORE too many piano manufacturers and dealers get
the idea that the most direct means for increasing piano
sales is in cheapening products and reducing prices,
rather than in working harder and anticipating the turn in the gen-
eral business tide, let them take a lesson from the book of the
radio manufacturer. In this field the average sale of completely
equipped receivers amounted to from $125 to $175, until some
bright sales manager conceived the idea of placing midget receivers
on the market, of which a large number have been introduced
ranging in price from $37.50 to $80 complete. Now ask any
radio dealer what his average sale amounts to. Here is a case
where the number of sales has decreased and, due to the cheaper
receiver, the average value of the sale has likewise decreased. It
is an undisputed fact that ninety per cent of the buyers of cheap
receivers of the midget type would have bought regular receivers
at higher prices were the cheaper product not available, and un-
questionably the piano men will have the same experience if they
follow along the same path. As it is now, the radio men have
played into their hands by marketing receivers that cease to com-
pete with pianos, for the purchase of a radio at $50 less is not
going to stop the purchase of a piano if one is desired. When radio
prices ran into larger figures, the story was different.
I
More Good Retail Outlets Needed
N declaring that from his personal observation what is need-
ed in the piano trade mostly is a stronger retail organiza-
tion, both in numbers and capacity, to maintain contact with
the public and carry on the work for piano promotion, President
Heaton of the National Association of Music Merchants is simply
lending emphasis to the statements made by other prominent mem-
bers of the industry. It has developed, through surveys, that in
most sections of the country there are far too few good dealers
to carry on piano promotion and sales work in a manner that will
be effective under the present competitive conditions. This does
not mean that simply adding individual names to the dealer list
will help the situation, but it does mean that there should be added
to that list men who are financially stable, have ability and with
it the vision to devote themselves to piano promotion and sales
with the same earnestness that they would tackle any other sales
problem. If there is any doubt of this in the minds of the average
1931
retailer, let him talk to a manufacturer of experience and find out
how comparatively few is the number of piano dealers offering satis-
factory outlets for worth-while instruments.
Whether the answer lies in the development of attractive plans
that will attract new capital and energy to the retail division of
the industry, or whether the manufacturers must finally build up
such outlets remains to be seen. That there are opportunities in
the field is evident by the substantial success achieved by a large
number of outstanding retail concerns who, despite adverse con-
ditions, have continued to make some sort of progress. The diffi-
culty is that there are not enough of them. It is not a question
of whether there is one piano outlet to every 10,000 or 15,000 of
the population, but rather a question as to the activity of that out-
let.
1
^
A Declaration of Confidence
HE truism that it is the function of "a leader to lead" is
particularly well illustrated in a message to the entire
trade, presented as an advertisement by the W. W.
Kimball Co. in this issue of The Review. And this message de-
serves emulation by other manufacturers. It can well form the
credo of this eminent house, which, after seventy-three years of
steadily increasing success, displays the courage, faith and vision
which has made it one of the international leaders in this line of
trade.
\ • '**• ;
The summary of Kimball resources in men, equipment, and
money is tremendously impressive and inspires corresponding con-
fidence in every one connected with it, whether dealer or employe,
but even more valuable to the trade is the evidence that the Kim-
ball policy in the future as in the past will continue to develop an
enduring business profitable alike to its owners and its dealers.
It is a positive and inspiring answer to the pessimists who have
wondered whether the piano business is going to continue and
should renew the faith and energy of the men who were perhaps
shaken by the cries of pessimists, of which there are far too
many in the trade.
1
The High School Market Is Real
HE high school boy, with his polo cap or beret on
one ear, and the fair co-ed with all her tricks, pro-
vide excellent material for the comic artists and the
jokesters in the snappy magazines, but as a matter of fact these
same boys and girls must be taken seriously when their large num-
bers are considered in terms of purchasing power. The University
of Southern California recently conducted an extensive survey
covering the per capita buying factors of the high school student
and brought to light the fact that the annual per capita expendi-
tures in musical instruments, alone, were by the girls $6.20, and
by the men $14.47. Multiply these figures by several million and
you have the high school market. It is something for live dealers
to shoot at.
It is interesting to note that outside of clothing, the high
school boy spends more for musical instruments than for any
single item of entertainment or amusement, sporting goods being
second to musical instruments with a per capita average of $12.61.
Girls on the contrary, spend over $11 for hair cuts and shampoos,
over $10 for candy, more than $10 for toilet preparations, and some
$13 for jewelry each year. Probably that is why there is only
$6.20 left for musical instruments and $4.61 for sporting goods.
Probably, too, the fair co-eds depend upon the boys to supply the
saxophones, the ukes, the guitars and what have you.
A
Central Libraries of Music
SUGGESTION of great importance to publishers of
teaching music was that advanced recently at a din-
ner of the Boston Music Publishers' Association by
Mrs. Jane R. Colpitts, president of the Boston Piano Teachers' As-
sociation, to the effect that comprehensive libraries of teaching
music must be established at central points where teachers might
go and examine the pieces, hear them played and receive proper
advice as to their suitability.
As the matter stands now, a large proportion of music teach-