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SPEAKING
when the cost of stock and the overhead is deducted from a
total of $19,8()(). We frequently hear that the business of
manufacturers of musical instruments has suffered because of
limited distribution and that there are too few dealers to con-
tact all people in the country adequately. Perhaps the theory
may be right, but if there is a substantial increase in the num-
ber of retail outlets there must be an even greater increase in
sales effort and in sales total for there is quite evidently not
enough business to allow for further division under present
conditions.
Let u9 take the average annual sales of music stores with-
out radio, namely $19,842- Being average it is apparent that
a substantial proportion of such stores enjoy much smaller
annual totals and it would seem that the problem of the
industry is quite as much concerned with devising ways and
means for increasing the sales of est: v,l\ hed houses as it is
in adding new outlets. A piano manager declared to T H E
REVIEW recently that a good business might be done with an
initial stock' valued at $40,000 at retail which meant an ini
tial stock investment of $20,000 on a wholesale basis. This
stock, however, must be turned over at least three times each
year, and preferably four times if, at the end of the tw 7 elve
months, the dealer expects to find something more than bank
interest as a reward for his labor. Perhaps this manager was
shooting a bit too high but there is certainly some point be-
tween $19,000 and $160,000 in annual sales that might be
adopted as a basic figure for a really worth-while business.
The question seems to be one of increasing the per capit
purchasing of musical instruments so that music stores already
in existence can enjoy larger sales totals. An increase of only
one thin dime per capita will mean an average increase of
nearly $2,000 in the annual business of each store. That's one
of the answers.
FRIENDS OF THE PLAYER-PIANO
RALLY TO ITS DEFENSE
THE RADIO WORLD'S FAIR
AND WHAT IT PRODUCED
'
T
HE eighth annual Radio-Electrical World's Fair, held
at Madison Square Garden, New York, from September
21 to September 26, inclusive, was looked forward to
with much interest by the trade at large, for, although
many new products were displayed at the trade show in Chi-
cago in June, experience in other years has indicated that
manufacturers frequently save some of their best things for
release after the trade exhibition.
The public show in New York, therefore, was expected to
offer some surprises but, in that particular at least, was dis-
appointing. There were many new designs of receivers but
few, if any of them, of a radical nature. In a sense this
was a relief, for it gave assurance to retailers that they could
devote themselves to the sale of present lines on hand with-
out fear of finding them more or less antiquated before the
end of the year. Midget sets were there in substantial num-
bers, but there was a distinct tendency to give attention to
cabinet models of a higher unit volume, better performance
and more attractive appearance. Included among the new
small models were those of the end-table type with the tuning
dial set in the top.
For the sake of those who have worried over television it
can be reported that some four or five manufacturers dis-
played television receivers for home use which, to be fair, were
fully up to the present standard of the new art but were
certainly not far enough advanced to cause any great distress
to those engaged in making and selling straight radio appa-
ratus.
HERE'S A LAW THAT MUSIC
MERCHANTS SHOULD KNOW
I
F the annual convention of the Music Merchants' Associa-
tion of Ohio accomplished nothing else, the sessions
would have been worth while for the fact that during the
OME years ago when Champ Clark from Missouri
proceeding attention was called to the law existing in
had designs on the presidential chair, his friends select-
Ohio prohibiting school authorities—superintendents, super-
ed for his campaign song the delightful little ditty of
visors, teachers and all others—from selling books or other
the Ozarks, "You gotta' quit kickin' my dog aroun'."
school supplies of whatever nature to the pupils.
It appears now that a surprisingly large number of piano men
In view of the attention that is being given to the sale of
feel the same way about the player-piano if the number of
musical instruments to school bands, orchestras and other
comments brought forth by the editorial in last month's
groups, and the various evils that have crept into a market
REVIEW are any criterion.
that should, properly handled, prove one of the most profit-
The views of J. C. Phelps, of Dallas, appearing elsewhere
able in the history of the trade, this state edict against the
in this paper, are characteristic of many. " It is thought that
commercial activities of school authorities is particularly
although the player-piano will probably never return to its
pertinent. Unless our memory fails us, laws and ordinances
former position of dominance, there is for that instrument a
of a similar character are in effect in other states and cities,
very definite and substantial market. Certainly this view is sub-
and it would be well for the music merchants of the country
stantiated by the success of dealers in many localities widely
not only to see that such legislation is generally enacted, but
separated in making player sales. There are enough of those
also that it is enforced.
who like piano music but have no desire to learn to play by
hand even under the simple methods of today. Not long ago
one concern disposed of six carloads of players in one city,
and only a itw weeks ago, a chain of retail piano stores dis-
posed of forty of those instruments within a six-day period.
Undoubtedly the people who bought them wanted them.
S
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
REVIEW,
October,
1931