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EVILS of the
FREE TRIAL
PRIVILEGE
By GEORGE W . ROSS
Waters & Ross, San Francisco, C a l .
GEORGE W . ROSS
George W. Ross is a partner in the firm of
Waters & Ross, band and orchestra instrument
dealers of Sail Francisco. Mr. Ross himself is
a violinist and is keenly interested in all kinds
of instruments, especially violins.
Dewey C.
Waters has been a bandmaster. Both have de-
voted their entire business careers to instru-
ments. Prior ,to starting in business for them-
selves, they both had extensive experience in
managing band and orchestra instrument depart-
ments for various Northern California music
houses.—Editor.
li LONG with th« many other outworn
traditions handed down in the music in-
dustry is the free trial privilege on musical
instruments.
There is probably not a retail dealer in the
country who has not suffered serious financial
loss through this insidious practice, and who
would not use every means in his power to
eliminate it, should the opportunity arise.
The idea of a free trial on a musical in-
strument seems to have originated with the
manufacturers during the time when they
were selling direct, and were obliged to ship
instruments over great distances. When an
instrument is returned to the factory badly
abused and damaged, it can he reserviced at
the minimum cost, because the factory is
equipped to handle it.
However, with the development of sales
agencies and the selling of musical instru-
Looking for a Ihrill?
try a
MAJESTIC
ments through the retail dealer, the practice
of letting instruments out on a long trial
period changes its aspect and becomes a seri-
ous problem.
Every dealer knows that the free trial privi-
lege is much abused by both professional and
amateur alike. There are many cases on rec-
ord where instruments are taken out merely
•to use on a job, and where no intention to
buy ever existed. But when such an instru-
ment is returned to the retail dealer, whether
he maintains a shop or is obliged to send
his work out, the cost of putting the instru-
ment back into absolutely new condition is
prohibitive. In many cases it is impossible
to reservice the case, and unless a new case
is provided the dealer is obliged to sell the
outfit as shopworn.
All of the above is not news to most dealers,
but there seems to be a general acceptance
of the situation, and so far as the writer
knows no serious attempt to correct it.
It goes without saying that without the
co-operation of the manufacturer no worth-
while result can be obtained. However, if
the manufacturer will co-operate with the
dealer in limiting the trial period to not
more than twenty-four hours, a great deal
can be done towards improving the general
conditions surrounding the sale of musical
instruments.
When you stop to analyze it, it does seem
ridiculous on the face of it, that if you wish
to buy an automobile at anywhere from
$1,000 to $10,000 the most of a trial you
can get is perhaps a drive of one hundred
miles. We accept this without question, sim-
ply because we have no outworn traditions
to delude us into the belief that we are
entitled to have the automobile for a week's
trial. An automobile can be driven a thou-
C.F.MARTIN&CO.,Inc.
NAZARETH, PENNA.
Gold Medal
Strings
KOEDER'S MAJESTIC
BAND INSTRUMENTS
for musical instruments
made by
Gold-plated Steel and Wound Strings
JONES-KOEDER CO. Pekin, 111.
Gibson Musical String Co.
Brass and woodwind repairing
Write for circular
sand miles without necessarily depreciating
its value, but when a musical instrument is
used, as is often the case, ten days to two
weeks, it becomes a very different matter to
6ell it as new.
Assuming that a musical instrument offers
an entirely different problem, the fact Te-
mains that any musician worthy of the name
should be able to determine, within twenty-
four hours, whether or not an instrument is
satisfactory. It is my sincere belief that
musical instruments can be sold on the same
basis as any other commodity and only as
long as the manufacturers and dealers en-
courage the long trial period must it exist.
There is another phase to the matter which
is of extreme importance and which is based
upon the simplest rules of sales psychology.
It is the writer's belief that more sales are
lost through the excessive trial period than
would possibly be the case if the trial period
were limited to twenty-four hours. Every
dealer knows that the first enthusiasm soon
wears off, and the sale that might have been
closed within twenty-four or forty-eight hours
becomes cold over a longer period.
The remedy then rests largely with the
manufacturers. If they will take the initia-
tive by limiting the trial period, and sell
their merchandise as any other commodity
of like quality and value is sold, there is
no doubt but what the dealers would quickly
get in line.
The public, too, would soon accept the sit-
uation on its merits, for the justice of the
dealer's position is too obvious to need fur-
ther explanation.
Belleville, N. J.
T H E M U S I C T R A D E R E V I E W , February, 1931
Established 1833
Makers of the original MARTIN GUITAR
C-K9
Guitars, Mandolins and
Ukuleles in many styles
SenS for illustrated catalogue
49