PRESTO
presto
THE AMERICAN MUSIC TRADE WEEKLY.
Published Every Saturday at 417 South Dearborn
Street, Chicago, Illinois.
• Editors
C. A. DANIELL and FRANK D. ABBOTT
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mercial Cable Co.'s Code), "PRESTO," Chicago.
Entered as second-class matter Jan. 29, 1896, at the
Post Office, Chicago, Illinois, under Act of March 3, 1879.
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spondents, and their assistance is invited.
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Address all communications for the editorial or business
departments to PRESTO PUBLISHING CO., 417 South
Dearborn Street, Chicago, III.
SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1924.
THE PIANO'S COST
Every now and then incidents are presented
to the trade paper which suggest that retail
piano dealers have very little conception of
what it costs to produce the instruments they
sell. They even make offers to manufacturers
of a kind that seem to signify that they think
pianos grow on bushes, and that all the source
of their supplies must do is to go out and pick
them.
How near does the average piano dealer
come to having a fair idea of the actual cost
to the manufacturer of the cheapest instru-
ment on his floor? How much does the aver-
age dealer suppose is the sum that represents
the difference, in actual cost, between his
cheapest and his best piano?
We'll say it's a grand piano that is to be
considered, and that it is one the dealer thinks
he should get at a price to permit of his retail-
ing it at less than he sold an upright for six
years, or more, ago. How much does he sup-
pose such a grand actually costs the manufac-
turer to produce?
It is not uncommon to hear of a retailer
boasting that he can buy a "good grand" for
less than $400—"considerably less''—we do not
believe that actual figures should be quoted
here. He tells the manufacturer what he
wants to pay. The manufacturer replies that
his prices are $100 more. Perhaps the dealer
makes a return proposition, and, if the whole-
sale salesman has been permitted to cut prices,
the profit to the manufacturer is thrown away.
And the only possible explanation is that it is
all due to the immensity of the "factory out-
put." And then the retailer cuts his selling
price proportionately. Thus both manufac-
turer and retailer sacrifice the fruits of their
business. And that is mighty poor procedure.
This is so true that sources of discount will
not do business where the security is based
upon the very cheapest instruments. They
say that the investment on the part of the note
holders is not sufficient to justify the buying
of paper. The effect is thus passed along the
line, to the detriment of the entire business.
It is probable that there are grand pianos now
being sold that often do not net the manufac-
turers a bankable interest. And dealers who
believe that they should buy grand pianos for
the prices they paid for uprights a few years
back, are playing into their enemies' hands,
so far as their own future is concerned.
IS CANVASSING A CRIME?
It seems possible that the "psychologists of
salesmanship" may have a new problem to
solve. And it will involve the question as to
whether house-to-house canvassing for selling
purposes shall be classified among the mis-
demeanors. For, if the report of a New York
newspaper is correct, a police chief in a second-
class city claims to have solved that problem
"in an odd way." His "odd way" is to give
out statements that "thefts and other mis-
deeds" are committed by "door-to-door can-
vassers." Evidently that is the kind of police
chief that needs watching, and when "de-
tected" he should be promptly fired.
As we all know, a good share of the piano
business is done by active solicitors. In
earlier days they were called "door-bell ring-
ers." It is so with other lines of trade also.
And if the chief* of police in a second-class
town can establish a precedent of the kind inti-
mated, it seems probable that an entirely new
form of crime may be placed upon the already
overloaded docket. And it will be one well
calculated to put a brake upon a business that
demands never-lessening activity. The aver-
age prospect in the piano trade is discovered
by the house-to-house canvasser, in many lo-
calities. And it will continue to be so as long
as the piano remains an article of popular sale.
It is so with most of the domestic goods that
transcend the utter necessities.
A strange phase of the case, as reported by
the New York newspapers is that the incident
of the town police chief's interference, if not
quite to be commended, is at least proof of
alert attention to his business. No one will,
of course, deny the need of supervision of a
certain class of "canvassers," but there must
be the right kind of discrimination in that re-
spect, as in everything else demanding the
exercise of common sense, as well as public
solicitude and protection.
THE CHEAPER ONES
June 14, 1924.
tween your own cheap piano and the better
ones that you have already shown. If the
prospect isn't satisfied with your object lesson,
and goes away, he will take with him the
thought and mental vision of your argument,
and, when he sees the piano of his first desire,
he will be almost certain to return to you.
The mistake, too often made, is to press the
low price as the first argument. It's a poor
process and is a sign of a poor order of sales-
manship. You have noticed that some of the
successful piano houses are the very ones that
seem to attract by their low prices. And it
has seemed to you that if you sold pianos at
the prices they advertise you would go broke
in short order. Perhaps you wonder how
those houses buy their stock to sell at such
prices. If you had the facts and figures you
would see that salesmanship fills in the gap
between advertised prices and selling profits.
The successful houses do not sell pianos with-
out profit. They get the buyers and they
present the advantages of better instruments
than the ones they use for bait. Prices in
print attract their eye, but pianos that are sold
readily must please also the ear and satisfy the
head and heart.
Carry cheap pianos in stock, for you will
have cheap customers. But instruct your buy-
ers to want something as good as they will buy
and you will make friends and build a better
business.
W00LSEY MUSIC STORE
OPENS IN FORT SCOTT, KAN.
V. G. Woolsey, Energetic Proprietor, Receives Con-
gratulations of Host of Friends.
The Woolsey Music Store, Fort Scott, Kans., re-
cently held an auspicious opening of their new store
at 114 South Main street, in the new Masonic Temple.
Over a thousand visitors extended congratulations
to the proprietor, Verne Woolsey, and the salesforce.
The new store is a matter of pride to the city. The
furniture is finished in a rich dark mahogany, with
the record department in front, special files for sheet
music, and show cases for music accessories. Sound-
proof booths were built for the phonographs and
radio sets. A separate room is given to the player
roll department and in the rear is the piano repairing
department. The business office is secluded in the
balcony. For the past 25 years the Woolsey Music
Co. has been an established firm at 111 South Main
street. Since the death of H. G. Woolsey five years
ago, V. G. Woolsey, formerly of Kansas City, has
been the progressive and wide-awake owner.
Among the out-of-town visitors were Herman
Woolsey, Jenkins Piano Co., Joplin, Mo.; Fred Jen-
kins, of J N W. Jenkins Music Co., Kansas City, Mo.;
A. Buhning, of the Packard Piano Co., Ft. Wayne,
Tnd.; J. Williams, of the Apollo Piano Co., DeKalb,
111.; W. R. Piper, Baldwin Piano Co., St. Louis; Mrs.
H. G. Woolsey, Bristow, Okla.
It's right to carry cheap pianos in stock.
They will be called for and not every customer
who wants a piano can pay the price of a fine
one, or often if he can he won't.
JENKINS FIRE'LOSS.
But don't make it a rule to press attention
The damage by fire to the building and stock of
to the lowest price in the store without finding the J. W. Jenkins Sons' Co., Kansas City, Mo.,
out what your customer wants. Usually it is was about $300,000, according to J. W. Jenkins, pres-
of the company. The loss was covered by in-
easier to come down than to go up. That ap- ident
surance. The first account of the fire in Presto of
plies to prices, and to selling things, as well May 31 underestimated the loss. The fire is thought
to have started on a loading dock at the rear and
as to almost everything else.
coursed up the elevator shaft through six floors to the
If your prospect is after a cheap piano be- roof.
The building is located between 10th and 11th
cause he has been reading the newspaper ad- on Walnut street. Smoke and water caused the prin-
vertising, he will find surprise when you tell cipal damage. More than 200 pianos suffered the
him the price of a fine instrument. So much chief damage.
the better. He will instantly have more re-
DEPLORES REED ORGAN DEATH.
spect for the piano you recommend. And if
H.
A. Stewart, of Atlanta, Ga., head of the South-
it is price that has brought him to your store ern Music
House—the Ludden & Bates business—
it will be no trouble at all to show him the left New York for home on Thursday of last weekj
by way of steamer to Savannah, where he spends a
cheaper instrument.
day to visit his store at that point. The Ludden &
Perhaps he will then tell you of the printer's Bates business was started at Savannah 55 years
ink splendor of the piano he has seen adver- ago. Mr. Stewart was for years with the Farrand &
tised. So much the better again. You will Votey Organ Co. selling organs. He deplores the
departure of the reed organ largely because its sale
have the opportunity to make the contrast be- was almost always the forerunner of a piano sale.
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