PRESTO
August 9, 1924.
CREATING
A
SENSATION
IN
THE PIANO
WORLD
Never has there been cre-
ated a line of automatic
pianos so e s p e c i a l l y
adapted for handling by
the regular piano trade
as the
SEEBURG
Pianos of genuine musical
merit, a pneumatic mech-
anism of exceptional reli-
ability and durability and
art case designs which
mark a new departure in
this class of instruments.
Style "K T" with its
many musical combina-
tions is meeting with
remarkable favor.
Let us give you par-
ticulars.
J. P. SEEBURG
PIANO CO.
CHICAGO
General Offices: 1510 Dayton St.
Factory 1508-16 Dayton St.
QUESTION OF THE
FAMILY'S CREDIT
New York Credit Man Discusses Responsibil-
ity of the Head of the House for Pur-
chases Which Have Been Made
by the Wife.
IS SOLICITING BEST?
Why Some of the Perplexities of Most Business Do
Not Hit the Dealer in Musical In-
struments.
That the old adage about there being two sides to
every question applies to the granting of retail credit
as well as to other things is shown by the opinions
expressed on the subject by the credit man for one of
the best-known stores in New York City. Most
of the points are opposed to the solicitation of cus-
tomers, believing that trade should come to the store
without urging. Such a plan would not apply well
to the piano business, although the "bell ringers"
have of later years grown fewer than of old. In
an article in the New York Times a New York busi-
ness man cited, to show the "danger" of the outside
solicitor, the case of a woman whose husband, a
man of large income and of undoubted financial
responsibility, had become so tired of her extrava-
gance that he refuses to pay for purchases not ap-
proved by him personally. The woman in the case,
the credit man said, in more than one instance bought
goods and paid for them with bank checks that
were subsequently returned with the notation "in-
sufficient funds."
"Any store selling merchandise to this woman,"
he continued, "was not only not certain of getting its
money, but was practically certain of never getting it.
A prominent business man recently brought suit for
the annulment of his marriage. His wife had unpaid
accounts in some of the stores, one of which was able
to place an attachment on her trunks in a western
hotel. Just imagine the predicament of any store
soliciting the accounts of women like these, yet they
both were once apparently the 'right kind of pros-
pect' for solicitation.
Thinks Advertising Best.
"The point of my brother credit man that, because
advertising increases store's cash business 'the prin-
ciple (of advertising and solicitation) is the same in
both cases,' does not appear to be well taken, the
fallacy being that advertising is in the nature of a
public announcement, whereas the solicitation of an
account is a special offering of credit to an individual
through the mails. The principle would only be the
same if the store confined itself to advertising that it
would consider applications for credit. Advertising
presupposes a willingness to sell to all, but will any
store willingly give credit to all who apply?"
Touching upon a point which has been a tough one
with piano dealers the credit man said that it is a
mistake to encourage people to buy more than they
can conveniently pay for. Retail credit should be
based strictly on the convenience of charge buying
as against cash buying, on the saving of time to the
sales clerk and on the convenience to the customer.
When a store advertises that the customer does not
have to make payment until such and such a date, it
is tending toward the instalment plan, in which case
the merchandise sold should be covered by a chattel
mortgage. Furthermore, the cost of delay of pay-
ment for one month on more than 10 per cent of the
month's business will amount to a large sum in the
course of a year, all of which must be paid for by
the customer, irrespective of whether he needs the
financial accommodation.
Doesn't Apply to Piancs.
It scarcely need be said that the credit man was
not handling piano accounts. In the sale of pianos it
is almost a rule to encourage prospects to buy "more
than he can conveniently pay for." But for that con-
dition—the urge of the fixed payments—there would
be comparatively few pianos of the popular class
sold. It has been, almost from the first, the solicita-
tion of the prospects that sales of the medium grade
of instruments have been sold. Fortunately, too, for
the average piano dealer, when the wife has decided
on a piano for the home, the alleged head of the
house coincides in the conclusion and the instrument
is delivered. Papa puts his name on the dotted line
and that ends it until the installments fall due.
However, the piano business is better than most of
them. The domestic harmony is enhanced by the
strains of music and there is no suggestion of the
extravagance which may attend an investment in fur
cloaks or fineries which so often lure the surplus
from the family treasury.
The New York credit man went on to say that he
disagreed very strongly with the assertion of any
other'credit grantor that it is not necessary or ad-
visable to notify the husband when a wife opens an
account. "As a matter of common honesty, square-
ness or whatever else you choose to call it," hc_
continued, "it is positively wrong for a store to
refrain from notifying rthc husband that his wife
has epened an account and then calmly look to him
for payment of a bill on which he was not consulted
and which he might have disclaimed had he had the
opportunity."
Needn't Worry Music Men.
That, too, suggests a contingency very seldom
confronted by the piano trade. Pianos, unlike many
other things, cannot be smuggled into the home un-
known to the lord of the manor. It must be both
seen and heard on its arrival, and it is a constant
delight as well as reminder of the obligation it may
involve.
"Furthermore," added the New York credit
man—and this is worth while to the informed
piano dealer—"a husband is not legally re-
sponsible for purchases made by his wife except
those which are considered as necessaries, after*
taking into consideration her station in life and the
husband's earning capacity. Is it fair that he should
be looked to for payment of a bill without having
been notified by the store thaf his wife is applying
for credit? Every month severaf such notifications
are returned to us by husbands .who.-say they will not
be responsible for purchases made on accounts thaT
may be opened by their wives. In such cases we'
are saved the embarrassment of tryiffg to persuade
them to pay for such purchases or ifif trying t6 fore?
them to pay in case they have not first legally
protected themselves and so made collection im-
possible. We are also saved some losses which might
arise from extending credit to wives whose husbands
have given them allowances or who have legally
restricted their own responsibility.
Hubby Should Know.
"To take a larger view of the situation, credit is
based primarily not on legal responsibility, but on
confidence and belief in the honesty of the customer.
For a store deliberately to refrain from notifying
a husband that his wife has opened an account, in
order to avoid an unjustified irritability of a few
cranks, is morally indefensible. It is high time
that credit men talked a little more about principle
and less about expediency.
"We find that we receive fewer complaints from
husbands resenting the notification that their wives
have opened accounts than we do letters from hus-
bands who are glad to have been notified in order
that they may save further loss to themselves or to
the store."
ADVERTISING IS LIKE
SUNSHINE AND RAIN
When the Seed Has Been Planted It Must Be Stimu-
lated to Healthful Growth.
You can plant your seed in proper soil but cannot
make the returns satisfactory unless there is sun-
shine and rain to stimulate the natural growth, says
"Tonk Topics."
You can buy your stock and install it in a good
location but you cannot make your business grow
unless you do the necessary cultivating. It must
have the "sunlight of publicity" and the "rain of
prospective buyers" before growth is even possible.
Then there must also be the radiation of satisfied
customers. There must be continued satisfaction
through right service, well performed. Even the
most fertile field will fail to produce good returns if
any of these requirements are lacking.
"Let your light shine" is a good motto for any
legitimate business enterprise. Too many music
merchants are forgetting that they have a "light."
Advertising is the greatest aid to selling that is
known, providing there are things to be sold and
customers to buy. What are you doing about it?
TRADES MUSIC STORE FOR FARM.
The property known as the I^oss Tuell farm in
Nora Township, Illinois, 120 acres, valued at $25,000,
has beeiT traded for the A. D. Chatelle music store
at Freeport. Mr. Chatelle takes the farm and turns
in trade his music store at invoice price on next
March 1, when the transfer is to be made. The
estimated price of the store is $10,000. Mr. Chatelle
recently moved his music store from Warren to
Freeport.
SMALL NEW YORK FAILURE.
New York Music Store, 1,966 Amsterdam avenue,
New York, failed last week. Liabilities $9,269, as-
sets, $6,500, main items being fixtures, $3,000, stock
$2,500. Alice Moran was appointed receiver under
$1,000 bond by Judge Knox. The members of the
firm are Paul and Philip Weissman.
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