16
September 22, 1928
P R E S T 0-T I M E S
public's confidence in piano values because the same
dealer, when a cash buyer comes along, will make a
very substantial cut in price. These things also have
a bad effect on sales organizations and when your
sales organization loses confidence in piano values,
they certainly cannot gain the confidence of the cus-
tomer in your prices.
Earnest Views on Conditions Induced by
(Continued from page 5.)
If a customer calls at your store and tells you that
Eighteenth Amendment and Volstead Act
now" advertising that it is no wonder when people the other fellow has offered him or her $300 for an
Compiled in Thirty-two Pages.
ask the price of a piano, they feel that it is an upright piano, that you know is worth only $50, don't
"asking" price, a basis from which to start dickering, try to outbid him but call him on the telephone.
In George P. Bent's wide circle of friends in and
and they have absolute confidence that a lower price Just think how much more attractive, interesting and
can be obtained by finally refusing to buy at the profitable we could make our business if we had out of the music trade his firm views on prohibition
are well known. Ever since the passing of the 18th
"asking" price. Price inducement advertisement is more confidence and co-operation.
Amendment he has used his voice to condemn its
responsible for destroying the public's confidence in
The Carrying Charge.
purposes and point out the futility of efforts to
piano values and should be stopped.
There is one more topic that I should like to bring enforce the legislation. Now he has written a book-
Piano Selling.
to your attention and that is the "carrying charge." let, "Prohibition As Is," to present his views, which
Another opportunity for effecting a big improve-
I believe the piano industry was probably the only are succinctly expressed in the following concluding
ment in the operation of the piano business is better
industry years ago that sold on the installment plan. paragraph:
training of our salesmen. It is no wonder that the If my memory serves me correctly, years ago we
"When, law, the bigots and fanatics try to force
average piano salesman does not put up a better
used to have a "time" price and a cash price on
me to eat, drink and think as they do, I rebel, as
sales talk for the example set in the advertising by pianos. From that plan, we developed an interest
the dealer who employs him is, in the majority of
bearing contract. Many of the more prominent houses do millions of others who love liberty."
instances, nothing more nor less than the "price in- establishing a net cash price which was quoted for
Mr. Bent condemns the saloon and hopes it will
ducement." A dealer's advertisement is his sales talk
the piano and when sold on time a mere charge never come back. But the Volstead act, he says, fails
and the salesman follows suit. Consequently, the of six per cent on the unpaid balance was made.
in its avowed purpose to foster the cause of tem-
majority of salesmen's arguments consist of either
It is needless for me to say that every piano and perance. He cites an experience as a piano manufac-
offering a cut in price as an inducement to buy the music dealer in the United States needs the "carry- turer to show the futility of repressive measures in
particular piano he is endeavoring to sell or increas- ing charge" and should adopt it at once. I really influencing the habits of people.
ing the allowance on the piano which the customer
believe that w e today are the only industry that sells
"When I began to manufacture pianos the rule
may have to exchange as an inducement for the cus- on the installment plan (and I believe that you can was made for the whole shop that wine, beer and
tomer to buy his particular piano.
buy practically any commodity on that plan today)
liquor must not be brought into it. I laid down the
that does not use the carrying charge as a method of
'Thou Shalt Not.' Most of the men were skilled
The Trade-in Situation.
Another very important factor in our business financing installment sales. I am speaking of the artisans, nearly all of them Germans or Italians. Be-
cause I farbade drinking in my plant many of my
which the dealers as a whole have never treated seri- industry as a whole. Many of the more prominent
ously enough to actually better conditions is the dealers in the country have been using the carrying best employes went to other shops where no such
trade-in phase. I believe, however, that so many charge plan for several years and I think the num- rule was in effect.
"Then I found that many of those who remained
dealers are suffering such large losses on trade-ins ber of dealers using this plan are increasing very rap-
idly but I sincerely hope that by the first of the
that they have gotten to the point where they MUST year every piano dealer will adopt this carrying were drunk and unfit to work before the day was
done. They brought in flasks of gin or whisky.
give it serious consideration and stop over allow- charge for deferred payment plan sales.
"So I let down the bars and told them to get beer
ances.
In closing, I may again urge closer co-operation
for their lunches. This stopped the drunkenness and
I wonder if any of you have ever realized from
how many different sources you bring used pianos for the betterment of the industry and that you en- inefficiency and I found I had willing instead of
deavor in the future to carry out the following sug- sulky, surly workers. I found that the German was
into the store: 1st—first and most important, of
harmed no more by his beer or the Italian by his
course, is the piano that is taken in trade on an gestions: 1—Have group instruction in the schools
immediate sale. 2nd—The piano for which you give of your community. 2—Put on piano playing tourna- wine than the Englishman by his tea or the Ameri-
can by his coffee.
a due bill to apply on a future purchase. 3rd—The ments. 3—Do high grade advertising. 4—Do high
piano that you are obliged to repossess. 4th—The grade selling. 5—Cut down allowances on old pianos.
"Prohibition did not prohibit in my shop, no more
piano that you bring back to your store from rentals. 6—Adopt the carrying charge.
than it does in the United States with its dry laws."
Sth—Occasionally we buy a piano for cash.
Even if you do not agree with his prohibition views,
ZENITH PUBLICITY.
The Facts.
Mr. Bent's booklet is interesting reading and an evi-
The Zenith Radio Corp., Chicago, prepared a series
This latter, of course, is not serious because you of advertisements for the use of dealers during "Zen- dence of his ability to state his case.
are not obliged to buy this piano, but if a prominent ith Week," September 9 to IS, which were notable in
make is offered to you, at a very low price, you buy their kind and gave important aid to Zenith sales.
HONORS BUSH CONSERVATORY.
it because you can in most circumstances make a It came to dealers in an immense envelope and
A
reception, buffet dinner and musicale will be given
better margin of mark-up than you can on a new cost twenty-two cents to mail. Inside is the port-
Monday, September 24, at 6:30 o'clock, at the New
piano. If you couldn't do that, you wouldn't buy it. folio, folded double, and when opened the pages are
St. Clair Hotel, Chicago, by Mr. and Mrs. William
Here are five sources from which you bring second larger than a newspaper page. A large number of
Lincoln Bush to the Faculty of Bush Conservatory,
hand pianos into your store. From what I can full page, half-page and other ads, with much other
to honor members who have been teaching in the
gather interviewing a number of dealers, trade-ins ad material, was given.
Conservatory for twenty or more years.
amount to from 10 to 20 per cent of their gross sales
in dollars and cents. In units, of course, the per-
centage would be considerably higher. Surely a fac-
tor involving that portion of our business should
have very serious consideration. Just think of what
a saving you could make and the thousands of dollars
that you could put on the right side of your ledger
if proper allowances were made on pianos. (And
that is the only place where you can control your
PRINT ANYTHING IN MUSIC
BY ANY PROCESS
second hand values as the cost of repossessions
SEND FOR QUOTATION AND SAMPLES
and rentals you would naturally have no control
NO ORDER TOO SMALL TO RECEIVE ATTENTION
over.)
THE
LARGEST
EXCLUSIVE
MUSIC PRINTER VEST OF NEW YORK AND
Other Bad Effects.
THE
LARGEST
ENGRAVING
DEPARTMENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
Another bad situation caused by over-allowances
ESTABLISHED 1876
REFERENCE ANY PUBLISHER
is the fact that it causes many dealers to quote ficti-
tious prices. This is done for only one purpose and
that is to give him lee-way in making large allow-
ances on the old piano. This cannot but destroy the
PRESIDENT FLEER'S
NOTABLE ADDRESS
GEO. P. BENT WRITES
BOOK ON PROHIBITION
/AUSIC PRINTERS
ENGRAVERS AND LITHOGRAPHERS
/ •
ZIMMERMAN 6 5 s §S,o c o - 1 N C
99%
interested prospects become customers
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PERFECTION BENCHES
are used by people who have good taste, appreciate fine things and know sound values.
De Luxe
Louis XV
Send for Catalogue
1514-20 Blue Island Ave.
Chicago
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