Coin Machine Journal

68
THE
COIN
MACHI NE JOURNAL
January, 1933
1C
'ers
IN CHICAGO
Out-of-town retail buyers are urged to take advantage, while
in Chicagq of all the benefits of the Buyers' Club which are
offered free... A spacious, comfortable headquarters; free
secretarial service for phone messages, etc; as well as assistance
in the location of merchandise... Manufacturers, Wholesalers
or Jobbers not admitted.
The Buyers' Club is located in the famous Hotel Sherman but
residence at the hotel is not necessary in order to receive
Club privileges although every experienced buyer knows that
Hotel Sherman offers Chicago's greatest value.
Write now fo r you r fr e e Buyers'Club M e m b e r ­
ship Card o r call for it personally the next time you
come to Chicago . . .Suite 295 Hotel Sherman, Chicago.
Ea
E th ics N o S tro n g er
T h a n T h e ir S u b scrib ers
have complained t h a t jobbers
sometimes take an unfair advan­
tage of price quotations even go­
ing to extremes in an effort to
sell in a h i g h l y competitive
market.
W h e n C o n fid e n c e S u p p la n ts S elfish n ess th e P r ic e P r o b le m
W i l l B e S o lv e d
“ I note in a recent issue the
constitution of the Illinois opera­
tors wherein one of their most
im portant principles is against
the selling of machines by manu­
facturers direct to locations,” says
a w ell-know n Wisconsin opera­
tor. “N o doubt you are in accord
w ith that view. In accordance
therewith, don’t you think that all
manufacturers who want the op­
erator’s business should not sell
less than at least three, prefer­
ably five, machines as the first
order, as any one who is w orthy
of the name ‘operator’ should be
able to handle that many ma­
chines ? This ‘sample’ proposi­
tion is nothing more or less than
a chance for dealer locations to
buy their machines direct and cut
out the operator. T h e location
always loses, but doesn’t always
know it, when they operate their
own machine, because the ma­
chines are generally kept in first-
class condition, and the dealer
doesn’t have the benefit of the op­
erator’s varied experience in mak­
ing a go of the machine. W h a t
is your opinion?”
M o s t manufacturers w i t h
whom we have discussed this
subject are in accord w ith the
sentiments expressed in your let­
ter. W h ile it may never be pos­
sible to control the unit sale of
all constructions most manufac­
turers who have their best inter­
ests at heart, as well as those of
the operator, have taken a defi­
nite stand in regard to unit sales.
Some of these manufacturers
have turned away business be­
cause of their insistence on opera­
tors adhering strictly to their
price schedules.
U n til the sales cycle functions
in harmony there w ill always be
conflict since some manufacturers
Enhanced Scans © . The International Arcade Museum
A great deal of discussion has
been indulged in by manufactur­
ers, j o b b e r s and operators in
these columns in an effort to de­
termine just w hat are the rights
of each factor.
As one manufacturer pointed
out recently a great many opera­
tors, in an effort to secure a price
advantage, use a letterhead on
which they classify themselves as
jobbers. I t is a delicate m atter
to insist on an operator showing
his capacity for jobbing since
there are m any operators who
w ill buy a great many of one type
of machine and only a few of an­
other type. Furthermore, it is a
prerogative of every operator to
sample a machine, particularly in
the face of so many offerings.
Operators, also, reserve the right
to be the sole judge of w hat w ill
go in their respective territories.
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