Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

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LAST MINUTE REPORTS-PREDICTIONS-FORECASTS and GOOD OLD
FASHIONED RUMORS COMPRISE THIS NEW REPORTING SERVICE OF
liTHE REVIEW." THIS PAGE IS WRITTEN AS THE FINAL FORMS GO TO
PRESS ON THE 20th.
NEW EQUIPMENT DELIVERIES: Although samples are now being displayed in
all of the key cities, distributors are reluctant to set any delivery
dates. Manufacturers who did set January delivery dates are blushing, for
strikes and minor shortages are still troublesome.
It is believed that
the crest of strikes and threats of strikes arrived in mid-January and
the wave will continue through the first quarter of the year. Washington
big-wigs think that from April on, the nation's industries will be back
at work, settled down to high production.
Sporadic strikes will pop all
year, but in the national picture they will be minor. Bottleneck in coin
machine manufacturing is the seemingly little parts that don't amount to
much, but which are essential to the finished product.
This is serious,
but not catastrophic.
There is no indication that the stoppages will
become cumulative to the point of paralysis in our Industry.
PHONOGRAPHS: The order taking continues but no deliveries are being made.
First samples reflect a continuance of the 20 and 24 record policy of ' pre-
war years. However, Phono Manufacturers are ready for anything new that
might catch on.
The announcement of a 50-record Swedish instrument in our
last issue smoked out the information that several of the present manu-
facturers have models with added capacity ready for production but they're
waiting for someone else to prove the market.
If they are successful, the
others are ready to give them immediate competition. Price Structure on
the new instruments bears out our previous predictions - - a range of
from $650 to $850 per unit. Packard expects to have a phono ready by
April and Williams Manufacturing is reported to be ready in June or July.
Two dark horses are still keeping their plans in mothballs.
It's a cinch
that all of the phonos produced this year won't begin to fill the demand
and orders on hand. Demand for new phbnos won't be filled until late '47.
Little likelihood of any export of brand new phonos before '48 for dis-
tributors will cater to home market first.
VENDING: There is a terrific amount of activity in this field and some
revolutionary new Vendors will be announced in the months to come. Hot
Dogs, Hamburgers, Toasted Sandwiches, Coffee and hundreds of other items
will be automatically vended.
Tests reveal a good acceptance on some of
these machines. However, most of them will require a specialized opera-
tion and old line operators will stick to vending the non-perishables
such as cigarettes, gum, cookies, etc.
Candy, via refrigerated vendors,
is also just ahead.
In Soft Drink Vending a tremendous outburst of new
machines merely awaits an adequate supply of sugar.
Cigarette Machines
will lead off vending deliveries.
Samples aFe now being shown. Most
manufacturers feel no need for rush on Candy Vendors because of the sugar
situation. Our last month's prediction still holds • • • adequate stocks
will not be available gnti'l 1947.
RECORDS: The dollar disc is about ready to bow out. Shellac supplies and
adequate labor sounded the death knell.
The dollar disc boys know it and
are planning to drop to popular prices to meet competition. A lot of
casualties will be noted in the record field in the next six months. The
Independents with a good record of performance will stick.
The shoestring
boys will bite the dust.
USED EQUIPMENT is still selling strong and trade-in allowances are fair.
Distributors are far-sighted in handling used stuff and will utilize the
foreign market to rid the country of used "machines as new machines make
their appearance.