Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MU3IC
TRADE
marked, the dealer will remain, and the present influence of the
piano dealer is and will ever be a most powerful factor in determin-
ing" the taste and desire of the customer.
W
HILE on this subject we might remark that we have re-
ceived during the past two weeks some communications
from dealers who obviously seem to have been somewhat alarmed
at the changes which are going on in the retail world and feel that
their business future is somewhat insecure.
There is not the slightest cause for anxiety or discomfort re-
garding the future of the progressive merchant, for it may be said
that the products of manufacturers, although given the full extent
of newspaper and magazine publicity, will yield adequate results
only when the retailer's interest is given fair consideration. With-
out his willing co-operation, the progress of distribution in any
industry is retarded in a marked degree, and while, the interest and
desire of the consumer may be stimulated by advertising, yet it is
fed by the dealer, who is liable to accentuate any statements which
may have appeared in the advertising matter.
O
NE of the best and most logical dealers in publicity in this
country says that "advertising in whatever form the pub-
licity is given sells more merchandise as a result of its effect upon
the retail dealer and his salesman than as a result of its effect upon
the minds of the consumer."
This statement does not appear to be far from the truth, for
every retail dealer has a certain following over which he exerts a
measure of control, and the dealer's suggestion to his customer on
the merits of a particular brand of pianos will be effective in ninety-
five cases out of one hundred.
The retailer's position, far from being an unsatisfactory one,
at the opening of the year is more powerful than ever; and he wiU
not, except in rare cases, be eliminated, for he will continue to be
the indispensable link between the man who produces and the
man who buys.
O
UR special trade lists show that there are a good many new
firms constantly coming into the retail field. They are at-
tracted to the piano trade, perhaps by its marvelous expansion,
which is becoming generally known, and then they see opportunities
in which to build good business enterprises.
The industry has broadened, and has assumed proportions
which give it rank to-day, whereas if we go back a few years piano
making and selling did not take special position. The many
beautiful stores scattered throughout the country have all had an
effect in impressing the minds of the general public that piano
making and selling is an important industrial pursuit.
T
HERE is hardly a city in the land wherein splendid music trade
emporiums do not exist, and there are more being added each
year. New stores are being built, and others are being enlarged and
remodeled. Important forms of equipment have been introduced,
so that the business has become more impressive; hence it is attract-
ing young men whose influence must indeed be helpful, because
it is young blood which will act as a stimulating power and help
to place and keep the business on correct business lines. The more
new men in the business the better, and the larger opportunities for
the industry as a whole; and yet, with all the substantial evidence
of continuous expansion, there are those who say that with increased
facilities there is no money in the business.
This is usually the kind of story that is handed out to adver-
tising men who wish to .increase their contracts, buyers, and some-
times employes of high or low degree; but with outsiders and busi-
ness acquaintances in other lines the story told about profits is
usually quite a different one.
O
E course, it is not easy to conduct a successful, paying enter-
prise and to meet all kinds of modern competition; but if all
battles were easy to win, and all campaigns were settled by merely
trving a few moves on the chess-board, there would have been no
Napoleons or Von Moltkes.
• Certainly there are problems in the piano business, but there
are none more difficult of analyzing or of meeting than those which
face men of anv other trade.
There is, however, an influence in this industry which will
help to bring about better conditions, and that is the spirit of cama-
REVIEW
raderie cultivated by an exchange of amenities through association
work. Up to a comparatively recent period, if there was no direct
hatred or dislike between competing piano men of a community,
there was at the best little, if any, intercourse between them.
T
HE struggle for business supremacy was frequently of the most
bitter character, and often a fight was waged which, far from
being profitable to either party, resulted in tearing down the piano
reputation of prominent instruments with which they were identified.
Cut-throat competition, with its accompanying price-slashing sales
and stool-pigeon work, was quite common in those times, which are
frequently referred to as "the good old days." Now piano men
are finding out that while in a portion of their interests they are
diametrically opposed to each other, yet in other respects they have
a great deal in common. This no less from a business than from a
social standpoint.
E
VIDENCE of the recognition of this fact is furnished by the
constant meetings, business and social, which are taking place
in many cities throughout the land. This is a state of affairs on
which the trade may be well congratulated, because it will be in-
strumental in elevating the standards of merchandising. Men will
be more careful to avoid anything which tends to antagonize their
neighbors. They will abandon the knocking, or cut-throat compe-
tition, and will endeavor themselves to set the example in the
adoption of high and correct merchandising principles.
This is the most profitable plan, as well as the most dignified
and satisfactory one, and by its general adoption it cannot help to
be of great advantage to the entire music trade interests.
RECENT increase in the capital stock of a great corporation
in an industry closely linked with the music trade empha-
sizes the enormous business developments which have taken place
in the talking-machine world during the past few years.
We refer to the American Graphophone Co., which has recently
increased its stock to ten millions of dollars. This increase of capi-
tal was needed to take care of the requirements of an enormous
demand for this company's products. It furnishes, too, the strongest
kind of an argument in favor of the remarkable development of
the talking machine.
It was only a few years ago that it was looked upon with
indifference, and considered almost a toy, and to-day it is not only
an educator in the broadest sense, but it is used in many different
ways. It is a language instructor and entertainer,'' a useful adjunct
to commercial establishments, and in a score of ways it is making
its influence felt in our modern life.
In the talking machine trade there are a number of huge pro-
ducing institutions, all of which have been extremely busy for the
past twelve months, and an industry in which a ten million dollar
corporation becomes a necessity must be considered as an important
one, even in these days of commercial grandeur and greatness.
A
B
USINESS for the past week has exhibited more life than be-
fore since the beginning of the new year. Of course, it is
not generally expected, in this trade at least, that January will be
a month of great business activity. Too many men are prone to
relax and say that all of their prospects have been exhausted so
that the whole amount of business energy is not placed on the
first month of the year.
Of course, this activity has an effect upon sales, and the first
half of the present month did not differ materially from the Janu-
ary of 1904.
There is now a material brightening of business, and fresh
orders are coming in. This statement should not be construed as
meaning that the manufacturers have been dull as a whole; they
have not, because a good many unfilled orders were taken over into
the new year, and there has been plenty of these orders on hand to
keep the wheels spinning round in good shape, but until recently
there has been an influx of new orders.
Now the dealers are beginning to make up orders for the spring
months, and with traveling men out on the road it would seem
as if February would be a month of good business activity.
Comctions, too, have improved during the past two weeks, and,
on the whole, the outlook augurs well for an early and satisfactory
spring trade.