Music Trade Review

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TRADE
IX
TRADE OPINIONS ON GUESSING CONTESTS-Continued.
consequently is worth as much. A cheap piano
is never ,worth any more than the lowest price
at whien it is offered, and whenever it is sold
ai a higher price than the price advertised by the
manufacturer or prominent dealer it is being
Fold for more than it is worth.
science, and all kinds of methods are in vogue. of oil or a little black lead is not going to work
I know a house here in New Orleans, which in this case. It will require the courage and
boldly advertises that it sells at one price only. conviction of strong men to regulate it, and pos-
This house 'pays commissions as high as 25 per sibly a radical change of method—and most
cent, for business. There is another house in trade papers are afraid to dwell very much upon
New Orleans that advertises that it does not any of the evils of our industry.
The tenth commandment of business says
believe in coupons, certificates, or guessing con-
"Do Not Approve of the Method."
tests, and yet it issues them galore in another "Thou shalt give every man a square deal."
T H E RUDOLPH W U R L I T Z E R CO., Chicago.
form and in a different manner. Neither is fair This is the last and greatest commandment, and
In reference to the methods used by quite a nor generous to the general public.
there is none like unto it. Upon this command-
few people to dispose of pianos, etc., that is, by
The newspapers of the country years ago ment depends all the law and profit in the busi-
giving prizes or coupons, you certainly realize started what are termed "contests" to-day. They ness world. Without a question of a doubt, any
that this is not the policy of the Rudolph-Wur- were used to boost and boom circulation and method which tends to destroy confidence and to
litzer Co. We do not approve of this method of the method accomplished results.
bring the whole business into disrepute is a
selling goods, as we honestly believe that it is
The piano business to-day is seriously chal- menace to the industry, and should be routed out.
not a legitimate way of doing business. Our lenged by the player-piano, the talking machine
Now, the man who advertises to sell $400
policy is, and always will be, one price and no and the automobile. Forced methods are neces- pianos for $200, or the one who sells a $90 stencil
commission.
sary in the piano business to keep up the volume piano for $300, or the one who accepts a certifi-
of business, and the contest system is the out- cate in a trade for $50 or $75 which he will not
"Deceptive and Unbusinesslike Methods."
growth of the more vigorous competition from pay cash for or even loan as little as 50 cents on
N. W . BRYANT PIANO CO., Evansville, Ind. the three articles mentioned and the hard times
is a dishonest dealer and ought to be made
In regard to the guessing contest, coupon- recently passed through.
to sail under the "black flag" where he belongs.
picture-puzzle plan, which has been adopted in
The advantage of the contest plan is that it
You cannot plant pigweed and harvest corn;
various sections of the country in order to dis- gives the general public the benefit of price and the whole trouble is that for years a big
pose of pianos, I have no sympathy with any reductions and yet leaves a large net profit.
percentage of piano men have been planting
such absurd, ridiculous and unbusinesslike Every piano store in this country has its prices
pigweed of stencil goods, fake sales, false value
methods. When I have to resort to such de- put high enough to allow a commission of 25
coupons, etc., and as a result the public is hesi-
ceptive schemes to sell pianos I am going to quit
per cent, off, and the sad part of the thing is tating about accepting the statement of any
the piano business. These various methods have
that a great many of them do allow 25 per cent, piano man.
been tried pretty thoroughly in this city, and if
off, either in price reduction or in commissions
If confidence is the basis of trade, it readily
those who have practiced them have increased
to a favored few.
follows
that the man who destroys that con-
their sales to any appreciable extent the other
Speaking of commissions, there is nearly al- fidence should be put out of the way. Those
dealers have not found it out.
ways collusion between the one to whom the houses who have built up a successful business
I condemn in the severest terms all such "five-
commission is paid and the purchaser of the through integrity are not going to destroy it
faced" picture schemes. I could not practice
piano, and very frequently the one-priced house through a dynamite bomb of misrepresentation,
such, deception on my customers, for I would
knows of this, and makes the commission high, and why should they allow others to do so?
think they would take me for a fool, or they
so that in that indirect manner it may reduce
Just as the bar associations have done much to
would think I took them for fools, to try to make
the one price. Now I am of the opinion that an Iceep the shyster and dishonest lawyer out of prac-
any intelligent man or woman believe I would
give them fifty or a hundred dollars to tell me absolute fixed price, invariable and unchangeable, tice, so the piano associations, if they serve the
how many "faces" could be counted in a certain except under conditions that are made public, and purpose for which they were created, attempt to
picture, how many beans in a sack, how many that all the people can obtain the benefit of, is regulate the evils of our industry—but their rec-
spots on a leopard or how many stars in the the only right way to conduct the piano business, ord shows an inclination to sit on and sidetrack
or any other business.
any reformer.
"milky-way."
I occasionally use the contest method. It is
Ancient Greece had a happy habit of ostraciz-
I have been in the piano business some twenty-
five years, during which time I have never found profitable. I obtain a great deal more business ing those who were considered dangerous to the
it necessary to "throw in" a pair of shoe strings, from that method than from the method of pay- State, and many men were given an unexpected
a collar button or a boy's jack-knife, in order to ing the numerous commissions that other people vacation out of the country. This method was
sell pianos, and I think I have about as much use. I consider it very much more honest, be- proven to be a good thing at that time.
Now, to apply that lesson to-day, would it not
to show for my success in business as the average cause I never, under any circumstances, raise
my
prices
for
a
temporary
period.
When
I
raise
be
a proper plan for those "one-price," "non-
retail piano merchant has. I would not exchange
the reputation of my house, of which I have the my prices I raise them because of the increased stencil," "square-deal" houses to ostracize those
honor of being president, for that of one of these cost, and they remain permanently so until who are so crooked in their methods that special
"shoe string" dealers. In conclusion will say I that increased cost is overcome. These prices coffins will have to be made for them when they
am glad to know that one live music trade paper are at all times public property, and the public die? Would it not be well to camp on the trail
has taken up the cause of the,people against such readily enters our contests, knowing that a of all who persist in lying to the public in their
bona fide reduction will be obtained. The public advertising?
deceptive business methods.
earns the reduction by increasing the trade
Let those who believe in the rigid adherence
volume
and reducing the expense.
to strict honesty and integrity of business deal-
"Piano Business Still Conducted on Guess
I think that the cost of selling pianos has ings refuse to advertise in the newspapers which
Work."
been too great in the past. I am trying to re- accept the advertising of a fakir. By this method
PHILIP W E R L E I N , LTD., New Orleans, La.
I have read your editorial with the utmost duce the cost of selling them. I believe that it the parasite who refuses to give honest value at
interest. The piano business in the past was can be done by increasing the volume of business. honest prices and by honest methods can be pro-
made up of a very much less desirable class of I believe that the volume of business can be in- hibited from advertising in the press.
men that it is to-day. A higher regard for some creased by using methods that will give the whole
"No Doubt Most Demoralizing."
consistency has been brought about. The piano public an opportunity, to buy at lower figures all
business to-day is being conducted to a great the time. I believe that the contest plan is a EDMUND GRAM, Milwaukee, Wis.
In the matter of the guessing contest, coupon
extent on a fixed price basis. This was not true method of bridging over the gap from any price
even ten years ago. But, while this fixed price and commissions to one price and no commis- and picture-puzzle plans, these plans have been
is large:y maintained throughout the country to- sions. From my point of view, while a forced very strongly adopted by some of our Milwaukee
day, the result has not led to fixed profit. The method in inception, good permanent results will dealers, and appear to be an insect which has
gotten into the music trade crop and is, no doubt,
gross profits have been fixed, but the net profits follow, and your fears may be dismissed.
most demoralizing to the industry, and has the
are still of a dubious character. This is caus-erl
"Methods Are Injurious."
influence of causing the public to lose respect
ry numerous causes: There is absolutely no uni-
W. J. DYER & BRO., St. Paul, Minn.
and confidence for our trade, which ought to be
formity in the percentage or method of payment
We have been watching the effect of the of the highest type and considered the most
of commissions; there is no fixed rule as to th?
metnods to which you refer and we agree with legitimate, elevating and artistic industry; but
allowance on old pianos; there is no fixed system
you in your attitude. It is unquestionably a these corrupt and illegitimate methods, which
of cost of salesmen; there is no fixed method or
feet that the methods are injurious to the piano some low class trade seem to be compelled to use
cost of advertising. The piano business to-day
trade as a whole, and the sooner they can be in order to get business, are most degrading.
is still conducted on guess work by the great
eliminated the better. We enclose herewith a
At the same time I believe the dealers who
majority of dealers.
sample advertisement which we regret to state
adopt such methods will eventually do more
Recently, In New York, I asked six or eight recently appeared in a St. Paul paper.
harm to themselves than they will to the legiti-
prominent members of the piano industry as to
mate dealer, who is so strongly opposed to any
what their ideas of the expense of conducting
"Brings the Whole Business Into Dispute."
such swindling games which will rob him of the
the piano business were. They differ all the way BRIGGS PIANO CO., Boston, Mass.
from 20 per cent, to 40 per cent.
We believe you have found the "squeak" in confidence of the people, because If he gives a
The business is not conducted as an exact
the "instrument," but ca,n you fix it? A
$155, certificate toward the purchase price of a.