Music Trade Review

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THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EDWARD LYMAN BILL - Editor and Proprietor
J. B. SPILLANE, Managing Editor
Executive and Reportorlal Stall:
GLAD. HENDERSON.
A. J. NICKLIN,
GRO. B. KELLER,
AUGUST J. TIMPX,
BOSTON OFFICE:
JOHN H. WILSON, 324 Washington St.
„ , , , , .
o _- n
Telephone, Main 6950
P
flILADELPHIA:
R W. KAUFFMAN.
B. BRITTAIN WILSON,
W J I . B. WHITB.
E
W. H. DYKES.
L. E. BOWERS,
CHICAGO OFFICE:
- p - V A K HABXIKOMI, 81'South Wabash Ave.
Room 806.
Telephone. Central 414.
MINNEAPOLIS and ST. PAUL:
ST. LOUIS:
ADOLF EDSTEN.
CLYDB JBNNINGI.
SAN FRANCISCO: S. H. GRAY. 88 First Street.
CINCINNATI. O.:
BALTIMORE, MD.:
JACOB W. WALTERS.
A. ROBERT FRENCH.
LONDON. ENGLAND: 1 Gresham Buildings, Basinghall St., E. C.
W. LIONEL STURDY, Manager.
Published Every Saturday at 1 Madison Avenue, New York
Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Matter.
SUBSCRIPTION, (including postage), United States and Mexico, $2.00 per year;
Canada, $8.50; all other countries, $4.00.
ADVERTISEMENTS. $2.00 per Inch, single column, per Insertion. On quarterly ot
yearly contracts a special discount is allowed. Advertising Pages, $00.00; opposite
reading matter, $76.00.
REMITTANCES.In other than currency forms, should be made payable to Edward
Lyman Bill.
An important feature of thii publication ia a complete sec-
ion devoted to the interests of music publishers and dealers.
Player and
Departments conducted by an expert wherein all ques-
tions of a technical nature relating to the tuning,
regulating and repairing of pianos and player-pianos
are doalt with, will be found in another section of this
paper. We alBO publish a number of reliable teennical works, information concerning
whioh will be cheerfully given upon request.
Exposition Honors Won by The Review
Grand Prim
Paris Exposition, 1900
Silver Medal.Charleston Exposition, 1U02
Diploma.. Pan-American Exposition, 1UO1
Gold M edal... St. Louis Exposition, 1904
Gold Medal
Lewis-Clark Exposition, 1905.
LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONES—NUMBERS 4877 and 4678 GRAMERCY
Connecting a l l Departments.
Cable a d d r e s s : "Elblll. N e w York."
NEW
YORK, SEPTEMBER 9, l t l l
EDITORIAL
T
HE scheme methods in piano selling are declining.
Philip Wertein, of New Orleans, states that piano puzzle con-
tests as a paying- institution have gone by.
Yes, the United States Government is helping their retirement,
for in a specific notification sent to the Chicago dailies by the Chicago
postoffice appears the following as a ruling by the Assistant Attorney
General: "It is held that so-called puzzles advertised by various
piano manufacturers are not real puzzles and are unmailable. These
advertisements usually take the form of an offer of prizes for the
'best' or the 'neatest' solution. As the so-called puzzle can be
solved by anyone who seriously attempts the solution, the awarding
of the prizes is largely a matter of chance, so far as the contestants
are concerned. Furthermore, such schemes are not regarded as
legitimate business propositions/'
That ruling certainly puts a damper on the puzzle contests; and,
right here, it might be well to emphasize the fact that of all the
music trade publications in this country, and there are a few of
them, some good, some wholly bad and others very indifferent, the
Music Trade Review was the only paper which took a position
opposing the so-called puzzle, guessing contest schemes.
We were ridiculed, abused and called ugly names and business
contracts were cancelled, simply because we followed up a logical
argumentative campaign against the guessing contest schemes.
Our work had its fruition at Richmond where the dealers passed
resolutions condemning the puzzle contest plan of selling pianos,
and even after that not a single paper supported The Review in its
campaign.
REVIEW
But the seed sown fell on fertile soil and our articles have
been used in hundreds of cases by dealers in their advertisements
all over the land, and gradually public opinion has changed so that
people have seen through the whole scheme, and as a result it
is dead, or pretty near it.
Some of the concerns who were leaders in this kind of business
have practically lost their wholesale trade, as many dealers refuse
to purchase instruments from houses which continue this plan of
piano selling.
And there you are!
S
OME TIME ago, a manufacturer who was about to launch a
business enterprise came to us for advice.
He proposed to expend a large advertising appropriation in
the magazines and papers of big circulation, believing that that was
the best way to create a business.
In other words, he proposed to strike out and reach the public
before he had created distributing depots.
We pointed out to him the folly of such a course.
His advertising would simply redound to the benefit of others.
When the retail purchaser reads magazine advertisements of
ordinary supplies he understands that he can obtain these by drop-
ping into any store where such goods are sold no matter how small
the town and the advertisement is a constant reminder to him that
in ordering such goods the name of the advertiser is fixed in his
mind.
But for an advertiser of a high-priced product to advertise
first of all for the retail purchaser before creating agencies is a
serious mistake.
Suppose the people in the homes were interested in the adver-
tisement. They would when visiting the nearest store ask for the
Triumph piano.
Of course, the salesman would find out immediately that they
were possible purchasers, and he would take advantage of the
situation, and, naturally, knock entirely out of their mind the idea
of purchasing the advertised product.
The belief that the dealer will place in his warcrooms pianos
that are advertised simply because people may come in and inquire
for them is to our mind a fallacy.
An advertiser of such high-priced products as pianos must
create agencies before entering into an extensive national adver-
tising campaign.
The crop must be planted before the public is invited to par-
take of the ripened product.
If a man went into a store and asked for a Gillette Safety
Razor without finding it, he would be in a good condition to be
influenced to buy a brand which the salesman personally recom-
mended.
National advertising is fine, but the readers should be able to
easily find the wares that are advertised, and until that condition
exists advertising cannot be a self-supporting department.
Lack of retail depots is a weak link in the chain.
It is all right for a mail order business, but the advertiser who
intends that readers should buy of dealers must first of all interest
the dealer to the extent of taking on the agency for his product.
Without that, his money to a large degree is wasted.
A WELL-KNOWN manufacturer who believes in keeping con-
•t\- stantly before his constituency, said: "If our product was
all sold and we could not make deliveries until 1912 I still would
continue my present plan of advertising, because I believe in crea-
ting not only a waiting list, but in letting the people know that you
are still on earth." Worth thinking over surely. And, speaking
of a waiting list! While it is perhaps unpleasant to keep dealers
waiting a long time before their orders are filled, yet, as a matter
of fact, is it not true that some of us desire those things most which
are hardest to get? Therefore, a "waiting list" is sometimes a
mighty convenient addition to a modern business.
H P H E fall campaign is now well under way and there will be a
-L fair amount of business transacted in various parts of the
country.
It is not by any means going to be such a poor fall for business
as many have predicted it is going to be,