Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Drifting Into a Dangerous Groove.
The Retail Department of the Piano Trade Must Call a Halt to Methods Else the Future of the
Business Will Be Seriously Jeopardized—Sensational Methods Must Be Discarded and Piano
Stability Upheld Else the Confidence of the Purchasing Public Will Be Shaken—A Musical
Atmosphere Must Be Cultivated Else the Piano Business of the Future Will Be Done in De*
partment Stores and Furniture Stores—The Name Upon a Piano Fall Board Should Be a:
Guarantee and the Price Asked Should Be the Right Price—Piano Men Must Become Aroused
to the Situation Else the Business in a Few Years Will Be Entirely in the Hands of Manu-
facturers' Branches and Affiliated Interests—See Where the Sheet Music Business and Small
Goods Trade Has Gone—It Does Not Require Extended Argument to See That the Piano
Business Will Go the Same Way When We Consider the Great Inroads Made in Recent
Years Upon the Regular Trade by Department Stores Throughout the Country.
I
T is with pleasure that we note the interest aroused by the series
of business editorials which have been appearing in these
columns.
One of the heads of a great piano institution writes: "I have
been deeply interested in perusing your articles. I am particularly
in accord with your efforts to arouse piano men of the country to a
full appreciation of the dangers which surely will confront them if
certain methods are persisted in. I hope you will keep up the line
of work which you have inaugurated for it is only by careful read-
ing and assimilation that certain kinds of men may be set right."
Of course it is human nature to follow along certain ruts.
All of us drift into certain grooves and many of us stay there.
Now, the piano trade of this country has drifted into a rut.
Of course we do mean that there are no exceptions to the
general rule, because it is absurd to say that all men are unap-
preciative of their future.
The one absorbing thought with many men has been to do
business no matter on what conditions or terms and in this race
some who have been anxious to outstrip their competitors have
granted all sorts of ridiculous terms and have themselves inaugu-
rated the selling of pianos on an unbusinesslike basis.
Think of putting out instruments upon which less than twenty-
four dollars are paid in in one year and a half!
Some such instances have been brought to our attention-
The one point in our line of argument is this, that if the piano
business is to be maintained as a musical entity it must be then on
the basis of creating and maintaining a musical atmosphere, for, as
sure as fate, if we persist in the plan of placing the cheap instru-
ment above the standard makes and adopt the most glaring and
sensational methods in their sales then we are slowly but surely un-
dermining public faith and confidence in piano values.
The piano in years to come will be considered not as a musical
creation but simply as an article of home adornment purchased the
same as a piece of furniture or anything else.
The name it bears upon its fall board will have no particular
value because there is an army of men who have been deliberately
at work trying to destroy name values.
They have been impressing upon people the fact that they
should not pay beyond a certain price for any piano—that more
than that was robbery.
Now, it is easy to see the result of such teaching in a few years.
We remember distinctly, although it was many years ago, that
a manufacturer of cheap pianos, not even what we term a com-
mercial product to-day, remarked to us that he hoped that the
S
piano manufacturers would continue to hold to their
prices, because it enabled him to impress upon his clientele just
how purchasers were being overcharged by this particular house.
He has changed all about, however, in this policy and to-day
he has advanced his pianos from the cheap until he claims to occupy
a position well along in upper pianodom.
His piano quality has improved and expanded, likewise his
prices, and he realizes the advantage of reputation and of quality
and a musical atmosphere. He was a rational, intelligent human
being-: but there are. many dealers all over the country who seem
imbued with the one thought of pulling down a reputation—of put-
ting out instruments no matter on what terms or at what prices.
Now, sooner or later they have got to realize that if the artistic ;
influence is destroyed then down comes the whole piano edifice.
There must be a continent-wide interest aroused upon this par- -
ticular issue in order to protect the future of the industry, for, if
things are permitted to drift along as they are now, inside of ten
years the retail business of the country will be carried on by manu-
facturers and their affiliated institutions and the department stores. •
Note the changes that have gone on in the small goods trade, i
Years ago the music stores were the principal depots of dis- '
tribution for small musical instruments, what we colloquially term
small goods.
Where are they to-day ?
We may say in a single sentence "out of it," because the de-
partment stores, novelty houses and mail order concerns are doing
90 per cent, of the musical merchandise business of the country.
The dealers did not appreciate their position and permitted .
competitors whom they scorned to cut squarely in under them.
How about sheet music?
The department stores are doing the great bulk of the business
in that line and they will be doing more and more all the while; S
and, yet, it was only a few years ago when the piano dealers were
carrying on this branch exclusively but they have lost it.
Now, it does not require a great stretch of imagination to figure
how they will lose the piano business unless they become aroused to
the point of safeguarding their interests as they should!
.
If the present trend towards commercialism is permitted" to go
on unchecked, within ten years 90 per cent, of the piano business of i
this country will be done through manufacturers, their affiliated
corporations, the department and furniture stores.
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We say within ten years!
Yes, even less, because things move rapidly nowadays.
Think of the changes which have taken place since the Spanish-
American War!
Note what consolidation among manufacturing interests have
occurred, and note the tendency to establish branches on the part.
of some of the leading manufacturers.
Note the tendency of manufacturers to become interested in
local retail organizations.
Now, manufacturers as a whole prefer to remain aloof from
the retail business. They rather prefer to concentrate their ener-
gies upon manufacturing, content to let the dealers grapple with the
retail problem, provided their interests are fairly safeguarded by
the men in whose hands they are placed.
But manufacturers are not going to sit indifferently by and
see choice territory wasted.
Why should they?
If a certain territory is not appreciated, what prevents a manu-
facturer from establishing a branch therein?
Piano dealers should think over these matters carefully, for
the music trade is going through tremendous changes, and there
is going to be some tearing down and some building up.
Why not be among the builduppers ?
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