Music Trade Review
Issue: 1915 Vol. 61 N. 24 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SOME CREDIT LESSONS FROM THE PAST YEAR.
.. By HERMANN IRION, Steinway & Sons, New York.
In my opinion, the past year has taught the men
ot the piano trade more than ever before the abso-
lute necessity of scrutinizing their credits more close-
ly than they have in the past, and to refrain from
forcing sales upon people who are really not en-
titled to invest their earnings in so expensive a
commodity as a piano, no matter wiiat grade it may
be.
There is no question but that the shrinkage in
business and the difficulty of making collections
throughout the country during nearly all of 1914
and the beginning of this year, due to the European
war and other causes, has been an enormous strain
on a great many piano dealers who were handi-
capped on account of long time sales through
which they had become extended in greater pro-
portions than their capital and liquid assets war-
ranted. The happy fact that so few failures have
occurred in our trade during this period, and that
almost all these dealers have pulled through these
difficult and trying times, is due in a measure to
the additional help which they received from man-
ufacturers as well as bankers.
In the city of New York we have had a drastic ex-
ample of what it means to force piano sales out of
all rhyme and reason in the collapse of several
large department stores which had piano depart-
ments and whose sales were chiefly made on the
long-time plan with little if any initial payments.
These sales at first piled up enormous fictitious
paper profits and looked extremely enticing to de-
partment store managers, who were accustomed to
small profits on large turnovers, but later they re-
sulted in the repossession of almost 75 per cent, of
the pianos sold, and a proportionate loss of the
profits already counted, plus an additional expense
for repairs and resale of the used instruments.
1 believe that this process of restriction which
has been forced upon piano dealers the past year
has resulted in their being in better shape finan-
cially and better prepared, therefore, to meet the
increasing improved business conditions that we
Hermann Irion.
are now experiencing, and the still further im-
provement which seems to be ahead of us.
It is to be regretted that human memory is so
short that we seem to periodically require lessons
such as those we have had in the past year to teach
us conservatism in business. If it were not so we
would allow the experiences of the past to guide
us in our actions for the future and thus prevent
many hardships and failures in business.
FUTURE OF THE HIGH-GRADE PLAYER-PIANO.
By GEORGE A. SCOFIELD, Retail Manager Behning Piano Co., New York.
What the artistic, high-grade piano has been in
the past to the uplift of the piano trade—and no
one can deny the immensity of the debt due this
class of instrument—to an even greater degree will
the high-grade player-piano bear the same relation
to the future uplift of the player-piano industry.
This will be caused in a considerable measure by
the prejudice that exists to-day in many minds
against the player-piano, or any means of repro-
ducing music in a so-called "mechanical" way.
The fact that such a prejudice is an absolute reality
is becoming more evident daily to the piano fra-
ternity. It has been caused by the huge sale of
the cheaper-grade player-piano without any thought
of the way or manner in which it is used by the
purchaser. As a rule, the salesman leaves his cus-
tomer with the player and a quantity of music
rolls to follow out his own bent without any as-
sistance whatsoever.
It is this condition which leads me to believe
that the true mission of the high-grade player-
piano is to remove this prejudice, and in other
words we must "play our instrument into the
home," strictly on its merits, and after it is there
see that the purchaser knows how to use it intelli-
gently.
Dispelling a Wrong Impression.
An actual incident of the harm which the mis-
judged use of the cheap player-piano can create
was evidenced only a few weeks ago. At an ex-
hibition of Behning player-pianos held in Madison
Square Garden the writer endeavored to interest a
gentleman of refinement in a player-piano, but was
firmly rebuffed and told that under no considera-
tion would he consider the purchase of a player-
piano. He even went further, and stated that he
would not accept one as a gift. Further conversa-
tion elicited the fact that one of his neighbors on
Washington Heights owned a player-piano, the
make of which he did not know, but it was so noisy
and played without any idea of musical understand-
ing that he was seriously contemplating moving to
avoid the annoyance. A ten-minute demonstration
of the Behning player and what it could accomplish
in a musical way served to give this gentleman an
entirely new conception of the true meaning of an
instrument of this type and character.
How the Salesmen Regard the Player.
One of the reasons why the high-grade player-
piano has not reached the high mark of sales which
it well deserves is because of the training and atti-
advantage of so doing and impressed with the idea
that he is receiving dollar for dollar of the extra
expenditure.
1 have long wished that the piano business might
be worked along the same methods of many other
lines, where the salesman could always have a sam-
ple of his goods in front of him, and then the sales
of high-grade player-pianos would show a mate-
rial increase, as the character of the goods is in-
terest compelling.
Therefore, while it is no new thought, the high-
grade instrument must be "played into the home."
I his can be accomplished by recital work, by ex-
hibitions of player-pianos wherever the opportunity
presents itself, thereby bringing the goods and their
demonstration to the attention of the public, and
in another way which is not worked near as much
as it should be, and that is in the music roll de-
partment of every piano house in the land.
The Player in the Music Roll Department.
Instead of placing an old, worn-out player, in
poor condition, in the music roll department, put
in this department one of the most up-to-date and
perfect player-pianos that you have in stock. Make
it such an interesting instrument that a visitor will
comment upon its excellence, and when he comes
to purchase even a 25-cent music roll and sits down
at the instrument will be instantly impressed with
its character and tone quality. This impression will
be so effective in many cases that the customer will
be induced to talk exchange, particularly if the
player he originally bought is of a cheap type.
The most fruitful source of prospects to-day for
the high-grade player-piano should come from the
music roll department. Another profitable feature
of this music roll prospect getting may be empha-
sized if, instead of having high-priced player sales-
men sitting around doing nothing, they be instruct-
ed to wait on music roll customers, especially those
who own other makes of players and drop in to
buy a few rolls. The salesman's time need not be
taken away from a player-piano prospect or caller,
as he can be instantly called away from the music
roll patron to handle any transient trade. I am
certain that this policy will prove a profitable
source of prospect getting, and lists of prospects
secured in this way wiiich will develop into ex-
change sales for high-class player-pianos from
buyers who have started with cheaper players and
who have musical aspirations which only a high-
class instrument can realize.
The Future of the Player Industry.
The permanency of the player-piano industry is
no doubt threatened to-day by the very cheap class
ot instruments that are being sold. The continual
repair bills which the purchaser of such an instru-
ment pays deter many of his friends and acquaint-
ances from buying a player-piano, and it is there-
fore only reasonable to assume that if the retail
sale of the player is to increase it must be through
the sale of the better class of instruments, where
repair bills are at a minimum and the satisfaction
that the instrument gives to the buyers is sufficient
to make him a player enthusiast.
I hardly need to add that from the dealer's stand-
point the repossessions of the high-grade instru-
ments are so few and far between as to make their
sale one of the bright spots in the entire retail
business.
THINKING AND WINNING.
Walter D. Wintle, in Credit Men's Bulletin.
George A. Scofield.
tude of the salesmen, for nine out of ten prefer to
work along the lines of least resistance, and where
it is comparatively easy to sell a player-piano for
$400 accept the situation contentedly, rather than
try to sell an instrument for $300 or $400 more in
price. Many a prospective buyer is misjudged as
to his financial ability, and can be sold an instru-
ment of higher or better character when shown the
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you'd like to win, but you 1 think you can't
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lest,
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will,
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you're outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise,
Y'ou've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.
"Is your daughter a finished pianist?"
"Not yet, but the neighbors are making threats.'
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
SOME CREDIT LESSONS FROM THE PAST YEAR.
.. By HERMANN IRION, Steinway & Sons, New York.
In my opinion, the past year has taught the men
ot the piano trade more than ever before the abso-
lute necessity of scrutinizing their credits more close-
ly than they have in the past, and to refrain from
forcing sales upon people who are really not en-
titled to invest their earnings in so expensive a
commodity as a piano, no matter wiiat grade it may
be.
There is no question but that the shrinkage in
business and the difficulty of making collections
throughout the country during nearly all of 1914
and the beginning of this year, due to the European
war and other causes, has been an enormous strain
on a great many piano dealers who were handi-
capped on account of long time sales through
which they had become extended in greater pro-
portions than their capital and liquid assets war-
ranted. The happy fact that so few failures have
occurred in our trade during this period, and that
almost all these dealers have pulled through these
difficult and trying times, is due in a measure to
the additional help which they received from man-
ufacturers as well as bankers.
In the city of New York we have had a drastic ex-
ample of what it means to force piano sales out of
all rhyme and reason in the collapse of several
large department stores which had piano depart-
ments and whose sales were chiefly made on the
long-time plan with little if any initial payments.
These sales at first piled up enormous fictitious
paper profits and looked extremely enticing to de-
partment store managers, who were accustomed to
small profits on large turnovers, but later they re-
sulted in the repossession of almost 75 per cent, of
the pianos sold, and a proportionate loss of the
profits already counted, plus an additional expense
for repairs and resale of the used instruments.
1 believe that this process of restriction which
has been forced upon piano dealers the past year
has resulted in their being in better shape finan-
cially and better prepared, therefore, to meet the
increasing improved business conditions that we
Hermann Irion.
are now experiencing, and the still further im-
provement which seems to be ahead of us.
It is to be regretted that human memory is so
short that we seem to periodically require lessons
such as those we have had in the past year to teach
us conservatism in business. If it were not so we
would allow the experiences of the past to guide
us in our actions for the future and thus prevent
many hardships and failures in business.
FUTURE OF THE HIGH-GRADE PLAYER-PIANO.
By GEORGE A. SCOFIELD, Retail Manager Behning Piano Co., New York.
What the artistic, high-grade piano has been in
the past to the uplift of the piano trade—and no
one can deny the immensity of the debt due this
class of instrument—to an even greater degree will
the high-grade player-piano bear the same relation
to the future uplift of the player-piano industry.
This will be caused in a considerable measure by
the prejudice that exists to-day in many minds
against the player-piano, or any means of repro-
ducing music in a so-called "mechanical" way.
The fact that such a prejudice is an absolute reality
is becoming more evident daily to the piano fra-
ternity. It has been caused by the huge sale of
the cheaper-grade player-piano without any thought
of the way or manner in which it is used by the
purchaser. As a rule, the salesman leaves his cus-
tomer with the player and a quantity of music
rolls to follow out his own bent without any as-
sistance whatsoever.
It is this condition which leads me to believe
that the true mission of the high-grade player-
piano is to remove this prejudice, and in other
words we must "play our instrument into the
home," strictly on its merits, and after it is there
see that the purchaser knows how to use it intelli-
gently.
Dispelling a Wrong Impression.
An actual incident of the harm which the mis-
judged use of the cheap player-piano can create
was evidenced only a few weeks ago. At an ex-
hibition of Behning player-pianos held in Madison
Square Garden the writer endeavored to interest a
gentleman of refinement in a player-piano, but was
firmly rebuffed and told that under no considera-
tion would he consider the purchase of a player-
piano. He even went further, and stated that he
would not accept one as a gift. Further conversa-
tion elicited the fact that one of his neighbors on
Washington Heights owned a player-piano, the
make of which he did not know, but it was so noisy
and played without any idea of musical understand-
ing that he was seriously contemplating moving to
avoid the annoyance. A ten-minute demonstration
of the Behning player and what it could accomplish
in a musical way served to give this gentleman an
entirely new conception of the true meaning of an
instrument of this type and character.
How the Salesmen Regard the Player.
One of the reasons why the high-grade player-
piano has not reached the high mark of sales which
it well deserves is because of the training and atti-
advantage of so doing and impressed with the idea
that he is receiving dollar for dollar of the extra
expenditure.
1 have long wished that the piano business might
be worked along the same methods of many other
lines, where the salesman could always have a sam-
ple of his goods in front of him, and then the sales
of high-grade player-pianos would show a mate-
rial increase, as the character of the goods is in-
terest compelling.
Therefore, while it is no new thought, the high-
grade instrument must be "played into the home."
I his can be accomplished by recital work, by ex-
hibitions of player-pianos wherever the opportunity
presents itself, thereby bringing the goods and their
demonstration to the attention of the public, and
in another way which is not worked near as much
as it should be, and that is in the music roll de-
partment of every piano house in the land.
The Player in the Music Roll Department.
Instead of placing an old, worn-out player, in
poor condition, in the music roll department, put
in this department one of the most up-to-date and
perfect player-pianos that you have in stock. Make
it such an interesting instrument that a visitor will
comment upon its excellence, and when he comes
to purchase even a 25-cent music roll and sits down
at the instrument will be instantly impressed with
its character and tone quality. This impression will
be so effective in many cases that the customer will
be induced to talk exchange, particularly if the
player he originally bought is of a cheap type.
The most fruitful source of prospects to-day for
the high-grade player-piano should come from the
music roll department. Another profitable feature
of this music roll prospect getting may be empha-
sized if, instead of having high-priced player sales-
men sitting around doing nothing, they be instruct-
ed to wait on music roll customers, especially those
who own other makes of players and drop in to
buy a few rolls. The salesman's time need not be
taken away from a player-piano prospect or caller,
as he can be instantly called away from the music
roll patron to handle any transient trade. I am
certain that this policy will prove a profitable
source of prospect getting, and lists of prospects
secured in this way wiiich will develop into ex-
change sales for high-class player-pianos from
buyers who have started with cheaper players and
who have musical aspirations which only a high-
class instrument can realize.
The Future of the Player Industry.
The permanency of the player-piano industry is
no doubt threatened to-day by the very cheap class
ot instruments that are being sold. The continual
repair bills which the purchaser of such an instru-
ment pays deter many of his friends and acquaint-
ances from buying a player-piano, and it is there-
fore only reasonable to assume that if the retail
sale of the player is to increase it must be through
the sale of the better class of instruments, where
repair bills are at a minimum and the satisfaction
that the instrument gives to the buyers is sufficient
to make him a player enthusiast.
I hardly need to add that from the dealer's stand-
point the repossessions of the high-grade instru-
ments are so few and far between as to make their
sale one of the bright spots in the entire retail
business.
THINKING AND WINNING.
Walter D. Wintle, in Credit Men's Bulletin.
George A. Scofield.
tude of the salesmen, for nine out of ten prefer to
work along the lines of least resistance, and where
it is comparatively easy to sell a player-piano for
$400 accept the situation contentedly, rather than
try to sell an instrument for $300 or $400 more in
price. Many a prospective buyer is misjudged as
to his financial ability, and can be sold an instru-
ment of higher or better character when shown the
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you'd like to win, but you 1 think you can't
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lest,
For out of the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will,
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you're outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise,
Y'ou've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.
"Is your daughter a finished pianist?"
"Not yet, but the neighbors are making threats.'
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).