Music Trade Review
Issue: 1916 Vol. 63 N. 2 - Page 7
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW is in hearty sympathy with the aims and ac-
1 complishments of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the
World, whose convention in Philadelphia last week attracted such
a distinguished gathering and whose deliberations were so mo-
mentous and effective. The slogan of this organization, "Truth
in Advertising," should ever be the keynote of advertising in the
piano trade, not merely because it is a great moral preachment,
but because it represents good sound common-sense business.
Advertising has become a most powerful factor in the busi-
ness life of the world to-day and it stands on a much higher
plane than it did a few years ago. This is due to the fact that
in its early days advertising was unworthily used in the promo-
tion of every sort of fraud, and for quite a while people looked
askance upon everything that was advertised. The dignified,
honorable, conservative houses were afraid to exploit their wares
in a very large way, because it was not the custom, but nowadays
advertising has acquired a new dignity and a new strength, and
publishers in co-operation with advertising men and advertising
agencies are all concentrating their energies in the direction that
means more power and more credit to advertising.
In all branches of business to-day, there is clearly evident an
awakened national conscience. People are less inclined to mis-
leading and untruthful advertising, recognizing that in the end
it is unprofitable and undermines the house standing sponsor
for it. Unfortunately there are, and there will be, exceptions.
It is being realized more and more that sincerity and honesty
in advertising, as in everything else, pays big dividends. This is
just as true of the piano industry as of other business lines. That
is why The Review is opposed to coupon or puzzle schemes of
publicity or to the stool pigeon plan of advertising cheap pianos
at the prices of nationally advertised products.
USINESS men are paying more attention to-day than ever
B
before to what it costs them to do business. The much dis-
cussed talk about efficiency in production has doubtless helped
to concentrate attention on this very important matter. Too
many manufacturers in the past have worked along haphazard
lines. There has been little regard for system or a knowledge of
costs. We have had examples in the piano trade time and time
again of concerns failing largely because they made pianos and
sold them at a loss. While this class of men. like the poor, is
always with us, it must be admitted that a new era has been
ushered in, and that to-day manufacturers are desirous of know-
ing "where they are at" when it comes to the cost of doing
business.
The Credit Men's Association and the United States Cham-
ber of Commerce have done much to concentrate attention on the
necessity of manufacturing and selling at a profit—the only
essential to success in business.
Commissioner Wulpi, of the United States Chamber of
Commerce, recently made the following interesting remarks
along the foregoing lines when he said:
"Regarding the usefulness of uniform systems of account-
ing the commission recently said that of the 60,000 successful
corporations doing a business of $100,000 a year, more than 50
per cent, make no attempt to charge off for depreciation, that
about 10 per cent, of merchants and manufacturers are aware
of the actual cost of their products, 40 per cent, attempt to esti-
mate this cost, and the remaining 50 per cent, have no method
of determining the cost of their products and put prices on their
goods arbitrarily.
"It is the belief of the commission that accurate knowledge
of the cost price is essential for the well-being of every industry,
not only for the protection of the particular manufacturer or
merchant, but also in the interest of competitors, as it is the
belief of the commission that instances of ruinous price cutting
have in a large measure been the result of ignorance of the actual
cost of the articles on sale. The commision also feels that the
sale of the articles at a fair profit is to the interest of the public
and the industry at large, as opposed to a practice of selling at
less than cost, which results in a general demoralization of the
whole industry."
Reads like common sense. The day of "goods below cost"
will soon be over, and woe to him who so sells.
OR a number of years past the cry of all critics of the piano
F
manufacturing trade has been that the cause of unsettled con-
ditions is principally over-production. Poor credit conditions,
dealers' failures and other matters were all blamed upon the
desire of the manufacturer to keep his plant running at capacity
with the consequent necessity of unloading these instruments
at unfavorable terms and on undesirable retailers.
The remark of one prominent piano maker, however, at a
recent convention of the Piano Manufacturers' Association shot
the over-production argument full of holes. The trouble with
the trade is not over-production, he claimed, but rather under-
exploitation. With a population of over one hundred million
people there should not be any difficulty in having the public
absorb the annual output of pianos and players if proper
methods are used. On the 1916 basis of output, for instance,
it is only necessary to sell a piano or player to about one in
every 350 of the population, to take every instrument out of
the dealers' warerooms.
Meanwhile the children growing up to piano owning age,
the addition to the population, through immigration, and the
establishment of new homes through thousands of marriages,
all serve to keep the field for the piano man alive and promising.
It is simply a question of proper exploitation, and through the
action of the asssociations that problem is in the way of being
solved.
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
REVIEW is in hearty sympathy with the aims and ac-
1 complishments of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the
World, whose convention in Philadelphia last week attracted such
a distinguished gathering and whose deliberations were so mo-
mentous and effective. The slogan of this organization, "Truth
in Advertising," should ever be the keynote of advertising in the
piano trade, not merely because it is a great moral preachment,
but because it represents good sound common-sense business.
Advertising has become a most powerful factor in the busi-
ness life of the world to-day and it stands on a much higher
plane than it did a few years ago. This is due to the fact that
in its early days advertising was unworthily used in the promo-
tion of every sort of fraud, and for quite a while people looked
askance upon everything that was advertised. The dignified,
honorable, conservative houses were afraid to exploit their wares
in a very large way, because it was not the custom, but nowadays
advertising has acquired a new dignity and a new strength, and
publishers in co-operation with advertising men and advertising
agencies are all concentrating their energies in the direction that
means more power and more credit to advertising.
In all branches of business to-day, there is clearly evident an
awakened national conscience. People are less inclined to mis-
leading and untruthful advertising, recognizing that in the end
it is unprofitable and undermines the house standing sponsor
for it. Unfortunately there are, and there will be, exceptions.
It is being realized more and more that sincerity and honesty
in advertising, as in everything else, pays big dividends. This is
just as true of the piano industry as of other business lines. That
is why The Review is opposed to coupon or puzzle schemes of
publicity or to the stool pigeon plan of advertising cheap pianos
at the prices of nationally advertised products.
USINESS men are paying more attention to-day than ever
B
before to what it costs them to do business. The much dis-
cussed talk about efficiency in production has doubtless helped
to concentrate attention on this very important matter. Too
many manufacturers in the past have worked along haphazard
lines. There has been little regard for system or a knowledge of
costs. We have had examples in the piano trade time and time
again of concerns failing largely because they made pianos and
sold them at a loss. While this class of men. like the poor, is
always with us, it must be admitted that a new era has been
ushered in, and that to-day manufacturers are desirous of know-
ing "where they are at" when it comes to the cost of doing
business.
The Credit Men's Association and the United States Cham-
ber of Commerce have done much to concentrate attention on the
necessity of manufacturing and selling at a profit—the only
essential to success in business.
Commissioner Wulpi, of the United States Chamber of
Commerce, recently made the following interesting remarks
along the foregoing lines when he said:
"Regarding the usefulness of uniform systems of account-
ing the commission recently said that of the 60,000 successful
corporations doing a business of $100,000 a year, more than 50
per cent, make no attempt to charge off for depreciation, that
about 10 per cent, of merchants and manufacturers are aware
of the actual cost of their products, 40 per cent, attempt to esti-
mate this cost, and the remaining 50 per cent, have no method
of determining the cost of their products and put prices on their
goods arbitrarily.
"It is the belief of the commission that accurate knowledge
of the cost price is essential for the well-being of every industry,
not only for the protection of the particular manufacturer or
merchant, but also in the interest of competitors, as it is the
belief of the commission that instances of ruinous price cutting
have in a large measure been the result of ignorance of the actual
cost of the articles on sale. The commision also feels that the
sale of the articles at a fair profit is to the interest of the public
and the industry at large, as opposed to a practice of selling at
less than cost, which results in a general demoralization of the
whole industry."
Reads like common sense. The day of "goods below cost"
will soon be over, and woe to him who so sells.
OR a number of years past the cry of all critics of the piano
F
manufacturing trade has been that the cause of unsettled con-
ditions is principally over-production. Poor credit conditions,
dealers' failures and other matters were all blamed upon the
desire of the manufacturer to keep his plant running at capacity
with the consequent necessity of unloading these instruments
at unfavorable terms and on undesirable retailers.
The remark of one prominent piano maker, however, at a
recent convention of the Piano Manufacturers' Association shot
the over-production argument full of holes. The trouble with
the trade is not over-production, he claimed, but rather under-
exploitation. With a population of over one hundred million
people there should not be any difficulty in having the public
absorb the annual output of pianos and players if proper
methods are used. On the 1916 basis of output, for instance,
it is only necessary to sell a piano or player to about one in
every 350 of the population, to take every instrument out of
the dealers' warerooms.
Meanwhile the children growing up to piano owning age,
the addition to the population, through immigration, and the
establishment of new homes through thousands of marriages,
all serve to keep the field for the piano man alive and promising.
It is simply a question of proper exploitation, and through the
action of the asssociations that problem is in the way of being
solved.
GETTING DOWN TO PLAIN PLAYER FACTS
The education of the public along player lines is a necessity for the expansion of the player business.
There is no doubt of that; and education of the piano merchants and salesmen is also a vital necessity,
because through them will come a powerful force in the education of the public; and right here we wish to
remark that we have produced a line of books upon the player-piano which comprehensively covers the
entire player situation.
In this respect this trade newspaper stands alone, for it has been the principal source from which player
information has been available for piano merchants and salesmen for a period of years. Our latest book,
"The Player-Piano Up to Date"
is the best of the series. It contains upwards of 220 pages of matter bearing directly upon the player.
Every piano merchant and piano salesman should have a copy of this book within easy reach. It
gives to readers a fund of information not obtainable elsewhere.
It contains a series of original drawings and a vast amount of instructive and educational matter, as
well as a detailed description of some of the principal player mechanisms.
It costs $1.50 to have this book delivered to any address in the United States, and your money will be
refunded if you are not satisfied with the book after examination. No one yet has availed himself of this
opportunity. Foreign countries, 15c. to cover extra postage, should be added.
Estate of EDWARD LYMAN BILL, Publisher
373 Fourth Ave., New York
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