Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
MAY
1, 1920
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
THIRTY=CENT SONGS AT CUT PRICE
Sheet Music Dealers in Various Parts of the
Country Complain That Syndicate Stores Are
Selling Thirty-cent Numbers at Ten Cents—
May Invoke Aid of Federal Board
The Music Publishers' Protective Association
has recently been receiving a flood of complaints
from sheet music dealers in various sections of
the country, calling attention to the fact that
one of the syndicates operating a chain of ten-
cent stores has been featuring in the music de-
partments of its various stores music classed as
being in the thirty-cent editions. Inasmuch as
the wholesale price of the music is eighteen
cents or more per copy, and the legitimate deal-
ers are forced to charge more than that for it,
they are puzzled to know just how the syndi-
cate can offer the same prints at ten cents.
It appears that in the carrying out of the
plan of selling thirty-cent hits at ten cents the
syndicate couples the hits with sheet music of
cheaper editions, which are purchased at a cent
or cent and a half per copy wholesale. The
customer upon demanding the big hit for ten
cents is informed that he must buy one of the
less popular numbers with it in order to take
advantage of the offer. The syndicate is thus
enabled to get twenty cents for one sheet of
music which, costs eighteen and another that
costs' a ^cent or so. The transaction naturally
results in a loss, but the loss is not so heavy
as though the thirty-cent hits were sold singly
and it is evidently figured out by the syndicate
that the publicity is worth the money and that
the plan offers an avenue for revenge upon the
publishers who have raised their prices to a
point where the ten-cent store cannot handle the
music on the old-time profitable basis.
E. C. Mills, of the Publishers' Protective As-
sociation, states that the syndicate has obtained
the bulk of its music through a St. Louis music
jobbing house and has evidently paid at least
eighteen cents for each copy. Although many
of the publishers have refused to furnish further
supplies to the St. Louis jobber, it is hardly
possible for them to prevent the syndicate from
getting hold of sheet music through other job-
bers indirectly, providing the usual wholesale
price is paid.
Retailers who have suffered from this new
form of competition and who have complained
thereat have been advised to present the facts
before the Federal Trade Commission in Wash-
ington, by letter or in person, charging that the
unfair competition was injuring their business.
The publishers cannot act effectively in the
matter, as they are not the parties directly in-
jured by the practice.
MUSIC PUBLISHERS FACING GREATLY INCREASED COSTS
Paper, Printing and Rents Are Among the Many Items Which Have Increased in Cost Enor-
mously During the Past Year—The Syndicate Stores and the Future of Thirty-cent Editions
In speaking of the ever-increasing costs of
publishing music, invariably paper, printing,
plates, arrangements and title pages are taken
into account, and it is easily proved by the
present prices of such materials that the pub-
lishers have some problems on their hands.
These items alone have justified the publishers
in eliminating their ten-cent catalogs.
With leases expiring as they often do at this
season of the year, publishers are up against an-
other increase, which in some instances is
enormous, and this is not confined to any one
territory, but is felt wherever leases are re-
newed throughout the United States, owing to
the shortage of business quarters and the dearth
of building operations.
The New York situation, however, is prob-
ably more severe than that in many other trade
centers. An instance of this is shown in the
reported rise of rents in a building which in
years past has apparently catered to popular
music houses. One firm formerly paying $1,-
700 per,annum was asked $6,000 for the same
amount of. space. When it is realized that these
increases are felt by the publishers wherever
they have branches, the item of rent assumes
large proportions.
There is some talk now of the publishers dis-
continuing some of their minor branch offices,
and from present indications it looks as though
this idea will be put over successfully. There
is no doubt that many such can be dispensed
with to advantage to the publisher and with
comparatively no loss in energies that assist in
popularizing songs.
Apropos of all the increasing costs, there
seems to be some effort at present to bring
the F. W. Woolworth syndicate and the pub-
lishers together on a basis of the publishers
giving that syndicate a certain amount of "plug"
songs. Of course there are some publishing
houses who have never eliminated their ten-cent
catalogs. Most of these, however, have been
getting but very limited support from the F. W.
Woolworth Co. While undoubtedly for the good
of the industry it will be well that the pub-
lishers come to an agreement with this organ-
ization, which has such excellent means of dis-
tribution and which uses such efficient merchan-
dising methods, much care must be shown by
the publishers in any agreement that they make
for the future with syndicate stores having a
maximum retail price of ten cents, for that
means of distribution will always be the weak-
est link in the publishers' business of placing
their thirty-cent catalogs on a permanent basis.
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