Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER 11, 1920
THE
MUSIC
TRADE
11
REVIEW
A GENERAL SURVEY OF TRADE CONDITIONS—(Continued from page 7)
so have been ordering liberally and early to fore-
stall factory troubles, freight embargoes, or
price advances. There does not seem to be any
likelihood of stock shortage during the Fall and
Winter, except in certain special lines of instru-
ments.
With the approach of September piano and
music merchants, particularly the larger con-
cerns, have broadened out their advertising cam-
paigns with a view to stimulating business as
soon as possible. This advertising has not been
productive of sufficient results to arouse enthu-
siasm, but it is expected to pave the way for
more substantial business within the next few
weeks. So far as the character of the advertis-
ing goes, there is little in the way of adverse
criticism to offer.
The terms asked by dealers in general are
exceptionally good—better than have ever been
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known in the trade heretofore. A large per-
centage of the sales are for cash, or part cash,
and the small monthly payment is practically
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unknown. The general financial situation has
In the Chicago district—the Middle West—
Stocks throughout this section may be said forced the dealers to demand cash or short
there is reported a slight slowing up in indus- to be in a healthy condition. Most merchants terms.
trial activities, and a cutting down of produc- are in a position to meet normal demands for
There is general confidence that Fall business
tion in some measure, although this has had no a number of weeks to come, while others have will meet the anticipations of all dealers, and
apparent effect other than to bring about an ad- on hand far more stock than is customary. The that there will be plenty of buyers for those
justment in the matter of labor supply and de- large stocks are due to the fact that the majority merchants who really carry on energetic cam-
mand.
of dealers who are in a financial position to do paigns.
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in buying on the part of industrial employes,
music merchants believe that any such condi-
tion will be more than counter-balanced by the
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increased buying ability of the agricultural ele-
A brief summing up of the piano situation in prove, barring unforeseen hindrances (which
ment, for the farmers are prosperous and happy,
and apparently have an inclination to buy about Ohio seems to indicate a settling down to sound dealers hope may not show up), and with smooth
everything they require or desire, including mu- financial business conditions with prospects of a running for the next few months the holiday
sical instruments, and only the best of every- steady and substantial volume of sales for the trade should open up auspiciously.
Advertising in the local field is dignified in
coming Fall season. Crops, long delayed in
thing, at that.
In the cities more than in the country districts harvesting, due to a late Spring with low tem- character generally and seems to indicate the
the recent wave of price cutting on staple and perature keeping back growth and at one time trend of the times to stimulate the purchasing
seasonable goods has had its effect upon the greatly threatening the maturing of farm prod- public towards selecting the best because it
buying attitude of the public. There are still ucts, are responsible for an uncertainty among usually proves to be the cheapest. Sales show
some who apparently are holding off buying in purchasers which was quite noticeable two the effect of this line of advertising very plainly,
and the character of these sales proves that buy-
the hope of price reductions in musical instru- months ago in the piano trade.
Recent reports from agricultural sources in- ers are willing to pay the price if they get the
ments, as well as in other lines, but the great
majority display an inclination to make normal dicate normal or above normal production and quality.
purchases. The majority of buyers are very business during August reflected this very pleas-
careful in the selection of their instruments, and ing outlook.
Active Trade Expected
this has served to keep trade-marked lines of
The general public is buying more freely and
quality moving smoothly.
This Fall in Louisiana
selecting instruments of the better class upon
A certain element among piano and music which it is making liberal initial payments
The industrial conditions in Louisiana, and
merchants have become a little panicky and have and reasonable monthly instalments. Stocks in
shaved prices on certain lines, to their disadvan- retail stores indicate that the factories are as- particularly in New Orleans, are most satisfac-
tage if anything. Competitors have, of course, suming somewhat more nearly normal produc- tory in various lines. Manufacturing plants
been affected temporarily by this price shav- tion and it is now possible to find some piano are working to full capacity and in all cases the
ing, but it has not in any sense become general stores that are reasonably well filled with their future points to a continuance of this condition.
and is not expected to.
regular lines. This condition will naturally im- Labor conditions are much improved over what
they were three months ago. Many industrial
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enterprises are looking towards New Orleans
for sites, many of them have purchased prop-
erty and are going ahead with preparations to
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build, while others are deferring building, owing
Industrial conditions throughout Maryland ever, it will mean that piano and music mer- to the present high cost of construction; but,
are generally unsettled, principally as a result chants will find a more general inclination on on the whole, industrial conditions and pros-
of poor transportation and unsteady raw ma- the part of prospects to make their purchases pects are excellent.
terial markets. While the transportation situa- before the holiday time.
Louisiana's agricultural production is ex-
tion is improving, it is not expected that the
Stocks of the better grades of pianos are still pected to exceed that of last year by a wide
raw materials market will change to any great rather short, especially in player-pianos and margin, judging from present prospects. The
degree until after election.
small grands, although this condition is improv- only possibility of this being offset is a suc-
cession of daily rains recently, which have dam-
More than a normal crop of wheat has just ing slowly.
There has been much improvement in adver- aged cotton somewhat. The rice crop is esti-
been harvested, but is not being moved very
rapidly, owing to transportation troubles and tising and sales methods, and at least 90 per mated at 6,000,000 bushels over last year, and
unsatisfactory prices. Prospects for other Fall cent of the retail advertising at present is well the cane crop is expected to gain 1,000,000 short
crops are very good and some of them are al- beyond criticism. During the past month or two tons. A particularly pleasing feature is that
ready being sold at high prices, even before be- piano publicity has brought some exceedingly sweet potatoes and hay show a large increase.
The cotton crop will be nearly double that of
ing harvested. Three counties alone are ex- good results.
pected to have over 400,000 barrels of apples
About 50 per cent of the music houses are de- last year, provided the rains do not continue.
for the market.
manding good terms and pushing the better
The attitude of the public towards liberal buy-
The public is somewhat backward about buy- grades of instruments, while the balance are ing is most satisfactory, the public apparently
ing, and is apparently waiting for a drop in apparently following the line of least resistance being willing to meet the demands as far' as
prices as a result of the sales conducted by de- and pushing the cheaper instruments on a long prices and terms are concerned. There has
partment stores during the Spring. As the gen- term basis, though this condition will doubtless been no slowing down in sales during the Sum-
(Continued on page 13)
eral retail market becomes more steady, how- change with the coming of Fall.
siderable damage to grain crops it did not af-
fect the general run of vegetables, which will be
plentiful and are expected to bring high prices
this Fall.
The craze for special sales on the part of de-
partment stores and dealers in seasonable
articles during the Spring has resulted in a
checking in the buying tendency on the part of
the public, which for the past few months has
been waiting, apparently, for prices in all lines
to drop. There are indications, however, that
the effect of this price cutting is beginning to
wear off as clothing and other standard com-
modities are being offered for Fall at prices as
high as those asked in the Spring, or higher.
Throughout the Summer the average piano
and music dealer who has carried on a per-
sistent campaign has been rewarded with a
|
\olume of business equal to, or in excess of,
that handled last year.
The appetite for music is as strong or
stronger than ever, and it only remains for the
dealer to develop that appetite into sales. Stocks
throughout the trade are in excellent shape and
in some cases very heavy, for a great number
of retailers ordered to the limit in anticipation
of a shortage, transportation troubles, or higher
prices. It is not likely there will be any stock
shortage to be complained of during the Fall
at least.
At the present time advertising and sales
methods are kept at a high level, and the of-
fender against trade ethics is a rare bird. Short
terms are the rule and range from $10 to $20
a month on pianos and $15 to $25 a month on
players and grands.
Middle West Conditions Up to Average
I
1
Sound Finances Aid Ohio Music Dealers
Transportation Troubles in Maryland
THE BEST KNOWN
MUSICAL
NAME
IN THE WORLD.
ESTEYPIANO CO - P I A N O S %N£WYORR CITY
THE BEST PROFIT
PRODUCER FOR THE
DEALER IN THE TRADE?