Music Trade Review
Issue: 1922 Vol. 74 N. 11 - Page 49
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE
MARCH 18, 1922
49
REVIEW
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
PRICE-CUTTING IN MEMPHIS TEACHES NEEDED LESSON
SONGS THAT SELL
Syndicate Store Discontinues Its Sheet Music Department Following Price-cutting Campaign in
Which Everyone Loses—Legitimate Dealer Need Not Fear Price-cutter
The outcome of the recent sheet music cut-
price war in Memphis, Tenn., has resulted in
the Piggly Wiggly Corp. store of that city dis-
continuing its sheet music department. A review
of the fight in question and the result thereof is
of particular interest and importance to every
legitimate sheet music dealer and for that matter
the syndicate music stores as well.
The Piggly Wiggly Corp. opened up a store
in the city in question with the price of all its
merchandise of the standard 25-cent variety
marked clown to 23 cents, including sheet music.
Immediately the W. T. Grant, the J. G. McCrory
and the S. H. Kress stores, located in the same
city, also cut prices on their goods, including
music, and the McCrory store even went as low
as 15 cents retail on sheet music.
As a result the Piggly Wiggly Corp. store in
Memphis discontinued its sheet music depart-
ment Rtid the corporation will shortly make an
announcement regarding its music department
in other cities. Naturally, the other syndicates
involved have returned to normal prices.
Here, then, is absolute proof of what price-
cutting does to any business. It makes it un-
profitable and over a long period often means
bankruptcy. Furthermore, little or no increase
in sales is made.
Seemingly the only thing for a legitimate
sheet music dealer to do in case his territory is
invaded by price-cutters is to stand firm, for in
no long space of time the price-cutter will return
to standard retail prices or will eliminate him-
self from business. Certainly any continued re-
ductions must eliminate somebody.
At the annual convention of the National
Association of Sheet Music Dealers held in
Chicago last June just such a situation as out-
lined above came up for discussion. The past
history of price-cutting wars was outlined by
some dealers who had lived through such situa-
tions and the consensus of opinion was that there
were two means of meeting this evil. One was
to ignore the situation and continue business
along legitimate lines at a fair profit. The other
method, where the dealer was financially able
to stand the expense of a price-cutting war, was
MO-NA-LU
BELWIN'S LATEST
to give battle along price-cutting lines until the
opponent was "fed up" on the idea.
Of the two the former is the most healthy
method, as business will continue at about nor-
mal, profits on goods sold are assured and the
price-cutter will not continue his activities in-
definitely.
The real lesson in the case of the Memphis
price-cutting war and all other under-selling
activities is that these tactics do not pay and that
the legitimate sheet music dealer who continues
to carry on his sales along the lines of good
business practice will not suffer in the long run.
The methods pursued by the Piggly Wiggly
Corp. store at Memphis and by another syndi-
cate which has reduced its retail price on sheet
music in many cities to 20 cents a copy are not
the result of mature deliberation as to the per-
manent value of under-selling competitors on
standard goods. The syndicates in question seem
to forget that after all sheet music proves an
attraction and a sales creator for their stores.
If their profits on sheet music were somewhat
smaller than those of their other departments
they could still afford to handle sheet music for
its advertising value, because sheet music is a
magnet that attracts people into the store, often
holding them for a longer period than is their
wont. Particularly is this true when it is con
sidcred that the sheet music department is often
placed in the basement, in the rear of the main
floor, or on the mezzanine floor, thus requiring
the purchaser of music to make practically an
entire tour of the various departments.
The Memphis situation proves that price-cut-
ting is dangerous to the success of the sheet
music business, and further demonstrates that
the legitimate dealer need not fear the temporary
influence of the price-cutter.
...
Successor to 'TICKY HOME
Granny
You're My Mammy's Mammy
Tuck Me to Sleep In My Old
Tucky Home
Just a Little Love Song
Poor Little Me
Lonesome Hours
I Wonder Where He Went
And When He's Coming Back Blues
You Can Have [very Light On Broadway
—
(Give Me One Little Light at Home)
Bow Wow Blues
— Birds of a Feather
Universal Dance Folio No. 2
Everybody Step
From the Musio Box Revue
They Call It Dancing
From the Musio Box Revue
The Greatest Song Success
Ever Written
Say It With Music
From the Music Box Revue
FEATURING NEW FOX=TROTS
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
Triangle Co. Conducting Campaign on "Thrills"
and "Carolina Blues"
1607 Broadway,
The Triangle Music Pub. Co., following the
opening of its branch office in Chicago, has
inaugurated an exploitation campaign on the
fox-trot songs, "Thrills" and "Carolina Blues."
During the week commencing March 25 the
dealers in the territory around Chicago will
co-operate in successfully putting over a "Tri-
angle Week." Five hundred one-sheet posters
will decorate the " L " stations of Chicago.
MR. DEALER! These Numbers Are Advertised
LONESOME MAMA BLUES
By the Composer who wrote "Dangerous Blues."
The feature song of the biggest Blues and Jazz
singers, and the orchestra favorite Fox Trot.
New York
NEW FISHER NUMBER
Among the songs in the new Eddie Cantor
show is one from the catalog of Fred Fisher,
Inc., entitled, "I Am Hungry for Beautiful Girls,
But They Are Too Darn Hungry for Me." The
number was written by Fred Fisher, Billy Rose
and William Held.
From Coast to Coast
SUPPOSE THE ROSE WERE YOU
By Lucien Denni. He wrote "Starlight Love."
Kitty Gordon's knock-out Hit.
Hundreds of other acts using it.
Make Your Profit—Have Them in Stock!
OTHER BIG SELLERS
12TH STREET RAG-Song
DANGEROUS BLUES
12TH STREET RAG—Instrumental
MANILA MEMORIES
KISS ME DEAR
J. W. JENKINS' SONS MUSIC CO.
Kansas City, Mo.
THE MUSIC TRADE
MARCH 18, 1922
49
REVIEW
CONDUCTED BY V. D. WALSH
PRICE-CUTTING IN MEMPHIS TEACHES NEEDED LESSON
SONGS THAT SELL
Syndicate Store Discontinues Its Sheet Music Department Following Price-cutting Campaign in
Which Everyone Loses—Legitimate Dealer Need Not Fear Price-cutter
The outcome of the recent sheet music cut-
price war in Memphis, Tenn., has resulted in
the Piggly Wiggly Corp. store of that city dis-
continuing its sheet music department. A review
of the fight in question and the result thereof is
of particular interest and importance to every
legitimate sheet music dealer and for that matter
the syndicate music stores as well.
The Piggly Wiggly Corp. opened up a store
in the city in question with the price of all its
merchandise of the standard 25-cent variety
marked clown to 23 cents, including sheet music.
Immediately the W. T. Grant, the J. G. McCrory
and the S. H. Kress stores, located in the same
city, also cut prices on their goods, including
music, and the McCrory store even went as low
as 15 cents retail on sheet music.
As a result the Piggly Wiggly Corp. store in
Memphis discontinued its sheet music depart-
ment Rtid the corporation will shortly make an
announcement regarding its music department
in other cities. Naturally, the other syndicates
involved have returned to normal prices.
Here, then, is absolute proof of what price-
cutting does to any business. It makes it un-
profitable and over a long period often means
bankruptcy. Furthermore, little or no increase
in sales is made.
Seemingly the only thing for a legitimate
sheet music dealer to do in case his territory is
invaded by price-cutters is to stand firm, for in
no long space of time the price-cutter will return
to standard retail prices or will eliminate him-
self from business. Certainly any continued re-
ductions must eliminate somebody.
At the annual convention of the National
Association of Sheet Music Dealers held in
Chicago last June just such a situation as out-
lined above came up for discussion. The past
history of price-cutting wars was outlined by
some dealers who had lived through such situa-
tions and the consensus of opinion was that there
were two means of meeting this evil. One was
to ignore the situation and continue business
along legitimate lines at a fair profit. The other
method, where the dealer was financially able
to stand the expense of a price-cutting war, was
MO-NA-LU
BELWIN'S LATEST
to give battle along price-cutting lines until the
opponent was "fed up" on the idea.
Of the two the former is the most healthy
method, as business will continue at about nor-
mal, profits on goods sold are assured and the
price-cutter will not continue his activities in-
definitely.
The real lesson in the case of the Memphis
price-cutting war and all other under-selling
activities is that these tactics do not pay and that
the legitimate sheet music dealer who continues
to carry on his sales along the lines of good
business practice will not suffer in the long run.
The methods pursued by the Piggly Wiggly
Corp. store at Memphis and by another syndi-
cate which has reduced its retail price on sheet
music in many cities to 20 cents a copy are not
the result of mature deliberation as to the per-
manent value of under-selling competitors on
standard goods. The syndicates in question seem
to forget that after all sheet music proves an
attraction and a sales creator for their stores.
If their profits on sheet music were somewhat
smaller than those of their other departments
they could still afford to handle sheet music for
its advertising value, because sheet music is a
magnet that attracts people into the store, often
holding them for a longer period than is their
wont. Particularly is this true when it is con
sidcred that the sheet music department is often
placed in the basement, in the rear of the main
floor, or on the mezzanine floor, thus requiring
the purchaser of music to make practically an
entire tour of the various departments.
The Memphis situation proves that price-cut-
ting is dangerous to the success of the sheet
music business, and further demonstrates that
the legitimate dealer need not fear the temporary
influence of the price-cutter.
...
Successor to 'TICKY HOME
Granny
You're My Mammy's Mammy
Tuck Me to Sleep In My Old
Tucky Home
Just a Little Love Song
Poor Little Me
Lonesome Hours
I Wonder Where He Went
And When He's Coming Back Blues
You Can Have [very Light On Broadway
—
(Give Me One Little Light at Home)
Bow Wow Blues
— Birds of a Feather
Universal Dance Folio No. 2
Everybody Step
From the Musio Box Revue
They Call It Dancing
From the Musio Box Revue
The Greatest Song Success
Ever Written
Say It With Music
From the Music Box Revue
FEATURING NEW FOX=TROTS
IRVING BERLIN, Inc.
Triangle Co. Conducting Campaign on "Thrills"
and "Carolina Blues"
1607 Broadway,
The Triangle Music Pub. Co., following the
opening of its branch office in Chicago, has
inaugurated an exploitation campaign on the
fox-trot songs, "Thrills" and "Carolina Blues."
During the week commencing March 25 the
dealers in the territory around Chicago will
co-operate in successfully putting over a "Tri-
angle Week." Five hundred one-sheet posters
will decorate the " L " stations of Chicago.
MR. DEALER! These Numbers Are Advertised
LONESOME MAMA BLUES
By the Composer who wrote "Dangerous Blues."
The feature song of the biggest Blues and Jazz
singers, and the orchestra favorite Fox Trot.
New York
NEW FISHER NUMBER
Among the songs in the new Eddie Cantor
show is one from the catalog of Fred Fisher,
Inc., entitled, "I Am Hungry for Beautiful Girls,
But They Are Too Darn Hungry for Me." The
number was written by Fred Fisher, Billy Rose
and William Held.
From Coast to Coast
SUPPOSE THE ROSE WERE YOU
By Lucien Denni. He wrote "Starlight Love."
Kitty Gordon's knock-out Hit.
Hundreds of other acts using it.
Make Your Profit—Have Them in Stock!
OTHER BIG SELLERS
12TH STREET RAG-Song
DANGEROUS BLUES
12TH STREET RAG—Instrumental
MANILA MEMORIES
KISS ME DEAR
J. W. JENKINS' SONS MUSIC CO.
Kansas City, Mo.
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