Music Trade Review

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MAY
THE
10, 1924
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
Making a Prof itable Radio Department
First of a Series of Articles Dealing With the Merchandising Problems Confronting the Music Merchant in
Handling This Latest Acquisition to His Line on a Profitable Basis—The Problems of
Stocking and of Buying to Meet the Present Trend of Demand
T
O the dealer intending to install a radio
department in conjunction with his music
department, the situation offers some
very perplexing problems. It is probable that
he understands nothing whatever about the field
into which he is going, and for that reason is
a little bit puzzled. Radio merchandising is
entirely different from the music field in many
aspects. It is so new and has changed so
rapidly and often in the past two or three years
that no set method of either stocking or selling
has been formulated.
In the music field there are well established
houses that have definite followings, and the
dealer may make a safe choice of his merchan-
dise from the catalogs offered by the manu-
facturer and distributor. The radio field, due
to many changes, has not become sufficiently
stabilized to issue any standard catalogs. It
is therefore necessary for the music merchant
to make his choice, at least partly, from a mat-
ter of his own personal opinion and that of the
immediate public.
The dealer's first problem is to obtain a line
of goods, which, due to public appeal and
approval, will allow him to create prestige.
Needless to say, there is plenty of merchandise
to pick from. The question is, with fourteen
or fifteen manufacturers making and selling the
same type of receivers, which should the dealer
carry to assure himself of a rapid turnover?
Then there is also the question of the acces-
sories which go with the receivers. A musical
instrument is a musical instrument and is sold
as one unit, but a radio set also has tubes, bat-
teries, phones, loud speakers and plugs, which
must also be purchased.
Advertised Lines
It goes without saying that the most pop-
ular and well-known receivers are those most
widely advertised. This class includes both
the expensive and the lower-priced goods,
both of which the dealer has to carry. The mer-
chant should first survey his clientele by i
careful analysis of his past musical instrument
sales and determine whether he will carry the
expensive or cheaper line of merchandise.
While it does not pay to carry real cheap radio
apparatus, the latter expression is used to
cover the line of goods which, while of a good
quality, is manufactured with the idea of keep-
ing the actual purchase price of the complete
instrument within the means of the average
person.
After the dealer makes the survey to deter-
mine the quality of goods he will stock, his
next problem is to get acquainted with the mer-
chandise. As there are no catalogs available,
he will have to depend mostly on the leaflets
that the manufacturer has prepared and his own
personal inspection of the goods as well. Hear
them work, talk the various sets over with some
man who has a good understanding of their
value and then let your own judgment tell you
which you think would be the most feasible to
stock.
As there is at the present time a craze for
the neutrodyne and super-heterodyne type of
receivers, it would be best to look the entire
line over and then make a good selection of
three or four models of them. The neutrodyne
is being manufactured in quantities by several
large manufacturers. As it varies in price some-
what, take into consideration the prices you
will have to quote on the complete receivers.
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Let it be understood, however, that quality in
the receiver has a lot to do with the actual
sale and therefore do not disregard the better
grade machines.
The Accessories
Next in line comes the accessories that will
be needed when selling the complete receiver.
The choice of goods offered in this field is very
wide and probably will present the most puz-
zling aspect to the dealer. The first item of
importance is the tubes, as a receiver is no
good without tubes. At this writing there are
three corporations licensed to manufacture
tubes in the United States and they are all of
high standing. It is a matter of personal choice
which the dealer carries. Do not under any
consideration carry any of the unlicensed or
bootleg tubes.
Batteries are next in importance in the line
and consist of two classes, namely the A or
filament battery, and the B or high potential
battery. In the filament battery field the dealer
should confine himself to one line which is na-
tionally advertised and is held in high respect
in the field. Choose a well-made lead plate
storage battery with a rating known as 6 volt
100 ampere hour. For each set that he pur-
chases which calls for storage batteries for its
operation, the dealer should buy a storage bat-
tery. Remember that the prospective purchaser
will not let a dollar or two stand in the way
of a purchase if it is emphasized that a good
battery will stand up longer and in the long
run will save money, whereas a cheap battery is
a constant source of annoyance and trouble.
In the matter of dry cells there are two types
that the dealer will carry. One is the standard
No. 6 \y 2 volt cell for use with the dry cell
tube sets and the other is the high voltage B
battery. As in the former case, the best is none
too good. Care should be taken, however, that
too large a stock of these are not carried. They
deteriorate in standing, for after a battery has
stood on the shelf for three or four months
it is of little further use. Just enough should
be purchased to meet the current needs. There
is also the angle that people who have sets in
the neighborhood will call for batteries every
so often, so it is not likely that the wise dealer
will have much trouble from deterioration, but
it is mentioned to show that these batteries do
not last forever when standing.
Loud Speakers
The loud speakers are the next item of im-
portance. Here the dealer has a really wide
field to choose from. There are speakers of
every price and quality and there is a class of
enthusiasts for almost every one. Do not make
the mistake of carrying too large an assortment,
however. Let the following govern your choice.
Some buyers let the price of the loud speaker
play a big part in their purchases, so carry a
small line of the cheaper ones. Others want
speakers known for their faithful reproduction,
so hear a number of them and let that factor
govern the ones you purchase for clarity and
tonal value. Then there is the fan who wants
volume and plenty of it. In that respect choose
the speakers which will satisfy him. In that
way it will be fairly easy to choose the speakers
which you will eventually sell to the customer.
The dealer should also carry a small stock
of phones of a standard and well-known brand.
He will find out that they can often be sold
to a purchaser by stressing the fact that they
K ri B
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allow them to listen-in without disturbing other
people in the home. Confine yourself to a good
medium-priced article which is known through-
out the radio world as a standard.
Such matters as plugs, wire, insulators, light-
ning arrestors are of no particular moment.
They are all pretty much alike and with the
exception of handling a good plug, the rest of
the material can be purchased at the discretion
of the dealer with regard to price.
When the line is installed, bear in mind that
the public, and especially the radio public, just
dote on "window shopping." An attractively
and artistically fixed window will draw the cus-
tomers into your store. If lighting effects are
feasible, by all means use them, but never lose
sight of the fact that the radio fan is not par-
ticular about the art of the window if he can
be attracted by a good-looking set. Change the
display often and use small placards in the win-
dow telling the onlookers about your goods.
Never be afraid to advertise your radio depart-
ment through your windows.
Along the same line, take advantage of the
newspaper publicity campaigns that are being
carried on. There is no industry in the world
at the present time that ever has gotten the
publicity the radio industry has. You can use
this very effectively.
Wissner to Erect An
Addition to Warerooms
Six-story Structure to Be Erected on Flatbush
Avenue—Another Building for Offices on
Atlantic Avenue
Two new structures are to be erected in the
center of Brooklyn, N. Y., by the Otto Wissner
Piano Co., according to an announcement just
made public by Otto Wissner, president of that
concern. The warerooms of the Wissner con-
cern at 55 Flatbush avenue will be enlarged by
the building of a six-story and basement struc-
ture, adjoining the present one. The new build-
ing will have a frontage of twenty-one and a
half feet on Flatbush avenue, with a depth of
eighty-five feet, running through to Rockwell
place, with the same frontage on that street.
The addition will be equipped with the most
modern improvements, including speedy electric
elevators, compressed air tube s'ystems and the
like.
The other structure will be situated near the
Atlantic avenue station of the Long Island Rail-
road and will be utilized as a business office
for the Wissner house. Three or four old build-
ings will be razed to make way for the new
office building and operations are expected to
start in the near future,
Visitors to Hardman House
Visitors at the executive offices of Hardman,
Peck & Co., New York, included E. Thurston
Damon, of Plymouth, Mass., and E. H. Ben-
nett, of the Bennett Piano Co., Wilkes-Barre,
Pa., both Hardman representatives of long
standing.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.
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