Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
JUNE 13,
THE
1925
MUSIC TRADE
97
REVIEW
Convention of the National Association of Sheet Music Dealers
because he thinks he can make an extra profit.
When he finds out the real truth he is disap-
pointed and will show very little appreciation
of the publisher's accommodation.
Then suppose the publisher has trouble col-
lecting his account from the teacher. This
will happen in many cases and not only will it
be expensive to the publisher but there will be
undoubtedly many losses. This is no reflection
on the teachers but there are just as many poor
accounts in their profession as in any other one.
The publisher's expense of bookkeeping is no
small item either, as there is an endless amount
of small details to record in these transactions.
Of course in large conservatories their accounts
may be large enough to pay as some of them
will order as much music as a small dealer,
but, taking an average, I would say that it paid
to deal directly with legitimate dealers. There
would be many more small teachers than small
dealers so that would overbalance the few large
teachers and conservatories. And I believe as
a whole the dealers are a much better risk
than an equal number of teachers.
After all the publishers are in the business to
make money and I believe it can be done much
easier and better by dealing through the regu-
lar channels. The popular music publishers
have found this out and I believe it is only a
matter of a short period b'efore the publishers
of teaching music will come to the same con-
clusion. This in brief would be my reasons for
publishers dealing directly with legitimate deal-
ers and discontinuing the sending of on-sale
music to teachers and only the largest con-
servatories.
Do Sheet Music Dealers Know Whether
or Not Sheet Music Pays a Real Profit?
Emil A. Gunther
TTNDER the heading "Business Methods"
three questions have been propounded for
discussion at this convention.
The first of these questions, "do dealers know
whether their sheet music business is profitable
or unprofitable," can, under the new selling
price which has been in existence for a year
now, be answered in the affirmative, if the
dealer adheres to the marked selling price. The
average discount the publishers allow on sheet
music and books is 40 to 50 per cent, which
enables the retailer almost to double his money
on his investment. How much more favorable
this arrangement is in comparison with the pre-
war discounts of one-half and twenty, when
music was sold at one-half or one-third off,
leaving the dealer an average profit of 5 cents
per copy!
The second question is, "should music be
merely an adjunct to a general music store
to serve as a feeder for piano or instrument
sales?" This condition existed under the old
discount rate when the sheet music department
was pushed in the rear of a piano store and
used as an accommodation for the teacher, who
wanted something in a hurry, and the help em-
ployed by such concerns consisted of the very
cheapest and most inefficient.
The third question, "should the dealer who
desires a profit on music be protected from the
dealer who does not," can also be answered
by saying that any dealer, who is serious in
his attempt to establish a legitimate music
store, should receive all the protection due him
from the publisher. It is, indeed, a sad state
of affairs that so many little cigar stores, news-
paper stands, etc., purchase music for their
customers in their neighborhood and, while
they are not music dealers in the true sense
of the word, receive the same rates of discount
from the publishers as the legitimate dealer who
makes the music business his specialty and his
life's vocation.
To find a general answer for these three
questions, let us say in substance that any busi-
ness, no matter what product a man sells, can
be made profitable if it is handled right and the
merchandise purchased at a price which will
cover not only the daily overhead, but also
leave a margin of profit.
The greatest outstanding difficulty in the mu-
sic business is the lack of understanding be-
tween retailer and publisher. There does not
seem to be a true co-operation between the
two. The publisher whose aim is to build up
his catalog, consisting of copyrights principally,
has also experienced a great deal of difficulty
in interesting the retailer in the sale of such
copyrights. So the publisher was compelled to
solicit business direct throughout the country,
thereby invading territories which justly be-
longed to the dealer in such territory.
In order to remedy this condition, would it
not be well for the dealer, in consideration of
the better discount he receives on copyrights
to-day, to take a livelier interest in the sale oi
new copyrights, which will also in the long run
put the music business on a more solid founda-
tion? It has always been the hue and cry of
the dealer that the reprints were his bread and
butter, which under the old discount rate was
quite true. But since things have changed, the
dealer should go to work and instruct his sales
force to show the new copyrights.
A proposition of this kind will change con-
ditions materially. The teacher will realize that
the dealer in his territory has on hand novelties
which interest him and it will prevent him, the
teacher, from writing direct to the publisher.
The dealer thereby will greatly increase his
business and the sheet music department will
not be considered an adjunct to a general music
store.
Clayton F. Summy
I N a house like ours whose sole business is
with sheet music and music books, we have
to know whether our business is profitable or
unprofitable. We have to do our business along
methods that make it profitable or we could
not exist. If the sheet music business is
handled merely as an adjunct to general music
stores, and to serve as a feeder for piano or
musical instrument sales, the sheet music de-
partment of such store would very likely be
subject to abusive and unprofitable methods.
My feeling is that any such use of the music
department would be a mistake, and I believe
that the business that would make any such
practices of the music department would be do-
ing not only an injustice to other stores, but
to themselves. Perhaps more so to themselves
than anyone else. Nothing good can ever come
from the practice of a wrong. I think that the
carrying on of any business in a legitimate way
should always receive protection against any
one who resorts to practices that would under-
mine such a business.
Maurice Richmond
A LL too many dealers fail to keep actual rec-
ords of the profits and losses in their sheet
music department. The larger houses, who are
well organized and systematized, no doubt keep
figures of their purchases and sales and know
exactly "what's what." In too many instances
the smaller dealer combines his sheet music
sales with his other merchandise with little or
Summer Specials for Live Dealers
"Bygones" "On the Oregon Trail" "Thai's My Girl" "Twilight"
The Waltz
Hit of the
year. A
great song.
An old-fashioned ballad with a great
Melody and Lyric.
The snappiest Fox-trot
yet. Played and Sung
Everywhere.
The new Foxtrot
hit out on all
Records and
Rolls.
And don't forget that this year is going to be a big year for Ukuleles and Steel Guitars. All the youngsters will want
methods. How is your stock of the famous "Bailey Ukulele Method" (nearly two million sold) and "The Peterson Steel
Guitar Method" (The daddy of them all).
i
All published by
Sherman jSlay & Co.
San Francisco