Music Trade Review
Issue: 1927 Vol. 85 N. 10 - Page 5
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
SEPTEMBER 3, 1927
The Music Trade Review
united front is necessary. Every individual
who thinks and talks pianos is helping the
business, whether he gets the big sale or
whether it goes to someone else. Business to-
day runs to big production and big turnover
C. B. Amorous, Director of Sales of the Aeolian Co., New York, Sums Up His Im- and the piano trade is not so constituted, nor
can be so constituted, to develop impressive
pressions Regarding the Present Status of the Piano Industry
turnover on an individual basis. It is the
combined effort of the trade itself that will
t* T OYALTY to tradition appears to me to be tion is a still closer co-operation among make the impression, and it is promotion work
*^- / one of the outstanding characteristics of manufacturers to impress the dealer with the by united industry that will have the proper
the retail piano trade, and this, although it may importance of this service and to provide still effect commensurate with that of outside far-
hound a bit paradoxical, nevertheless proves greater facilities for training men to take tors.
both a handicap and an advantage to that sec- proper and intelligent care of the instruments
"At the present time the Frigidairc factory
tion of the industry which has to do with the that are at present in the homes and which
is
producing some 6,000 electrically operated
distribution of its products," said C. B. Amor- will find a place there later. If the dealer
ous, director of sales of the Aeolian Co., who can be impressed with the importance of refrigerators each working day, retailing at
recently returned from a trip to the Pacific proper servicing and can be given the facilities prices ranging in the neighborhood pi $200 up.
If $10 per unit is set aside for advertising it
Coast, in the course of which he met many
means
that $60,000 a day is available. If $5
Aeolian Co. representatives for the first time,
a unit is set aside for advertising it means
and took occasion to renew acquaintanceships
$30,000 a day is available for this purpose. If
with those who had visited New York for the
only one dollar, or less than one-half of 1 per
company's dealer convention in June.
cent of the retail selling price, is devoted to
"By sticking to tradition piano dealers have
publicity it means that $1,872,000 can be spent
kept their businesses on a high level for the
for publicity. Think what a burden this would
most part, so I found that a great majority of
be on only one piano manufacturer a year!
them enjoy high prestige in their respective
Combined, however, this sum would represent
communities and close contact with the elite
less than $10 per instrument on the 1926 pro-
from the ranks of which big unit buyers are
duction.
drawn. On the other hand, this same observance
"In my opinion another thing that serves to
of tradition has apparently been over-stressed
handicap
the dealer in the development of a
in many cases to a point where it has inter-
greater volume of sales, and in this connection
fered with the acceptance and adoption of new
1 am not going into the question of relative
merchandising ideas likely to increase volume
prices or high markup, is the great leniency
of turnover while at the same time to maintain
offered
in the matter of terms. A surprisingly
quality.
large
number
of representative dealers will
"It is in the matter of service that close re-
send
pianos
out
on a 10 per cent down pay-
gard for precedent and tradition appears to
ment and on a contract that runs thirty months
offer the greatest drawback, for a surprising
or more at 6 per cent interest. In fact, this
number of retailers still appear to regard serv-
is considered average. The movement to es-
ice to customers as an expense and liability to
tablish the carrying charge in the retail piano
be avoided wherever it is possible. Yet this
trade is gaining ground, and I find a steadily
same service represents the most direct avenue
increasing number of retailers have adopted
to increased sales. It is generally conceded in
C. B. Amorous
business to-day that the back door, so-called, to render such service, then it rests with him this form. But the carrying charge alone will
represents the avenue of greatest sales possi- not only to impress upon the customer the not answer the problem of keeping capital
bilities. Modern pianos, particularly of the re- necessity of keeping his instrument in proper liquid unless other factors are considered. In
producing type, have been improved steadily condition, but to see to it himself that the the first place, the carrying charge itself should
be sufficiently high to cover all financing
and are about as fool-proof as modern ingenuity necessary work is done.
can make them, but they have of necessity
"There are so many products of a mechanical charges where the dealer finds it necessary or
many delicate operating parts that are bound to .type that go into the modern home or are desirable to finance his paper. It should n©i
get out of adjustment, and there are yet to be used by the modern family which require ex- be presented to the customer as a carrying
found strings that will stay in tune indefinitely. pert attention at intervals that the public is charge, but should be included in the price of
This means that the question of servicing as- educated to the need for service, and the fact the instrument that is sold on terms. In short,
sumes general importance, to such an extent, that a legitimate charge for it is warranted. there should be a cash price and an instalment
in fact, that the retailer will find it to his in- If they have any other idea regarding the price, the latter including the carrying charge
terest to insist upon servicing his instruments modern piano or reproducing piano, whether for the balance above the first payment divided
instead of waiting for the customer to make it has to do with tuning or any other work, into equal monthly instalments.
"To make the system entirely successful it
demands for such service. An automobile that then the trade itself is at fault. The service
fails to run, or which, because of some me- department should be one of the most im- is desirable to secure a first payment that will
chanical deficiency, fails to pick up in traffic, portant in the store, not from the standpoint make the instrument worth-while collateral for
hesitates on a moderate hill, or rattles along of a dollars-and-cents income, but from the the loan, and an instalment contract is really
like a five-ton truck, is certainly not regarded fact that upon its proper functioning depends a loan to the customer. For complete protec-
as an advertisement for the manufacturer- of a host of future sales.
tion the first payment should represent
that particular car. The result is that service
"Co-operation among the trade generally one-third of the retail selling price, and cer-
stations are maintained for the specific purpose between manufacturers and dealers has become tainly not less than 25 per cent. Then the
of correcting these evils, at a cost to the owner increasingly important. The competition that customer has a sufficient equity in the instru-
that is moderate and yet sufficient to make exists at present is not between piano houses, ment to make him interested in keeping it,
the service self-supporting. On the same basis, but between the trade itself and scores of and if it should be repossessed it can still be
when a reproducing piano fails to function other industries, and it is only by a united resold at a moderate discount that will give
properly in any detail, it reflects upon the front that effective work can be carried on the dealer, or the finance company as the case
manufacturer who made it and the dealer who for keeping the piano properly before the pub- might be, a sufficient sum to cover the amount
sells it, and every instrument so neglected lic and increasing its prestige. We are all owed. A substantial first payment makes pos-
means increased sales resistance.
working to a common end—that of increasing sible a shorter contract and more substantial
(Continued on page 9)
"What is needed in the trade in my estima- piano demand and piano production, and a
Service, Better Terms and Co-operation
the Big Factors in Bettering Conditions
' ESTABLISHED 1862
UXUTEIL
NEWARK N. J.
ONE OF AMERICA'S FINE PIANOS
UPRIGHTS
GRANDS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA
SEPTEMBER 3, 1927
The Music Trade Review
united front is necessary. Every individual
who thinks and talks pianos is helping the
business, whether he gets the big sale or
whether it goes to someone else. Business to-
day runs to big production and big turnover
C. B. Amorous, Director of Sales of the Aeolian Co., New York, Sums Up His Im- and the piano trade is not so constituted, nor
can be so constituted, to develop impressive
pressions Regarding the Present Status of the Piano Industry
turnover on an individual basis. It is the
combined effort of the trade itself that will
t* T OYALTY to tradition appears to me to be tion is a still closer co-operation among make the impression, and it is promotion work
*^- / one of the outstanding characteristics of manufacturers to impress the dealer with the by united industry that will have the proper
the retail piano trade, and this, although it may importance of this service and to provide still effect commensurate with that of outside far-
hound a bit paradoxical, nevertheless proves greater facilities for training men to take tors.
both a handicap and an advantage to that sec- proper and intelligent care of the instruments
"At the present time the Frigidairc factory
tion of the industry which has to do with the that are at present in the homes and which
is
producing some 6,000 electrically operated
distribution of its products," said C. B. Amor- will find a place there later. If the dealer
ous, director of sales of the Aeolian Co., who can be impressed with the importance of refrigerators each working day, retailing at
recently returned from a trip to the Pacific proper servicing and can be given the facilities prices ranging in the neighborhood pi $200 up.
If $10 per unit is set aside for advertising it
Coast, in the course of which he met many
means
that $60,000 a day is available. If $5
Aeolian Co. representatives for the first time,
a unit is set aside for advertising it means
and took occasion to renew acquaintanceships
$30,000 a day is available for this purpose. If
with those who had visited New York for the
only one dollar, or less than one-half of 1 per
company's dealer convention in June.
cent of the retail selling price, is devoted to
"By sticking to tradition piano dealers have
publicity it means that $1,872,000 can be spent
kept their businesses on a high level for the
for publicity. Think what a burden this would
most part, so I found that a great majority of
be on only one piano manufacturer a year!
them enjoy high prestige in their respective
Combined, however, this sum would represent
communities and close contact with the elite
less than $10 per instrument on the 1926 pro-
from the ranks of which big unit buyers are
duction.
drawn. On the other hand, this same observance
"In my opinion another thing that serves to
of tradition has apparently been over-stressed
handicap
the dealer in the development of a
in many cases to a point where it has inter-
greater volume of sales, and in this connection
fered with the acceptance and adoption of new
1 am not going into the question of relative
merchandising ideas likely to increase volume
prices or high markup, is the great leniency
of turnover while at the same time to maintain
offered
in the matter of terms. A surprisingly
quality.
large
number
of representative dealers will
"It is in the matter of service that close re-
send
pianos
out
on a 10 per cent down pay-
gard for precedent and tradition appears to
ment and on a contract that runs thirty months
offer the greatest drawback, for a surprising
or more at 6 per cent interest. In fact, this
number of retailers still appear to regard serv-
is considered average. The movement to es-
ice to customers as an expense and liability to
tablish the carrying charge in the retail piano
be avoided wherever it is possible. Yet this
trade is gaining ground, and I find a steadily
same service represents the most direct avenue
increasing number of retailers have adopted
to increased sales. It is generally conceded in
C. B. Amorous
business to-day that the back door, so-called, to render such service, then it rests with him this form. But the carrying charge alone will
represents the avenue of greatest sales possi- not only to impress upon the customer the not answer the problem of keeping capital
bilities. Modern pianos, particularly of the re- necessity of keeping his instrument in proper liquid unless other factors are considered. In
producing type, have been improved steadily condition, but to see to it himself that the the first place, the carrying charge itself should
be sufficiently high to cover all financing
and are about as fool-proof as modern ingenuity necessary work is done.
can make them, but they have of necessity
"There are so many products of a mechanical charges where the dealer finds it necessary or
many delicate operating parts that are bound to .type that go into the modern home or are desirable to finance his paper. It should n©i
get out of adjustment, and there are yet to be used by the modern family which require ex- be presented to the customer as a carrying
found strings that will stay in tune indefinitely. pert attention at intervals that the public is charge, but should be included in the price of
This means that the question of servicing as- educated to the need for service, and the fact the instrument that is sold on terms. In short,
sumes general importance, to such an extent, that a legitimate charge for it is warranted. there should be a cash price and an instalment
in fact, that the retailer will find it to his in- If they have any other idea regarding the price, the latter including the carrying charge
terest to insist upon servicing his instruments modern piano or reproducing piano, whether for the balance above the first payment divided
instead of waiting for the customer to make it has to do with tuning or any other work, into equal monthly instalments.
"To make the system entirely successful it
demands for such service. An automobile that then the trade itself is at fault. The service
fails to run, or which, because of some me- department should be one of the most im- is desirable to secure a first payment that will
chanical deficiency, fails to pick up in traffic, portant in the store, not from the standpoint make the instrument worth-while collateral for
hesitates on a moderate hill, or rattles along of a dollars-and-cents income, but from the the loan, and an instalment contract is really
like a five-ton truck, is certainly not regarded fact that upon its proper functioning depends a loan to the customer. For complete protec-
as an advertisement for the manufacturer- of a host of future sales.
tion the first payment should represent
that particular car. The result is that service
"Co-operation among the trade generally one-third of the retail selling price, and cer-
stations are maintained for the specific purpose between manufacturers and dealers has become tainly not less than 25 per cent. Then the
of correcting these evils, at a cost to the owner increasingly important. The competition that customer has a sufficient equity in the instru-
that is moderate and yet sufficient to make exists at present is not between piano houses, ment to make him interested in keeping it,
the service self-supporting. On the same basis, but between the trade itself and scores of and if it should be repossessed it can still be
when a reproducing piano fails to function other industries, and it is only by a united resold at a moderate discount that will give
properly in any detail, it reflects upon the front that effective work can be carried on the dealer, or the finance company as the case
manufacturer who made it and the dealer who for keeping the piano properly before the pub- might be, a sufficient sum to cover the amount
sells it, and every instrument so neglected lic and increasing its prestige. We are all owed. A substantial first payment makes pos-
means increased sales resistance.
working to a common end—that of increasing sible a shorter contract and more substantial
(Continued on page 9)
"What is needed in the trade in my estima- piano demand and piano production, and a
Service, Better Terms and Co-operation
the Big Factors in Bettering Conditions
' ESTABLISHED 1862
UXUTEIL
NEWARK N. J.
ONE OF AMERICA'S FINE PIANOS
UPRIGHTS
GRANDS
THE LAUTER-HUMANA
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