Radio broadcast .. (1922-30)

.RADIO BROADCAST. to show that even though dealers cut their purchases tremen- dously, their inventories increased over the preceding three months (January, February, and March, 1929). One con- clusion from this fact is that the seasonal decline in set sales for April, May, and June of 1929 was more pronounced than usual. Sales of sets during this so-called " bad " season were almost a quarter of a million less than the previous months (January, February, and March, 1929) and about 600,000 less than the last three months of 1928. The latter period, however, ac- counted for a total sale of 1,177, 916 radio receivers. Dealers showed a bearish attitude toward new purchases during the quarter ending on January 1, 1929. Evidence indi- cates that dealers are more closely regulating their comit- ments. In the months of April, May, and June, of 1929, for example, sales dropped 40 per cent, under the preceding three months, dealers purchases receded 45 per cent., and, as already pointed out, the dealers sold 98 per cent, of their purchases. This indicates, probably, that dealers in general were doing everything in their power to improve their inventory status. The data for the entire radio year suggests some interesting conclusions. First, sales were higher than ever before. Secondly, dealers have become more cautious in their purchases of sets. Thirdly, inventories progressively increased from January, 1929, to June, 1929. It must be pointed out, however, that while small inventories are temporarily fortunate, they do not press the dealer to get out and sweat for new sales as he would be forced to do if his inventory were larger. If the dealer is doing his level best to sell the merchan- dise he now has, however, it may be fair to conclude that the present condition is for the moment healthy —for the dealer. We cannot es- cape the impor- tant fact that dealers must no longer be behind- the-counter ex- perts alone and that the dealer who waits for trade to come into his store may wait too long. The manufacturer-jobber-dealer combination must work in closer harmony than ever before if the sales record of three million receivers per year is to be equaled or excelled. Manufacturers must consider their responsibility to the dealer greater than is required to create merely public demand by national advertising. They must map out and furnish to the dealer increasingly effective merchandising assistance. The jobber must share in this new responsibility, too. As for the dealer—he must soberly reflect upon his sales methods of the past year, and make a conscious effort to make them more effective than before if he is to better his previous record. The data in this article were compiled from the quarterly surveys conducted by the Electrical Equipment Division, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, in cooperation with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. With the report for the last quarter (which ended on July 1, 1929) summaries of dealers' sales, inventories, and indicated pur- chases became possible for the first time in the history of radio sales. RELATIVE TREND OF SALES TO PURCHASES BY QUARTERS 1 PURCHASES BY DEALERS SALES BY DEALERS JULY-SEPT. OCT.-DEC. 1926 1928 RELATIVE TREND OF STOCK IN HANDS OF DEALERS BY QUARTERS JULY-SEPT. OCT.-DEC. JANr-MAR. APRrJUNE JULY-AUG. OCT.-DEC. JANrMAR. APRrJUNE 1927 1927 1928 1928 1928 1928 1929 1929 • NOVEMBER 1929 • 15