Radio today (Apr-Dec 1939)

SiliikaRadia Uk Practical pointers on pushing up unit sales, from the experience of H. L. M. Capron, former Wanamaker and Macy store executive, now merchandising editor of Radio Today. With radio prices seeking new low levels, with margins shrinking, and the "cost of doing business" standing still, or increasing, we've got to "sell up" or "close up." So much of the actual expense of small dealers is fixed in dollars, that as the unit price of radio goes down, the "expense per cent of sales" will go up fast, if the number of units sold is not greatly increased. The $9.95 and $6.95 radio does have a place in our trade by popular demand. But we have got to sell up from these units, in e_very way we can, to prevent them from becoming the first, or even the second, radio in the home, and thus reducing the radio business to an over-the-counter package business. These sets will go into the hands of countless children, and in many bedrooms, where there would otherwise be no radio, and as such, represent an expanded market which we can use to advantage, as plus business. SHOW COSTLIER SETS In the store, compacts selling for under $20, should be displayed side by side with those priced from $15 to $35, that is— show $6.95 and $9.95 with $12 and $15 sets— $15 and $20 with $25 to $35 sets — so that no customer can even see the low-priced job without also seeing the better In demonstrating these low-priced sets, make sure the customer hears the higher priced ones also. Refer to these little sets as "cute," and "not bad at all, considering their price." Bring home to every purchaser that they are little radio in more ways than one, and more people will buy a better radio. A "wireless" record player is a good unit to build up any sale with, except a combination of course, and can be sold with a surprising number of compacts. Keep the microphone connected, let the customer hear her own voice through a radio, and you have made the sale much easier, for the customer can see lots of uses for such a versatile unit. GROUP DISPLAYS Display compacts and consoles in groups of one low, two medium, and one higher priced units, so that every customer must see the higher priced units, and every higher priced console purchaser is exposed to a compact as a second set. Keep your lowest priced compacts displayed in the rear of the store, so that every prospect for these sets is exposed to your selling displays of better sets. Show your better radio first, and work down if you have to, because when you have sold a low priced unit it will be much harder to go up than Distinctive sets colored and initialled to order General Electric's jobber in Oklahoma City found out that customers liked personalized sets. Pictured are some of the sets that were decorated. Women Want Something Different . . . and Here it is "Most small radios are purchased by women," says Harley R. Wall — Spartan sales manager, "and to satisfy their desire for distinctive, exclusive, better things, of which they can be proud — we offer Limited Editions, a distinctive radio with a new merchandising appeal." Limited Editions offer these merchandising advantages: 1 . Cabinetry of rare and exotic woods — styled to appeal strongly to the woman of discriminating taste. 2. Tiny Limited Editions booklet 1 H" x 2" attached to each cabinet by a silken cord, giving the story of the radio — and the country of origin of the cabinet woods, to appeal to woman's pride of possession. 3. Production definitely limited — to appeal to woman's desire for exclusiveness — in "keeping ahead of the Joneses." 4. Carefully engineered for better performance. 5. Simple — dignified — appealing display stand — to focus attention on these distinctive little radios. These points offer means for the smart radio merchant to "sell up" from price appeal alone. to come down when a customer can't afford, or doesn't want the higher priced unit you want to sell. Learn all the advantages of appearance, quality, performance, tone, service, of your better sets, and appeal to pride of possession on these points of superiority in selling up from the lowest priced sets. "PORTABLE DAYS" COMING Particularly, during the summer months, show a battery portable to every prospect, for the picnic, for the vacation, for the beach, or mountain week-end. Point out the many places where this set can bring music, news and other favorite programs where there is no current to operate the other compacts. Play up the return of the battery operated portable by popular demand to meet these many uses where no other radio will operate, and many a prospect will be converted (Continued on page 55) 14 RADIO TODAY