The Edison phonograph monthly (Jan-Dec 1908)

Edison Phonograph Monthly, Jan., 1908 Keep Up Stocks We do not want to imitate the hosts of advice givers and tell the Phonograph trade that the way to help restore business confidence is to buy more goods than ever, for we cannot overlook the cruel fact that they will have to be paid for, something that many moralists don't seem to take into consideration. At the same time, there is always a danger in times like these that Jobbers and Dealers will let their stocks run down too low and get caught "without the goods," when the demand returns. We are not going to buy a lot of raw material that we don't need just because some one tell us it's the thing to do. Nor do we expect Jobbers to load up just because we want to sell goods. For the same reason Dealers will not buy to relieve Jobbers of their stock. In all cases the bills must be met and if the money is not at hand there will be trouble. We would be foolish, however, if we did not buy and have on hand enough raw material to enable us to increase our output at short notice. Jobbers would lack business acumen if they did not keep their stocks in shape to meet any ordinary increased demand from Dealers, and the latter, in turn, will lose money if they do not carry such a stock of Phonographs and Records as will permit them to fill any order that comes their way. That business in Edison goods is going to be as good as ever after January ist we feel assured, and we are going to manufacture to meet it. We want Jobbers to place such orders as will bring their stock of Phonographs and Records up to a proper standard and we want every Dealer to make sure that his stock is sufficient for ordinary requirements. If your stocks are low and you don't want to inventory a new lot on January ist, send orders for shipment after the first of the year. There is no question that you will need more Phonographs and more Records early in January, and by placing orders ahead you will have gained just so much time. Send Us Papers Dealers who have had electros from us for advertising purposes must send us copies of the papers in which they were used, before we will fill any requests for other electros. We are glad to furnish electros to Dealers, but we do so for the purpose of having them used for advertising. It should be a small matter to send us evidence that the electros had been used in this way. The Use of Mr. Edison's Picture and Signature During the past four months there has been a tendency among some of our Jobbers and Dealers to use pictures of Mr. Edison for advertising purposes in a manner objectionable to Mr. Edison and ourselves, and so as to make it appear as if Mr. Edison was doing the advertising personally. Consequently we have decided not to permit the use of Mr. Edison's photograph by the trade in any way whatever different from the use to which we put it ourselves. That is, the use of the standard bust picture. As to the trade-mark signature, we will permit its use only in a way to, call attention of the public to the fact that genuine Edison Phonographs and Records bear this trade-mark signature. We will not permit the use of this signature in advertising in a way to make it appear that the trade-mark is a signature to some statement purporting to come from Mr. Edison or this company. The use heretofore made of the full-size or three-quarter photograph of Mr. Edison does not meet with either the approval of Mr. Edison or this company; and, in order to prevent repetitions of the uses heretofore made, we are obliged to draw the line and prohibit the use of such pohotographs in anv form. Special Notice About Mailing Phonograms and Supplements Beginning with the February Records, Dealers may place Phonograms and supplements in the post office or letter boxes after 5 p. m. on the day before the new Records go on sale, so as to reach retail customers in the first delivery on the Record selling day. They must not be mailed so as to reach customers on the day before. The object in establishing a uniform time for distributing Phonograms and supplements at retail is to prevent a species of competition that can only cause confusion and trouble. Volume 6, No. 1 This issue of the Edison Phonograph Monthly is designated on the cover page and on page i as Volume 6, No. i. Volume 6 would not begin till March ist if we continued the old plan of numbering. We think it better, however, to have the volume begin with the January issue each year and have, therefore, made the change that begins with this number.