Radio broadcast .. (1922-30)

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.RADIO BROADCAST. ELECTROSTATIC LOUD SPEAKERS (Continuedfrom page 107) the loud speaker. The size of the holes in the back plate may also affect the shape of these curves. Such mechanical resonances are very important in the design of electrodynamic and magnetic loud speakers, as well as in the design of electrostatic loud speakers. It is only by proportion of the mechanical and electri- cal resonances that even response can be obtained. In drawing conclusions from the tests just described, it must be borne in mind that they apply to a particular type of electrostatic loud speaker tested under particular conditions. Although some of the results apply to all types of electrostatic loud speakers, the authors prefer to limit their conclusions to the particular type in hand. The results of the investigation so far may be summed up as follows: 1. That the greater part of the sound comes from vibration of the diaphragm over the holes, and that this vibration may be increased or decreased by changing the shape of the holes. 2. That harmonic distortion may be reduced by the use of high bias potentials; 3. That the response of this loud speaker is very uneven as compared to a well-designed standard electrodynamic loud speaker. 4. That it would seem that by proper combination of size of holes, size of back plate, and correct design of input circuit, an electrostatic loud speaker of this type can be designed which will give very even response. 5. That this loud speaker in its present stage of development is inferior to the electrodynamic type in evenness of re- sponse, general efficiency, and convenience of operation. 6. That while the results obtained in testing this particular loud speaker show that it is inferior to the electrodynamic type, it should not be thought that it is impractical or that it cannot be designed so as to give good reproduction. As a matter of fact, this particular loud speaker performs much better, and gives much more natural reproduction, than the mag- netic loud speakers of only one or two years ago, and in addition it has the ad- vantage of distributing its sound much more evenly than many loud speakers now in use. GENERAL MOTORS— AND RADIO ' (Continued from page 71) It is pointed out that RCA in absorbing Victor, continued the merchandising poli- cies and avenues of distribution of the old company, while maintaining the separate product and merchandising avenues of the Radiola line. Thus far, this policy has ap- parently not interfered with either com- plete line. Charles F. Lawson, president of Day- Fan, the organization absorbed into Gen- eral Motors Radio Corporation, has an- nounced to his dealers and distributors: "The enormous advantages which General Motors' backing gives to us—manufac- turer, distributor, dealer—are obvious. At once, there is the authority of a great name in engineering, research, and manu- facturing behind the claim of excellence in our product. There is the distinct ad- vantage of the General Motors Acceptance Corporation plan of financing deferred payments. Looking to the future, the im- plications of General Motors' entry in the radio field, with its great resources, are tremendous. "The Day-Fan dealer franchise is a most valuable one to-day. It ife potentially the most important franchise in radio. Those in the industry who have given serious thought to the implications of the General Motors Radio Corporation's en- try into the field, feel that it means first, the coming into radio of a new manu- facturing company with ample financing and an important history of experience in mass production, secondly, the entry of skilled merchandising experience suggest- ing many possible innovations, thirdly, the further extension of radio deferred payment sales through the large resources of General Motors Acceptance Corpora- tion, and fourthly, the probable building up of a new distributing group. Radio is already linked closely to sales outlets for refrigerators, automobiles, and automobile accessories, and it is expected that this new company would not confine its dealer outlets exclusively to those now handling Frigidaire on the one hand or automobiles on the other. It is more likely that the dis- tributing set-up will include outlets from each of these major groups and build up a primary set of radio outlets rather than select one complete ready-made dealer group. HOUSE-TO-HOUSE SELLING IS NOT A SIDELINE (Continued from page 86) That's the outstanding reason why there has been so much unfavorable reaction of late against the method on the part of home owners. It is just as important that the man who represents your store on the outside be as courteous, honest, and fair as those behind the counter." No matter how many door-to-door men he may employ, however, Mr. Green is firm in his opinion that the store should be the dealer's first consideration. Regard- less of the future of the outdoor salesman, the store is practically certain to continue as the backbone of the merchandising structure. Then too, the more attractive and better known the store, the more weight that is added to a salesman's visit to a home. The better the store the better the chances for success in house-to-house sell- ing—and the better the chance to keep abreast of the merchandising trends of the future. HOW ABOUT TIME PAYMENTS? (Continued from page 83) per cent, of their volume, 38 per cent, re- port cash sales between 5 and 10 per cent, of volume, 16 per cent, have from 10 to 20 per cent, cash sales, only 8.5 per cent, report 20 to 30 per cent, cash sales, 11 per cent, get from 30 to 50 per cent. cash sales, and 4 per cent, of the dealers report- ing have as high as 80 per cent, cash sales. Seriously, I ask, for the good of the business and of those in it, shouldn't those cash sale figures be going up and up? But, I am sorry to say it looks as though they were not, for in answering the next question—"Are cash sales larger than last year?"—30 per cent, of the dealers say 'Yes" and 70 per cent, say " No." I fancy I can see a bright light in the answers to the last question—"What pro- portion of your sales do you write off as bad debts?" More than one quarter of the dealers—29 per cent.—say "None" and 38 per cent, say 1 per cent, or less. Glory be! Two thirds of the dealers who report say 1 per cent, or less of bad debts. Looks like a fairly good customer-credit situation. Straws which indicate which way the breeze blows—that's what these reports mean. Something to think about. Sug- gestions for a change in practice if it is needed. We cannot take these figures as the last word of authority on common practice. Five hundred dealers were ques- tioned, a lot of dealers to be sure, but a small proportion of the whole. Not all of them answered, of course. Accuracy of percentage is not the crite' rion of this questionnaire. More replie.* might change these percentages, but I'n» sure they wouldn't change the broad high lights of the picture, in which I fancy 1 see these facts. (a) It is possible and wise to finance in- stallment sales without loss, and even at a profit for financing as well as for selling. (6) Customers can and should be made to pay a reasonable price for the very great accommodation of time payments. (c) Down payments may easily be ai- high as 25 per cent, or even higher. (d) The cash sales in the industry art too low in proportion to time sales, par- ticularly till the percentage of cash down on time-payment sales is increased. (e) The showing in bad debts is one of great credit to the industry. THE JOBBER'S NEW PLACE (Continuedfrom page 79) located in non-competitive neighborhoods. The unsound and uneconomical ele- ments of long terms and credit losses will be practically nil. Equally out of date will be the practice of having eleven jobbers' salesmen all undertaking to sell a quarter of a case of a standard brand of soap or milk to a retailer whose credit is Z-blank. The independent retailer will have changed his mind about not letting his jobber tell him what to buy and what to sell. He will no longer take the position that he is an independent business man who can go broke any time he wants to and nobody can stop him. Such an individual will have a hard time finding a jobber who will work with him. In brief, the jobber of 1935 will have practically as close supervision over his re- tailers as the chain-store management has over its units. The outstanding difference will be that when the contract which the retailer has signed expires, he will be free to sign up with another jobber. The great difference between the in- dividual retailer of 1935 and the individual retailer of to-day will be that the 1935 model will be in position to merchandise right along with anybody else in his neighborhood. All in all, it is safe to say that the lot of the individual retailer in 1935 is going to be much happier and more profitable than it is now. The manufacturer of drug sundries, dry-goods products—he'll have a new worry. These combinations of whole- salers and their groups of retailers, buying, selling, merchandising, and advertising as large groups will do some interesting things in the way of pushing private brands. They'll go just as far in this direction as proves profitable. They will attack in the weakest spots. They will take hold of a kind of product which is not dominated by one or more well-advertised brands which have the popular demand and put back of such items a much more intelligent sales effort than they have thus far been able to provide. The turmoil and tumult of 1920 to 1930 will have quite definitely subsided by 1935. The spread between the actual cost of the product on the manufacturer's floor and the price paid for it by the ultimate consumer will have shrunk materially. There will be little difference, so far as the consuming public is concerned, be- tween the individually owned stores and the units belonging to chains, except that the individually owned stores will be in position to exert more latitude, more in- dividualism, be more in tune with their immediate neighborhood than the chain- store unit. 122 • DECEMBER 1929 •