The talking machine world (July-Dec 1918)

64 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD July IS, 1918 ST. LOUIS WHOLESALERS WATCHING FICTITIOUS ORDERS Believe That Some Dealers Are Placing Orders Beyond Their Needs on Chance of Getting Larger Proportion of Actual Deliveries — Patriotic Records in Demand — Trade Situation Reviewed St. Louis, Mo., July 5. — According to wholesale salesmen, the easiest thing in the talking machine line just now is to write a large order for a retailer. The hardest thing to do, according to the same authority, is to get the stock to fill that order. Some of the salesmen are of the opinion' that a fair percentage of the orders now being filed are fictitious, as the dealers have at last realized that there is to be a scarcity of machines and they are placing orders for a larger number than they actually want or expect, with the idea that they will be filled proportionately. Some of the orders given, however, are to be disappointed in this for one jobber, after noting the size of an order, wrote to the customer: "We note the order recently given to our firm by you and we thank you for it. But we would like to know what reason you may have for expecting that your business within the next three months will exceed by 100 per cent, that of last year? This expectancy appears in your recent order and, also, we note that you have added the machine to your list. Unless we are satisfied that you have a reasonable expectancy of this increased business, we shall be compelled to distribute new stock to you proportionate to your orders of last year." The idea of basing distribution on last year's business appears to be very general. Jobbers and assemblers here are not expecting as much stock as last year and, apparently, have little hope of meeting legitimate demands for their merchandise and they are going to do their best to see that the unfair distribution based on fictitious orders does not work injury to the dealer who is playing the game fair and ordering what he thinks he will need and who will not yell when compelled to put up with a shortage. The retail business is quiet. There is no mistake about that, especially in the city. It may be that some prospects have got tired of trying to get just the machines that they want and have given up. but there are not as many machine inquirers visiting the various stores as there was two months ago. The slump in inquiries set in just after the Red Cross drive and the trade has not entirely recovered. Practically every retail store is short of the lines of machines most in demand — usually those running from $50 to $175, according to the nature of the trade catered to by the store. Some of the assemblers still have a fair display of machines, but they are goin.g slowly and are turning down many orders at wholesale because they believe that they can sell most of their output at retail to drop-in customers and in this way make more money and a larger profit than by selling at wholesale. During the last few weeks representatives of the. Air Production Board have taken from the local planing mills many panels made for talking machine cabinets. The planing mills, it appears, have been left free to keep on making these panels, but deliveries to their private customers are restricted closely and the stock must be at the disposal of the government at all times. Some of the assembly plants, were well fortified with motors and arms but can use these only slowly under present conditions. "Everybody is buying records," is the way a number of the retail men express the situation, after saying that the machine market is quiet. There appears to be a never-ending demand for the records and stocks are fairly well filled and at least good substitutes for the records in demand are on hand, so the receipts are running high. Of course the "war stuff" is the strongest in the records sales, but a good many machine owners are seeking relief from the "war" by going back to standard music. This, of course, includes the long line of operas and renewed popularity is shown by folk songs. The latter vogue is believed to be due somewhat to the recent community sings. Now almost every public meeting begins with the public joining in several songs. "America" or the "Star Spangled Banner," of course, and then one or two others. "Dixie" is used a great deal here and "Onward Christian Soldiers," "Long, Long Ago" and "Old Black Joe" are other types. Many persons are learning that there really are words to these numbers, which they have known mostly as band pieces and after singing them themselves in the crowds they buy a record and listen to them at home, appreciating the beauties that have been hidden from them during their thoughtless days as a mere listener to the instrument. John J. Schlichter, traveler for the Silverstone Music Co., has entered the military service and Retail Salesmanager Schlude has been promoted to take his place. President Silverstone will go to San Francisco with the Ad Club delegates for the big meeting there and will then go to Los Angeles or some other point south for the rest of the summer, hoping to entirely regain his health by fall. The Rice-Stix Drygoods Co., The Witte Hardware Co., and the Phoenix Furniture Co., dis tributors in this city for the Vitanola talking machine, which is manufactured in Chicago by the Vitanola Talking Machine Co., all report an active demand for this product. Wholesale Manager Salmon of the Columbia Co. is preparing to enter the army at any time now. His position in the draft list has had its ups and downs but his ward is nearing the end of the No. 1 list, which includes Mr. Salmon. He asserts that he is going to leave his customers all well sold on patriotic records that they can play and remember him by. And as he has a host of friends he will not be forgotten by them. At Aeolian Hall much satisfaction is expressed with the trade prospects, both wholesale and retail. Manager Guttenberger of the Vocalion department says that only stock restricts their field of operations. The jobbing business is being extended slowly and only the most desirable dealers are being put on the list. The Fourth of July Vocalion record made a very great hit here. Two of them were used as the center of a window display and the response was immediate. Buyers were attracted by the novelty of the colors and came in to ask questions, remained long enough to listen and then bought. The entire list of Vocalion records has made a most decided hit. The favorable impression made apparently improves with time. This is the second month and already they have established a clientele. At the end of the fiscal year, the first of the month, the improvement of the totals over the year before at Aeolian Hall was pronounced surprising to even those whose duty it was to keep a watch on them. The recent record business has been amazing. It was told at Aeolian Hall that C. P. Byers, Vocalion manager at Cincinnati, had reported the birth of a son, named William Kale Byers. The announcement has resulted in heartiest congratulations being extended. Manager Cone at the Artaphone warerooms says that he has only one complaint, that the callers there want to buy too many machines. "We are doing the best we can with the materials and labor available," said Mr. Cone, "but we decline to accept orders that we cannot fill nor to entirely forget our former customers. It really is distressing to have to refuse to talk to a man ready to give you a check for merchandise, but such things must be done. The man I least want to see is the man who wants to talk about 100 machines." Two new styles of Artaphones with spruce sound boxes have been on exhibition at the Artaphone warerooms recently and have attracted much attention. AMERICAN No. 22 No. 13 American Phonograph Co. 39 Fountain Street, N. W. GRAND RAPIDS MICH. AMERICANS embody all the good qualities and special features of phonographs, clear in tone, beautiful in design, finest finish, smooth running motors. We stand back of every American No. 8 No. 9 No. 10