The talking machine world (July-Dec 1925)

Entire Trade in the Detroit Territory Expects to Roll Up Big Holiday Volume Industrial Conditions Never Better-Steady Employment a Factor .3°' Dealers-Demonstrations of New Models Create Stir-Edison Shop Changes Name to Allmgs Detroit, Mich., December 8.— Indications point to a whopper December business for the talkme machine dealers of Detroit and the Stale ol Michigan. The most imporlanl reason is that in Detroit and the larger cities in the Slate, such as Pontiac, Jackson. Saginaw, Baltic Creek. Flinl. Lansing and Grand Rapids, indnslria] conditions were never heller. Employment has been steady all during the Summer and Fall; people h.lvc money and arc going to spend it lor Chrislmas. But in justice to the radio industry, we can say authoritatively, after talking with a dozen or more retail stores, that the demand tor December is in most cases for the combination machine— talking machine and radio. The sales of talking machines, without the radio, will not be as heavy as they have been in other years, unless public senlinicnl changes during the iie.sl few weeks. At this writing wc arc speaking, of course, as to conditions right now. The new Victor Orthophonic and the Brunswick Panatrope undoubtedly will stimulate business, as announcements of the improvements were backed bv a tremendous advertising campaign. Scores and scores of people have been in the stores getting demonstralions of the new machines, so that there is great public interest in them. The new Brunswick Panatrope was demonstrated at the Book Cadillac Hotel during November. Ofhcials were on hand from the factory—a large room was secured for the eventdealers were invited and for several days they poured into the hotel to hear it and place orders. At the J. L. Hudson music store we learned this week that business is very good and lhat while sales were brisk on talking machines most of the people seemed to want the combination machine either in the Victor or Brunswick, their two principal lines. Grinnell Bros, are concentrating on the new Victor models, although they also handle several radio lines, the Zenith principally, and Ihey are prepared for the biggest talking machine and radio business in their cnlire history. With 40 stores or more, Grinnell Bros.' sales of these products for December alone should run into hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Edison Shop, at 1540 Woodward avenue, Detroit, has changed its name to Alling's. inasmuch as the proprielor is R. B. Ailing, who is also general manager of The Phonograph Co. of Detroit, Edison distributor. This change was made in view of the fact that the store recently added the Brunswick line of phonographs, and Mr Ailing fell that it would be for the best inleresis of the Store to change the name in order lhat bolh the Edison and the Brunswick lines could be properly advertised. It would be rather inconsistent to have it known as the Edison Shop and then 10 display or advertise another make, whereas this is good business and ethical if conducted under another name. But adding the Brunswick line 10 the retail store does not change the position of The Phonograph Co. of Detroit, which continues to distribute the Edison line in Michigan, Mr Ailing has made a wise move no doubt, and it is likewise a splendid lie-up (or Ihe Brunswick Co., as it gives the Brunswick Woodward avenue representation downtown, something it has never had before. The Brunswick line is now handled downtown by the J L. Hudson Music Store, Ailing s. Weil & Co., the Artonian Piano Co., and the Brunswick Shop on East Grand River avenue, which continues exclusively with the Brunswick line^ Sam E. Lind. of the S. E. Lind Co. 2765 West Fori street, distributor for the AdlerRoval line of phonograph and radio machines, neOer had a belter list of retailers in Detroit handling the product than right now, and he lias every reason 10 look forward to record sales during December. Among the list we find such concerns as The People's Outfitting Co.. the Lieberman Furnilurc Co.. 629 Gratiot avenue; Modern Priscilla Shop. 7227 Harper avenue; Lin ;'(ieJavorite ^ l/QceofT^io incA117ongues < To hear an Amplion perform in comparison with any orail odicrloud speakers is to undersrand why these crcadons oi the originators and oldest makeri of loud speakers —Allied Graham fJ Co.. London Eng.— are leading favorites througliout theujorld. Get one to lest Irom your jobber. Sii models, includins eonsole units. S12 to S^2.50. NalioniiUy ad^'ciliscd. Write lor proposition. All Ampliona ore completely eqnipped with cotds (Old panel plugs. THE AMPLION CORPORATIONoMMERlCA e ,|..,0;S.,i, Suit, C.-'to SlJ.ili(n jivt-^rirwrBrHlrj ..... nStnUglora: Buiudtp! ot CoBJida. Ltd.. Torooto December 15, 1925 1 Radio Shop Linwood at Philadelphia sl eefth UrHr Music Store, 30.0 Gratiot "^"-/■'r'c:'inii"^"™oS:X 5i-:s:^?r^i^«:eiNaimaH<,Mu.c Honse, 4707 Michigan avenue, and »lher two reuil stores; Home Necessities Corp., 9632 I a n;„er svenue The Arcade Hardware Co., ^;7'„"''Grd Crivenue; Detroit Music Co 2030 Woodward avenue, and the Yuergens Fur niture Co at 6266 Michigan avenue. Tic People's Ou.fitting Co. had a formal . few weeks ago of its new store, and opening a few wecKs ago noticeable in making an inspc tion ' = «^ largemcnt of the music Hoot, which now has at least one-third more floor space. Manager Reddaway of this department, is very busy gelling the new floor inlo shape. He has added more s ock "id more display rooms for the talking m"Le. He feels mighty proud of .his new department and justly so. as it ,s one of the largest in the country. Manager Quinn. of the Brunswick Shop, eporls that November business showed a healthy iaerease, but he expects December to be the banner month and lo bring the sales for the year 10 the point where it will show around a 7U cent gain for 1925 over 1924. t mus be remembered thai the first six months of 1925 were rather dull for the talking machine stores and it was not until July that the tide turned for the better and from then on each month lias shown a steady increase. .... In closing we want to wish all our riends in the trade a happy and prosperous New Year and to remind them at this time-that the radio is more and more becoming a pari of the talking machine business and that dealers no longer can afford to ignore radio opportunities. Radio belongs to the talking machine dealer and if he is not alive to the situation he is just forcing the business to other channels. Adding a service department is an important point to consider. Ten Commandments That Help to Increase Sales Card Outlining Store Sales Policy Proves Successful in Increasing Efficiency A prominent retail house in the Middle West gives each new employe a card bearing the message' "Ten Commandments tor Employes. "1 Don't try to break sales records during the first weeks you are with this store. Wc don't expect you to step right out and do wonderful things. Take plenty of time during the first weeks to become acquainted with your coworkers, to learn the goods yon are handling, to become thoroughly familiar with the store antl the executive and to gain the firm foundation which is necessary if you arc to make fine sales records in the weeks and months to comc "2 Be on time. We don't ask co-workers 10 punch a time clock ill this store.-hnl wc do ask you to get here on lime. The reason why wc ask our co-workers to be on time is because there is work for everyone all the time the store is open, and this work piles up and makes for confusion when employes are late. "3. The customer is generally right, Wc don't say in this store that the 'customer is always right ' We do believe that the customer is generally right and our co-workers will treat customers accordingly. _ "4. Never tell a customer that you 'don t know.' If some customer asks you a question which you cannot answer, say, 'I'll find out.' and then go to the person in authority in your de gossip and talk scandal to you don'l give them any encouragement Never talk to one customer about another customer. It is always a ■ black eye for a store, in our opinion, to have a reputation as being a gossip center "6, Treat customers courteously and be friendly with Ihem, but don't be patronizing or fresh. "7. Read Ihe advertisements this store puts out and look at the window displays each day. You will find copies of each day's ads at the elevator on the bulletin board and also on the department bulletin boards. Each morning before going 10 your counter read these copies if you haven't already read our ads in the papers you gel at home. You must be familiar with the things we are advertising to make a success as a sales person. Also, upon coming to Ihe store in Ihe morning or during the noon hour, make a special point of looking at our window displays carefully. A thorough knowledge of what we are showing in our window displays is important if you want to make a big success as a salesperson. "8. Don'l hesitate to take up with your department head any things which should be remedied in your department or at your counter. We want our salespeople to be happy and comfortable at all times. "9. Be neat in your personal appearance. We like our salespeople 10 be well dressed — 'neat but not gaudy.' The people who patronize this store have a right to expect that the salespeople who wait on them have clean, manicured hands and wear neat, attractive garments. '10. Do your best at all times. We don't ask then go to the person in authority in your ue 'v otsi ni nu iiu.c=. o uu.. i ^^r. partmenl and obtain the answer. The reason tor super-salesmanship in this store. We don't why we emphasize this rule is because we can^ expect people to buy goods from this store if our co-workers demonstrate that they don'l know ahout the goods they are selling Thorough knowledge of the goods you are selling is vitally important if you are to be a big s in this store, ".tl Don't gossip Tf the customers w ask our salespeople to work under a tension We simply ask our co-workers to be 'regular' human beings who are normally eager to make sales and who are normally enthusiastic for this store and for the goods they are selling." These commandments have been found 10 be very helpful in increasing the efficiency of the sales organization