The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1910)

THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. 4: CAUSES OF LOST HOLIDAY PROFIT. The Situation Defined and Remedies Suggested — The "Regular Dealer" vs. "Floater." Almost without exception there has been a scarcity of certain goods, either Edison or Victor, during the holidays for the past several years, resulting in some dealers losing considerable profit on account of their inability to get the goods. In discussing this situation, J. Newcomb Blackmail, president of the Blackman Talking Machine Co., of New York City, said : "Opinions vary as to the cause of this condition but there is no doubt, in my mind, but that it is largely the fault of the factory, jobber and dealer combined. Many dealers make it difficult for jobbers to accurately determine their requirements, because they buy from a large number of jobbers. "For example, one of these dealers has a sale for a certain machine; he buys from four jobbers and because thatparticular machine is temporarily scarce only one of the four jobbers could fill the order. There was an apparent demand for four machines, whereas only one was needed. This case multiplied many times makes a temporary shortage produce an inflated demand. Jobbers may place orders accordingly and the factory not knowing the real situation uses unnecessary effort at the expense of other machines. "The dealer who has a regular jobber and gives him all his business, if he can handle it, is entitled to first consideration, at least from my standpoint. A second source of supply should only be necessary as a substitute and two jobbers should be able to supply the wants of any ordinary dealer. "We have been criticized by, and made ourselves unpopular with, certain dealers during the holiday season, because they wanted goods that they could not get from the jobber whom they ordinarily patronized. "Our policy has been that when there is a scarcity of goods we apply the 'Golden Rule,' defined as follows : Those dealers who patronize us during the dull season are entitled to recognition and first consideration when they need us to give them the goods that are scarce. Whatever prestige we lose among the type of dealer which might be classed as a 'floater' will be more than offset by the esteem of the regular dealer, whose loyalty has resulted in him being served first. "Then another reason why the dealer should not be a 'floater' is because he may find it necessary to ask leniency in the payment of his account. If he is a loyal dealer and buys but from one or two jobbers his chances of help, under such circumstances, are certainly more favorable. "The talking machine business is no different than any other, as far as business principles are concerned, and if the dealers will take the necessary time to determine what jobber they should give their business to and then stick to him, as long as he makes good, their patronage would insure their getting the goods at times when the demand exceeds the supply. "It is difficult for the factories to determine the1 holiday demand, but they hold the key to the situation, because they have the power to determine what their line will be during the holidays, what changes, if any, are to be made, and when they will 'occur. "The restricted price causes most dealers to refuse any machine that is not strictly up-to-date, thus the jobber sometimes cannot dispose of all the stock, because of a slight change is placed at a disadvantage and the situation is remedied at the inconvenience of somebody. "Under ordinary conditions it would seem to me advisable to decide on a fixed policy and line of goods in the summer, with no change until at least February 1. This would enable the jobber to feel confident that the stock of machines he puts in before the holidays would be up to date then. "The situation would also be improved if a large number of dealers, who make a practice of waiting until the last minute to carry a representative line of machines, would realize the importance of having at least a complete sample line during October, November and December. They could advertise the fact and get prospects which would produce real sales for them. Sales are often lost by dealers who expect the customer to obligate himself to the extent of authorizing that the dealer get for 'his approval' a machine he thinks he wants. "Why should a customer agree to any such plan and patronize a dealer who has not at least a sample of the different machines, when there are a number of his competitors who offer that service and it entails no obligation? "Summing up, it appears to me important for the factory jobber and dealer to get together three or four months before the holiday season, for we always seem to be long on demand and short on supply during the month of December. Some dealers want the money in their hands before they put in the stock, but jobbers' terms with the factory prohibit their consigning goods and their profit would not make such plan profitable, so that the preparation which should be evident is halted and the tidal wave of demand cannot be met at the last moment. "It is not too late now for some dealers to get out of the 'floating' class and narrow their patronage down to one, or not more than two jobbers. I think they will find it pays and produces better results." 35 CENT RECORD EARNS $404.44. This Splendid Showing Was Made by a U-S Everlasting Record Which Was Used from March Until December in a Penny Arcade in Cleveland. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Cleveland, O., Nov. 9, 1910. What would you think of an investment that would yield over 115,000 per cent.? Wouldn't* it look good to you. The following isn't a bait for "get-rich-quickers," nor an advertisement of gold bricks, but the sober recital of facts about a U-S Everlasting Record, No. 223, Peter Piper March (xylophone), by Albert Benzler. This record was placed in a penny arcade last March, where it remained on a machine equipped with an ordinary reproducing sapphire until the middle of October. During that time it was played 40,444 times by automatic count, and earned for the proprietor of the arcade the sum of $404.44. The record cost 35 cents. The U. S. Phonograph Co. have the record now on exhibition at their general offices in Cleveland, where it is played in comparison with new records of the same selection and from the same matrix. They are confident in asserting that absolutely no difference can be detected in the reproductions, and that a microscope fails to reveal any traces of wear on the surface of the record, which had such a long "run." It is in perfect condition, the company claims, to be played 50,000 times more and, judging from the number of interested phonograph men who drop in for a test, this bids fair to be accomplished. Persons of a statistical turn of mind will be interested in a few figures regarding this record. A run of 40,444 playings is equivalent to continuous running day and night for 56 days. The sapphire on the reproducer travels 194.8 feet to play this record once. In playing it 40,444 times the sapphire traveled 7,878,491 feet, or 14,921.3 miles. Anyone can calculate for himself the number of foot pounds generated by the motor during the period or the energy which would have been necessary to wind a spring motor for that number of playings. The U. S. Phonograph Co. names its records "Everlasting," and the foregoing would seem to indicate that the name fits. NATIONAL CO.'S ROSTER OF SALESMEN. The following is an official list of the salesmen of the National Phonograph Co., Orange, N. J., and the territory assigned to each, as published in the Edison Phonograph Monthly : J. H. Allgaier, Missouri and Southern half of Illinois ; L. W. Ballou, New Hampshire, Vermont and North Eastern New York; C. A. Briggs Kansas and Kansas City, Mo. ; A. V. Chandler, city of Chicago and Northern half of State of Illinois; A. H. Curry, Oklahoma and Arkansas; John de Angeli, Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada; F. E. Gage, Connecticut; F. E. Gressett, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas ; L. D. Hatfield, Nova Scotia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Canada; H. G. Hinkley, Iowa; W. P. Hope Wisconsin ; W. H. Hug, Ohio ; M. G. Kreusch, Indiana ; C. E. Lyons, Washington and Oregon ; E. A. Neff, Michigan ; C. W. Phillips, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida;' G. A. Renner, Nebraska, Colorado, Northern New Mexico and Southern Wyoming; H. R. Sackett, Western New York; H. R. Skelton, Massachusetts and Rhode Island; J. W. Scott, Maine; J. B. Sims, Central and Western New York; J. F. Stanton, Pennsylvania; W. A. Voltz, California, Arizona, Nevada and Southern New Mexico. We Are la Readiness for the FALL suvd WINTER RVSH ?ARE YOU? Prepare now to be in a position to deliver the goods and take the profits. Don't delay. You know what it means to say to your customer " I haven't it in stock, but will get it for you " — the other fellow gets the order. Our stocks of VICTOR and EDISON GOODS mean quick deliveries to you, and profits to both of us. If you don't know what EASTERN CO. SERVICE is, you don't know what makes the Talking Machine Business a good Business. Try Us. THE EASTERN TALKING MACHINE CO. 177 Tremont Street BOSTON. MASS. DISTRIBUTERS OF EDISON AND VICTOR MACHINES, RECORDS, SUPPLIES