The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1915)

60 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. It ought to be clear to you right now that the selling rights for Columbia product in your locality are just about ripe enough for somebody to pick. That it can't do any harm to make inquiries at least. (Write for "Music Money," a book "full of meae' for those Columbia GrapllOpItOIie Company dealers interested in quick and frequent turnover of capital.) Woolvvorth Building, New York KANSAS CITY A BUSY TALKING MACHINE TRADE CENTER. A Tribute to the Alertness, Energy and Ability of the Talking Machine Men — Further Trade Developments on a Large Scale Expected — Dealers Visit Edison Shop — New Columbia Agents Schmelzer-Arms Co. Activity — Recent Changes in Sales Staff — Month's News. (Special to The Talking Machine World.) Kansas City, Mo., October 8. — It's safe to say that no industry contains a higher average of alertness, energy and ability than the talking machine trade — and a Westerner need go no farther than Kansas 'City to find it out. In Kansas City is a bunch of branch managers, department heads and dealers who are not only up to scratch on the customary and traditional methods of doing business, but who are boldly pushing out on new lines all the time. They are originators — and they get results. It is not surprising then that they all expect to do a great business the coming season and that the talking machine trade in Kansas City territory may show some really wonderful developments in the next few months and years. There's M. Blackman, for instance, manager of the Edison Shop, distributer for a large territory. Mr. Blackman has instituted the practice of getting dealers into Kansas City, putting them in touch with the Edison sales method, coaching them in demonstration tone recitals and in mechanical adjustment and repolishing. Twenty of the dealers of the territory have visited the Edison Shop at Kansas City the past month for this purpose, remaining from two days to a week, and departing with a much keener appreciation of Edison machines themselves, and with a very greatly enhanced ability for service to Edison customers. Every new Edison dealer is urged to make the visit, and he is quick to see the advantage, and all the older dealers are also invited. What this will mean in sales efficiency when all the dealers are thus working in harmony with the Edison ideals and methods can hardly be estimated. The talking machine department in the George B. Peck dry goods store is being prepared for an expected heavy trade this fall. The department was opened about a year ago and has helped to destroy some of the traditions of the talking machine trade. For instance, it is a pioneer in Kansas City in an effort to eliminate the sending of machines on trial. No machine is sent on trial unless the applicant is pretty well established as a probable purchaser who can pay for it. Last Easter John F. Ditzell, manager of the department, sent out fifteen machines to person^ who responded to a special invitation offering talking machines for use on the holiday — and twelve of the machines remained in the homes, sold! But Mr. Ditzell believes that such special offers are business producers only on holidays. Another tradition-buster— the Peck store sells more oak and special finish than mahogany machines. Each of the five playing rooms is equipped with the various sizes in mahogany finish, but the large reception room, and especially the "comparison" room, has all the finishes. The latter, a room about fifteen by forty feet, has in the busy season one each of the various sizes and finishes, so that a customer, after hearing one size in the small room, may there hear the other varieties of the same machine. The company always has a large display of the oak finish, and this seems to be an important factor, for the purchaser seems often attracted by the finish that may look well in company with furniture in the home. W. E. Rupe, manager of the Starr Piano Co.'s Kansas City branch, is enthusiastic over the reception given the company's phonograph in this section. It would seem that every Starr piano owner is intensely interested in the new product, and that many people are now getting acquainted with the Starr name through the offering of the talking machine. Mr. Rupe has found himself quickly in sympathy with other phonograph dealers— "not enough machines to supply the demand." He says he has many contracts out now for machines which he cannot deliver. lHarry Bibb, manager of the Victrola department of the Jones Store Co., is planning some heavy work for the coming season and rather extensive advertising effort is in prospect. Mr. Bibb finds that with his line of customers the cheap machines are not as ready sellers as the $150 and $200 machines. Miss Nellie Williams, formerly with the Schmelzer Arms Co., has been added to the selling force of the Victrola department of the Jones Store Co. The higher class trade has held up much more strongly than that in the less expensive instruments, according to Harry Wunderlich, of "Wunderlich's." The talking machine business has been very satisfactory in this store the past month. Blind Boone, who always keeps well up on the latest music, has been spending the past month in assuring himself that he has missed nothing preparatory to starting on his fall tour with his company. He learns his piano pieces from the player, but he is a large purchaser of talking machine records, through which he gets in touch with music suitable for his singers, and through which he learns such music to be able to accompany them. Boone has had an Edison cylinder machine for a great many years, and this machine and the Victrola records are his stand-by in the acquisition of the latest popular music, as well as the more important classical productions and arrangements. Boone is a familiar figure in the rooms of the Schmelzer Arms Co. The Columbia Co. has got a live dealer in some "real" territory in the Campbell Drug Co., of Pattonsburg, Mo., a town in one of the best parts of northwestern Missouri. This district has not been developed for talking machines and the new dealers probably will have a big opportunity. H. J. Ivey, who formerly devoted his entire attention to the wholesale trade in Kansas City of the Columbia Co., is now working outside a part of the time. Two new men have been added to the traveling force of the Edison Shop of Kansas City. They are C. W. Cosgrove, with experience in the retail store at Kansas City, and H. E. Spaan, of Sturgis, Mich., formerly traveler for the Colonial Talking Machine Co. Arthur A. Trostler, manager of the talking machine department of the Schmelzer Arms Co., made the trip to Sedalia, Mo., with the Kansas City Commercial Club last week to visit the Missouri State Fair. He had plenty to do with the other boosters to fulfill the duties of the trip, but visited the Victor Victrola exhibit and was well pleased with the prominence attained for the display by the Field-Lippman Co. and the effectiveness of the advertising. A-. A. Trostler, manager of the talking machine department of the Schmelzer Arms Co., said : "The prospects for business are really wonderful. We have already had a big increase in September over the same month in 1914 and I hesitate to suggest what the gain for the rest of the year will be." Mr. Trostler recently returned from Hutchinson, Kan., whither he was called following the Commercial Club trip to close a deal for the transfer of Victrola business there. The Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Co. has bought the tolerably complete stock of Victor goods of the Wilkinson Music Co., has added fresh lines and is in a position to enter upon a strong campaign. They will get Unico booths and will go at the business' energetically and with proper preparation as to outlined plans and methods. Mr. Trostler assisted in establishing the new place. George F. Sandke, for twelve years a "Columbia" man, has succeeded A. R. Coughlin in charge of the retail floor of the Columbia Co. in this city. Mr. Coughlin goes the second week in October to the St. Louis store in a similar capacity ; he is edging back East, having come "originally" from Ohio, and specifically from Cincinnati. Mr. Standke opened the talking machine department of the Grunewald Music Co. in New Orleans two years ago, when it installed Columbias. J. F. Shiddell, for the past three years with the Columbia Co. at Kansas City, has gone to Oklahoma City to take charge of the Columbia department of the Rosenfield Jewelry Co. The company will handle Columbias exclusively and the prospects are for a very large business. W. C Oberlin, who handled Columbias while in the furniture business in Louisiana, has for the past year been operating a large furniture store at Atchison, Kan., and he has arranged for a Columbia department and the stock has been shipped. "The R. L. Burke Music Co., of Joplin, Mo., is said to be doing a fine business in Columbias, with the town full of investors and real money being produced from the mines — that is, ore that turns quickly into large sums. John F. Ditzell, manager of the talking machine department of the George P. Peck Dry Goods Co., has proved in the past year that Victor talking machines can be sold with large success by mail order methods. H. R. Barker is finding his record exchange in the Altman building a popular enterprise.