The talking machine world (Jan-June 1919)

32 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD January 15, 1919 The Trade In Philadelphia And Locality Philadelphia, Pa., January 6. — There is joy among all the talking machine men at this period, owing to the greatest holidaj' business the3' have ever enjoyed, as well as one of the greatest periods in profits they have yet passed through. It is rare to see so much enthusiasm tempered with so many regrets; enthusiasm at the amount of money they have made, and regrets that the business placed in their hands could not be handled for want of goods. It seems most unfortunate when a merchant can see money within his grasp, and has every facility for handling and raking it in, and yet he must stand the "rake" aside idly' because conditions force him to keep it out of use. It is the general opinion of the dealers that 1919 is going to be a much more profitable year for them than the one just passed, for they believe that business is going to continue good throughout the yea.r, and that they are going to get the goods, now that the war is over, and in sufficient quantities to meet all demands. It is believed that it will probably be the first of April before a materially larger output of machines will be coming from the factories, but they think it will be only a month or so before the record situation will have been cleaned up and this end of the business will then look very much brighter. Could Have Sold 1,000 Per Cent. More Manager A. J. Heath, of the Columbia Co., states that while the machine shortage was verj' acute at times, j'et his house was fortunate in receiving a number of carload express shipments just before Christmas that enabled them to deliver at least a few machines to all of their dealers, and thus help them out partialis'. Mr. Heath says that, owing to the popularity of the Columbia, he believes that had they been able to suppl}' the machines and records their dealers would have been able to have sold 1,000 per cent, more than they did. "One remarkable thing about the holiday business," says Mr. Heath, "was that the dealers enjoj'ed a large percentage of cash business, and when they did sell on the deferred payment plan the payments were substantial, averaging from seven to ten months." As to records, the Columbia Co. received, during the month of December, a number of freight shipments of records, as well as two carloads of express shipments which enabled them to keep their dealers well supplied with standard numbers as well as the popular selling numbers. "While the shortage of Grafonolas during the past year was very acute," says Mr. Heath, "all of our dealers were able to make up any losses in machine business by additional sales in records, and, as the record business is cash, it is my firm conviction that the dealers are in a more healthy condition financially than ever before." O. F. Benz, the Columbia's record expert, was a Philadelphia visitor recently, as was R. E. Rae, of the Columbia general sales department. Mr. Heath left the end of the week, accompanied by C. A. Malliet, in charge of the Dictaphone part of the business, for New York to attend the convention of Columbia dealers which began in that city on the 6th. E. A. Manning, a Columbia representative here, who has been seriously ill for more than three months, is now entirely out of danger, although it is hardly possible that he will be able to return to his work before a month or six weeks. Louis Buehn Tells of Terrific Demand Louis Buehn, of the Louis Buehn Co., saj's there was a terrific demand for Victor talking machines and records during December, and while his firm did a very good and a very profitable business it was nothing in comparison with what it V6uld have been possible for them to do had thej' been able to get Victor machines and records. Mr. Buehn states he believes that it may be three months more before the situation will become satisfactory, when the supply will be equal to the demand. He hopes that by April the jobbers will see a marked improvement in machines, and he believes the record situation will better itself within a month. E. P. Bliss, Jr., who is in the .Government radio service, has just returned from Europe on the "Utah," and is helping out at the Buehn store, although he is still in uniform. Geo. M. Austin Buys Ediphone Business Mr. Buehn has sold the Edison dictating machine end of his business — or, more properly speaking, the Ediphone business — to George M. Austin, who has been in charge of the business for the past five years, since his coming to this city from the South. Mr. Austin will continue the business at the present location, where he has ample quarters, and where he has already met with much success. Mr. Austin saj^s that he believes his line of the trade is going to have a very good j'ear, for while it might have been expected that the shortage of help during the war would be of benefit to the dictating machine, it really was not, and they had as hard a time as before the war in trying to convince the business man of the great advantage as a time saver of the dictating machine. The Ediphone was placed in a number of big establishments during December, the two most notable being the Atlantic ^yHAT happens in your store when a customer has $200? Do you sell him, say, a $165 machine and $35 worth of records, or a Victrola for ALL the money? It is an art to develop a consistent record buyer, for persistent record sales create and sustain a profitable business. By all means, sell the highest priced models, but stop at the amount which is a burden to the customer. Build a business FIRST and good sales will come afterwards. THE LOUIS BUEHN COMPANY VICTOR WHOLESALERS PHILADEL PHI A