The talking machine world (Jan-June 1920)

April 15, 1920 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD 229 DISCUSS SHORT TIME VS. LONG TIME SALES IN PORTLAND With Increased Supplies of Talking Machines, Sales Methods Are Now Up for Discussion — Leading Dealers in Portland and Vicinity Well Pleased With Business Prospects Portland, Ore., April 5. — A "Merry War" or a good-natured rivalry, as some choose to call it, is going on among the talking machine dealers this month. Some of them have been having special price sales, offering machines for small first payments and very small monthly payments. Other dealers protest against this method of securing trade — insisting upon regular methods — good first payments and large monthly payments which they declare were agreed upon by dealers at the meetings of the Portland Talking Machine Dealers' Association, which, however, is apparently defunct, as no meetings have been held for about a year. Some of the conservative dealers insist that special sales are detrimental to the business; that good first payments and good monthly payments assure a class of trade worth while. On the other hand, many of the most reliable dealers in the city are advertising machines, offering them for $5 down and $5 a month and some of them offering them for $1 down and $1 a month. There is no doubt that this has temporarily increased the sales of those houses pursuing this method, but whether final results will be satisfactory remains to be seen. Hyatts, Bush & Lane, Reed-French Co. and Eilers all approve of these special inducements, considering them good business. The Reed-French Co. believes that special sales whereby instruments can be bought for $1 down and $1 a week payments are profitable, as by this manner a large number of small machines have been disposed of and the buyers are purchasing records so fast that it is hard to supply them. A big business in the talking machine department has been the result of the experiment and not alone low-priced machines have been purchased. The month has been a remarkable one all through. The record rooms did a business that has not been equaled for some time. The percentage of cash sales is as Francisco to Los Angeles, and on the return trip motored from Los Angeles to San Francisco by the coast road, stopping at Santa Barbara and other interesting points on their way. Mr. Case reports excellent business in the Portland house. The Columbia Graphophone Co. is never behind when it comes to demonstrating modern ideas. It is showing a "Model Store" in Seattle which is attracting the attention as well as the admiration of the dealers. This "Model Store" is shown in the wholesale building and is a marvel of efficiency, expediency and artistic effort. Dealers are expected to study the arrangement and as far as practicable arrange their stores in a similar manner. The new manager of the talking machine department of the Meier & Frank Co., Lester S. Shroeder, is already planning great improvements for his department. The Vocalion line has been added to the department now handling the Victor, Columbia and Edison machines. Mr. Shroeder has some splendid plans prepared for improving and remodeling the department. No expense is to be spared and after the elaborate plans have been carried out there will be no handsomer department in the West. Records which may be borrowed by schools for educational purposes will be added to the central public library if certain plans discussed by the directors mature. A request from the State music teachers brought the matter to the attention of the directors. The music teachers are working on a plan to have each public school supplied with a talking machine. It will be of great advantage to the schools if the plan suggested is carried out. The Pacific & Accessory Supply Co., which was considered by the investors a rather small affair, has grown to such an extent during the last few months that it has been recapitalized, BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1M and it is now double what it was originally. The new manager, C. D. Wood, has returned from a recent visit to the East, where he made some valuable connections in accessory lines. In addition to the present stock of phonograph supplies, it is the intention of the company to add band instruments and all kinds of small goods. Emerson records are so much in demand that to fill the orders is an impossibility. The Bush & Lane Piano Co. has appointed H. T. Campbell manager of the local branch of the company. Thomas Wilkinson, who has been manager for about eight years, has severed his connection with the company. Mr. Campbell comes from the Seattle branch, where he was sales manager; H. A. Smith, who has been sales manager of the Portland branch, will take Mr. Campbell's place in Seattle. H. T. Campbell was presented by the employes of the Seattle house with a handsome Masonic emblem before leaving that city. The big trade in talking machines continues at G. F. Johnson's. In a single day twelve machines were sold, the aggregate sales for the department that day being in excess of $2,500. The Cheney Phonograph Co. has been incorporated under the laws of Oregon. The concern will have a capital of $60,000, with main offices in Portland. It will handle in a wholesale way the Cheney phonograph in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. Miss Jessie A. Meighen, now with the ReedFrench Co., has sent out cards to her many friends and patrons announcing her connection with that company. M. Seller & Co., the Northwest distributors of the Pathe, report a steadily increasing demand for Pathe records and phonographs, but on account of scarcity of stock are having difficulty in keeping up with orders, due to the universal shortage. M. W. Davis, manager of the Brunswick Co., who recently visited Eastern cities, has just recovered from a severe illness and is now in eastern Oregon establishing Brunswick agencies and visiting dealers. IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIH large as ever E. W. Barlow, manager of the Pacific Phono J graph Mfg. Co., which manufactures the g Stradivara phonographs, has just returned from g a visit to New York, Chicago and Grand Rapids. g He visited factories in Chicago and Grand g Rapids, being particularly interested in motors jg and tone arms. While enormous strides have g been made in the talking machine business since g his last visit to the East, he found the situation g very acute in the manufacturing end, and he g believes that there will be a great shortage g during the Fall and Winter and necessarily an g increase in prices. The price of shellac has in g creased so much that manufacturers of records g have found it absolutely necessary to increase g their prices. A striking feature, said Mr. Bar g low, is the great improvement in motors. In the Stradivara factory many innovations g have been introduced tending toward the im g provement of the plant and the happiness and g well being of those connected with it. A social g organization, known as the "Stradivarians," is g one of the new features. Various interesting g details of the business are discussed at the g monthly meetings and a general good time in g dulged in. It is planned by the company to g provide a library for the benefit of the em g ployes. A paper called the "Stradivara Record" g is another special feature. Items of interest g pertaining to personal affairs as well as factory g matters will be printed. The employes appre g ciate the efforts made by the Stradivara people g to make their work enjoyable as well as pro | ductive and the "Stradivarians," which include g officers, clerks, workmen and their families, is g a lively and popular organization. Frank M. Case, manager of the Wiley B. g Allen Co., has had a two weeks' vacation which g he spent in California. He, in company with j Frank Anrys, general manager of the Wiley B. g Allen Co.; Mrs. Anrys, James Black, treasurer J of the company, and Miss Mae Shintaffer, of g the mail order department, went from San |" "LIBROL A" A Library Table PHONOGRAPH at a Reasonable Price Two thirds of top is stationary, no — mitfg need to move anything when playing phonograph. Fully equipped to play all disc records, satisfaction guaranteed. 62% re-orders to date. Write for prices and exclusive territory. SEABURG MANUFACTURING COMPANY JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK IlllllllllllllllliP^ mm