The talking machine world (Jan-June 1928)

The Talking Machine World, New York, February, 1928 37 Charm and Distinction as Furniture ^ 1 KelloaS A** Radio n| -^LW" AMG Radio True if and sells others • Tube Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Co. Dept. Z5-92, Chicago Operation nevertheless undeniably true that the question of service should no longer deter the music merchant in placing the radio receiving set before his public. The receiver, complicated and delicately adjusted as it is, probably always will need some slight degree of servicing, but development has reached the stage where the service problem should not bar the radio from the music store. It is a problem with which the manufacturer has dealt and is dealing with as his primary responsibility. For the comparatively little servicing and gradually diminishing adjustment required of the radio receiving set of the new day, the music merchant can cope, with every reasonable assurance of avoiding the losses which it formerly caused. One practice widely advocated is that of engaging an outside company for the service work of the music merchant. This practice has been developed particularly among department stores. The field of radio distribution also is narrowing as some retail agencies — unnatural and uneconomic ones in many instances — are falling by the wayside. In the writer's opinion the future holds the promise that the exclusive radio dealer and the music merchant will be the big competitive forces in retail distribution. There is much foundation for the opinion widely held that the music merchant to-day could occupy the dominant position in the retailing of radio, certainly receiving sets, if the opportunity to preempt the radio field had been seized a few years ago. Possibly as widely held is the opinion that the radio manufacturer failed to utilize the music merchant, in the early stages of the industry, to the fullest advantage. Regardless of the responsibility and without useless recriminations about conditions in the past, it seems certain now that the exclusive radio dealer and the music merchant are entering upon a new era of dual leadership in the retail market. In this predicted competition and in spite of the exclusive radio dealer's evident advantage in having technical experience behind him and experts on his staff, the music mer chant has many natural offsetting advantages on his side in the distribution of receiving sets. Among these, as is well recognized, is his experience in selling tonal quality of musical in struments. No longer are receiving sets sold extensively by long-winded and technical dissertations on their interior mechanism, but instead there is increasingly persuasive sales appeal in tonal performance. Also the piano dealer is accustomed to meeting problems of acoustics in home installation, which have very parallel problems in radio installation. The piano dealer especially is backed furthermore by long experience in selling high-class merchandise which becomes a cherished furnishing of the home. In this respect, too, the radio is taking its place in the development of rich cabinet housings. Furthermore, the music merchant is accustomed to instalment selling, which is becoming more prevalent in the marketing of radio as the quality and price of receiving instruments are increasing to meet the public demand for beauty as well as utility in their family radio. The music merchant has an established and trained organization. He has a list of prospects in every customer of the past for a piano or other musical instrument — each one to-day being a prospect for the sale of a radio receiving set. The music merchant also has established credit lines and financing system. He, above all, is the musical merchandise mentor in his community. It will be noticed that emphasis has been placed on the advantage which music merchants might find in the marketing of radio receiving sets. It seems to be the better opinion among radio manufactu rers that the music merchant should confine himself to the handling of receiving sets. It seems to be the consensus of opinion that the handling of radio parts has too many complications. It entails the carrying of a considerable inventory of varied lines, requiring technical knowledge of radio circuits and apparatus, as well as calling for different methods of merchandising. Therefore, it appears that the music dealer should handle radio accessories only in a limited way and to such an extent as will enable him to sell a complete equipment. An exception might be the handling of a line of tubes. This has been found by many music dealers to be a successful adjunct to a receiving set business. But in the distribution of complete sets with built-in reproducers and socket power equipment (which looms as the ultimate radio product) the music merchant is well equipped to function efficiently. The development and improvement of broadcasting has not only established the radio industry but insures its future. Farsighted leaders among the manufacturers and broadcasters have laid well the foundation for a new and greater industry, which already is too big to be a mere adjunct of the electrical industry and also too vast for the marketing of its products under control of any one distribution agency or any one manufacturing group. While the inevitable competition of radio with other musical instruments has caused realignments and readjustments in the music industry, the radio is not an element of injury to the music merchant — except to that music merchant who refuses to recognize the changed conditions in the radio industry. Plaza Music Go. Aids Dealers With Advertising The Plaza Music Co., 10 West Twentieth street, New York City, manufacturer of "Pal" portable phonographs, is co-operating with dealers in planning advertising designed to build sales. Some of the advertising very cleverly ties up with important sectional events. For example, the newspaper ad for January 19 tied up with the birthday of Robert E. Lee, of Civil War fame. This ad is, of course, of particular interest in the South. This is the kind of co-operation that is aiding dealers who handle the "Pal" line to build up a profitable sales volume.