St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-18
SELLING A PIANO.
An Old HIND ut she BHsinsss Gfres a
Gr~enhos-n SOM Points.

"You see,'' SAID the piano man tn his new
help, as he touched up al old SO stool with
little boiled oil and kerosene till Il looked
like brand new 81 article, ''every one who
comes here 10 buy or hire a piano knows
more or less about the machine-principally
less-and it's the duty Of a good salesman TO
guide them, so 10 speak"
al understand that, said the new man.
''Oh, you do, do youi' said the boss,
softly, as he rubbed his brush over scratch.
Chow would you 90 10 work with strong
looking woman in turned silk dress aud
cleaned kid gloves, who wanted TO hire 500
piano for IS a month, aud not pay for send
ing 1t homer
.'Wny, ia just tell her It could not be
done, and let her walk out as soon as she
could; that's all, :" said the new man. with q
look OF supreme indifference on his face.
fYou are like all the rest Of 'em." said
the boss sadly, as he keyed up a 500 imita-
tion grand TO make a sound like 500 one /:
''all you lack is patience and judgment and
about ten years experience 10 be a good
piano salesman. Now, you just listen 20
me, and I'll tell yoa more in a second about
piano selling than you know in a lifetime. j"
Spiel" said the new man, as he CON-
posed himself to rest on piano stool the
boss had just picked out TO send to a Tehama
street residence.
'There you 90, said the boss; don't you
know that's $40 stOols'
'Well, what IL il is!''
"What if il isi' screamed the boss, break
ing wire in the excitement OF the moment;
edo you suppose that $40 stools will stand
sitting oni Now, listen to me, and I'll
oh. IL. ..r1f
ness. You see, every woman knows all
about PIANO. II she don't, some one else
does, or thinks so, and sine is sure to tell her.
There's cool hundred dollars profit 10 US on
$500 piano, if we get it; but we don't;
there's the trouble. We have 10 divide. just
the same as IL we were politicians. A lady
comes into the store and SAYS she wsnts TO
buy piano. Alter trying every instrument
in the place, or having Us try them, and get
ting all the prices, she says. 'I'll not make
up my mind to-day. III get my daughters
music teacher, who knows all about pianos.
TO come down and try them Next dav
along come the music teacher, with card
which says she is from the conservatory OF
music at Milan. Why, I've had cards enough
of old Milaners here 10 fill the conservatory,
let alone leave room for the teachers and
pupils. Says the teacher, after I've got over
the paralyZing effect of the card TN be down
tomorrow with Mrs. So and so to pick out
piano. OF course / expect the usual COM
mission. Yes ma'am'. SAYS |. 10 per cent, ,
and away she goes. Next day the buyer and
music teacher come and pick out a piano
The music teacher does some heavy Standing
around, tries every one opened and gives
her opinion as wise as an owl. or course,
she can't tell the difference between good
piano and bad one"
''0f course not" echoed the new man
''Nor you either, / don't believe" snapped
the boss, with mean look
in his face. 'sAnd why can't
youl cause no one but maker or a tuner
can. A good tuner will get the same sound
out Of a $500 plano as any one can out of
the best instrument made. That Is, he viii
in piece of moderate size. You can't tell
anything about piano by playing il; only
whether it's in tune or not. And the more
you know about playing the less you are
likely TO know about pianos. Yes, sir; a
cheap piano will sound as well as good one
But how long will it lastl That's the ques-
ton. That's where the music teachers
fooled. She'll nose around inside and look
at the hammers bobbing up and down, poke
her parasol at the wires and run her fingers
over the keys, and that's all she knows about
it. When she's got through wasting our
time she'll advise the lady to buy the one
nearest the lady's price, quarrel with me
about getting a music stool thrown in, and
and that's all. We have to give her 10 per
cent. for doing that, and, besides, she'll
want commission on every bit of music
the lady buys"
''Suppose you did not give up would not
the customer buy anyhowr' asked the new
man.
You are a nice one, you are,'i said the
boss, with a look of contempt "Buyl Sup
pose she did buy, and pay. too! It 'ud be
nice thing to have on your mind, wouldn't
ito have a mad-house teacher a-hovering
over your piano and giving II a black eye,
and making the lady and her friends all
weary Of it. Fancy having sweet thing in
a bingham dress saying to one of your best
customers: "Mr. Bland did not treat you
right about that piano, ma'am. / am sorry
to say that its tone is SO bad that dear Ethel's
ear is being ruined" The first thing vou
know the ady'ull want you to take it back
II you don't you are a cheat, and she'll not
only take her trade away. but she'll ruin you
among her friends. You are smart one.
you are, to talk about qdarrellng with music
teacher. Why, I'd sooner give 'em half the
profits"
81 see, sir" said the new man, humbly.
That's all simple" continued the boss;
''but the finer art comes in with tough
customer. One that wants three half dollars
fora dollars. You have got TO play that kind
mighty low down or some one else will catch
their trade. A cheap snowy piano is the
kind of thing TO catch them; but YOU want
TO hold it back and seem very reluctant to
sell it. Wait till they've found fault with
the price OF tone of nearly every instrument
in the place, and then bring out your best
bower so TO speak; but be sure to put il on
the market with care. Ask a very stiff price
first. Hint that you don't care b sell it at all.
but rather than see hated rival take trade
from your store YOU would part with any,
thing If she takes the hint she'll try 20 beat
you down quaIte or so. Meet her eradu-
ally, fight for every dollar, and MUD you. the
second she does say yes grab for the coin for
for fear she might change her mind"
"You can rely on that, " said the new man.
snow, about the hiring business" con-
tinued the boss. ''gIere is the best part of
our trade, but it needs care. new piano,
when it first goes out for hire, is worth IS a
month, One that has been used some time
is only worth So. But there are tricks.
thank God.'' calculated the boss, as he tied a
label bearing the name j. G. Fair on the leg
oil an old, broken down square piano, big
enough for campaign rostrum.
''Now, here's an old jingier that's paid for
itself five times over, and brought US in
enough for carriage TO buy a new wagon. It's
beauty-a bonanza always call it. Fair
got it back from North Beach only yesterday.
I'll have it vanished by noon and out at the
mission before the end Of the week. Wien
party comes for piano that can see don't
know much l trot out Fair. Beautiful instru-
ment; first prize at the Centennial
''Looks as If it might have won prize 100
years back, laughed the hired man.