Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-09
"JOY- RIDERS" PROVE
BIG RADIO PROBLEM
Take Advantage of Tryout Sales
Method and Sponge on
Dealers.

A brand-new radio problem has bob
bed up, but 1t is bothering only the
retail receiving set dealer. Demon
stration joy-riders" are the offenders.
A demonstration joy-rider is one who,
month after month, tries out the dill
ferent makes Of receiving sets and gets
his radio service, perhaps during an
entire season, without buying any equip
ment.
To boost their merchandising Of sets,
practically all radio dealers have adopt
ed the demonstration TRY 1t yourSel1
IN your own home" method. 1t Is
good sales wrinkle and works success
fully in a large number of cases. But
along with it has developed the slz-
able army of "joy-riders" who drive
their way through a radio season with
only the electric bill to pay. With so
or so different makes of sets on the
market, and with three or four more
models of each maker, it can readily be
seen how one may sponge" on the
radio dealer for an indefinite period.
Something must be done about this
situation, but the dealers for the coun-
try. as a whole, have not decided just
how. In one city, however, according to
a report to the Chamber of Commerce
of the United States, serious effort Is
being made to cut down the number OF
"joy-riders'' Chambers of Commerce
in other cities which have cautioned
their dealers to beware of the demon
strationjoy-riders are watching the eX-
pertinent with interest.
In this city, which for professional
reasons is unnamed, the arrangement IS
between the local chamber of commerce
and the radio dealers. Each dealer
turns in to the chamber demonstra-
ton report showing the names and ad-
dresses of all persons to whom demon
STATIONS have been made, now long
each prospect kept the particular ma
chine, and why it was not purchased.
The radio industry, which has been
riding on the crest OF a wave OF pubic
demand, and works out its campaigns
on the basis of the experiences of the
automobile industry, has adopted an
other automobile sales idea. 1t Is the
1.-TWO car scheme. Automobile dealers
adopted this sales idea after the used
car market became saturated. 1t is to
encourage prospects to keep the old car
for everyday running about and use
the new one for Sundays and special
occasions, rather than trade In the Ola
one. Radio dealers are using the Two
radio set" idea with the same objective
to prevent the cluttering up Of the radio
with used and obsolete sets. The IN
dustry suggests that, instead of trading
in the old sets and getting little or
nothing for it, the prospect install it IN
another part Of the house or apartment
and place the handsome new receiving
set in the living room for SHOW" as
we'll as service.
In this age Of practical comfort an
other practical idea has been developed
by the radio industry. 1t is that of re-
mote control switches for your radio
that is, If your set is located in the liv-
ing room, have switches for it in the
bedroom or the kitchen or anywhere In
the household. Operated on the same
principle as the remote control electric
light, which you can turn off or on from
upstairs, the radio switch can be wired
from your set to any place you desire.
Copyright, 1929. by the Consolidated Press
ASSociation.)