r q 50 Ciat+ 4, 1961 C eptember eD I - t` , W di! B V WEP$ oc o + Programming Coin Machine Operatin Music, -Phonograph Merciï= ñdisng to -Tv GOODY 'PLUS 2' REACTION VARIED 2' Gets Wait Juke Box 'Plus Ops Cool And See Action By LEE ZHITO Nuuunmimn To Plan Jim Conkling's 'Plus 2" innovation HOLLYWOOD - CHICAGO -Warner Bros.' new August 28), aimed at stimulating singles sales, last week short (BMW, ingenious" to "Plus 2" plan of adding a stirred industry reaction here ranging from "it's side of a however, agreed on one bonus selection to each "it won't work." All who commented, single has lifted a lot Records, the firm he heads, 45 r.p.m. point: Conkling and Warner Bros. of eyebrows in the juke box busi- deserve credit for attempting to find a solution to one of the business. ness. industry's knottiest problems, the waning singles are frankly surprised as exclusively reported in last Operators Conkling's "Plus, 2" plan, by the move and the reaction to offers the singles buyer a bonus track on each will week's BMW, the just what effect, if any, it side by the same artist for the same price. Idea is to give business is cutting the price of have on the juke box consumer more for his money without nixed. the dealers' mark -up while attempting singles, thereby protecting A spot check of operators here singles sales excitement. Conkling said his label will to create release, in Chicago has drawn comments go on a full "Plus 2" policy starting with its September from, "It's just a mm in an indushy -wis, everywhere and called upon other labels to tom watered -down version of the old effort to bring back the singles business. (Continued on page 47) Wait and See I if The Boys will help me this time? no hurry wonder BMW found most CQást -based manufacturers in aboard Warner's "Plus" bandwagon. Nearly everyone to jump proves itself said his firm will "wait and sec," and if the plan of WB's increased singles sales, only then will others -Up by virtue wait and see Comment Round come to Conkling's support. Many of those on the Cross- Country Price side indicated their personal belief that the "Plus 2" approach was not the answer to dwindling singles sales. Lloyd Dunn, Capitol Records' marketing vice- presi- Dealers Said Scene Midwest (oast Tags It dent: "Plus 2" plan, N.Y.C. "We haven't given any thought to trying the interested in what has been done, and will See No Effects but we are extremely creative Action' watch its developments with keen interest. Any new and Goody's price 'Local records should be wel- 'Yeas' & 'Nays' CHICAGO -Sam thinking that can be applied to single slash on singles is an attempt to HOLLYWOOD - Record in- entire industry." and last week comed by the label By REN GREVATT squeeze out his competition dustry leaders here Challenge Records' President Joe Johnson (whose an effect Sam Goody's singles Said (Continued on page 37) NEW YORK Sam Goody's will not necessarily have shrugged off - singles outside the New York area, accord- price cut in New York (BMW, decision to drop the price of brush fire announced late last ing to some dealers here. Others August 28) as a local to 56 cents, view. couldn't spread, and therefore week, has caused a flurry of con- took a more serious that wisdom of it little heed. One thorn that versation, long distance phone All questioned the paid Goody's move in view of the profit did find its mark among some here Expects $5 Million calls and in some quarters more Goody was Dot reactions ranging from loss, but added it reflects the stub- concerned the fact that vociferous the manufacturers to buy singles at a price ob- "bravo" to "a curse on Goody's born attitude of able recognize a growing viously better than dealers else- house' in the trade. A number who refused to from business trend that emphasizes where. Salis Program Take of the reactions have come Record Dealers Fall West Coast, small profit on large volume. Said Society' of as far away as the noted that Howard Jud- New York situation One Chicago dealer (SORD) President where a local stubbornly re- (Continued on page 8) Randy Wood Foresees $2 Million Gain would ordinarily be expected to singles prices have mained 60 cents at the distributor have little effect. consumer Through Incentives himself has received a level and 98 cents at the Over 1960 Figure Goody the record mar- of phone calls with such level, even though CONKLING SAYS before De- number flooded with prod- HOLLYWOOD - Dot Records be accepted anytime questions being posed as "What ket currently is in cember 25); (3) dealers will receive doing ?" and uct. He said singles prices eventu- 'PLUS 2' SAVES expects to ring up $5,000,000 do you think you're the man- the month a 10 per cent discount (buy are you getting the ally will have to drop with sales during September, six "So where Catalog Program. nine albums, get one free); (4) ?" Despite the trade ufacturers and distributors taking SINGLES PRICE of its 1961 Fall records from prices. A prediction, figured at the months dated billing calls for pay- Goody reported that con- the initiative in lowering HOLLYWOOD - Warner The sales furor, dealer said his store re- President Jim manufacturer's price level, was ments in installments of 1 /6th of sumer reaction was relatively mild. Cleveland Bros. Records page 8) (Continued on page 8) Conkling, whose "Plus 2" plan made to BMW by Dot President (Continued on page 3) (Continued on It exceeds by some to stimulate singles record Randy Wood. with the sales harvest reaped record sales coincided $2,000,000 price - by Dot during last year's Fall Pro- Sam Goody's singles Index to Contents slashing (BMW, August 28), gram. found that Goody's 1961 sales plan closely last week Dot's Hnt C &.W. Sides 35 Music- Phonograph move "dramatizes the need for its offer of a year ago General 35 12 parallels Hot R 58. Sides Merchandising solution to the "six 20 a constructive Including its precedent setting Intornational Music Singles Programming Guide ..26 problem." 4 of the Week -2 industry's singles months to pay" benefit and tops Manufacturer News Too LP's 24 Album Cover 8 Records .25 From Conkling's vantage previous deal with the addition Telnnt News Too LP's by t.etegory 1+ Best Buys in the Phonographs & point, his "Plus 2" approach a special discount. (Last year's Too Market Beekouts to Best Selling of Musk Pop Charts Tepe Recorders 12 is a more nearly palatable offer excluded a price -break.) The 12 Records 26 Disk Deals for Dea'ers solution since it saves the sin- complete 1961 plan is as follows: Best Buys in Reviews Phonographs & gles structure for dealer. Best Selling P 2, price 1 Rrss:c. s Complete 1961 Plan Tape Recorders 12 one -stop and rack Single Record Reviews ......26 Coin Machine Operating .. 47 distributor, (1) Dealers are being offered the Best Selling Sheet Musc in jobber, but gives the customer 42 50 more complete Dot catalog of LP's and U. S. Radio -TV Programming -.10. 10 Bulk Vending a break by giving hint Bubbling Under the Hot 100..30 ('nin Machine News '.1 EP's, including its current releases; Artists' Biographies 10 music for his money. Goody's Double Play Disks 48 Coin Machine Price Index 36 value will be pro- Programming Penes 10 approach cuts down the (2) their purchases Hits of the World 14 Play Disks 48 Yesteryear's Hits 10 Double in the eyes of the tected by a full 100 per cent guar- Honor Roll of Hits 41 Programming lOuioe...26 of the single vs, In, 10 Singles if it could possibly antee for return or exchange at Hot 100 30 buyer, and, of the dated billing be followed by dealers else- the conclusion less period (merchandise purchased un- where, it would mean der the plan cannot be returned 21,428 profit for all concerned. until March 15, with the exception Paid Circulation. This Issue, of Christmas product which will www.americanradiohistory.com 2 BILLBOARD MUSIC WEEK SEPTEMBER 4, 1961 Distrib Weiss Claims Business Booming; RECORDS FIGURE HIGH ON TEEN GIRLS' XMAS GIFT GIVING, GETTING LIST Competing Racks Cut Some Disk Prices NEW YORK- Teen -aged girls (13 -19) rate their records high on Christmas gift lists -both for "getting" and HOLLYWOOD Weiss, according to "giving" - -Milton least 35 dealers come into my Weiss' one -stop crackdown his op- Seventeen magazine's study of the December, the Los Angeles distributor who place who 1960, holiday gift had been buying at one - eration has not felt the pinch. He scene. Last Christmas 2,020,1)00 of Seventeen's recently stopped selling one -stops I young readers stops. hadn't seen them in a long said he has other sources of supply, received records as gifts, with three out of four ( "they're in with girls direct competition time, but now they're back. Each and if Weiss refuses to receiving records they had requested. us claimed sell him, A "), last week his sales one of these are customers we can he's only losing those comparison of the mag's 1960 Christmas gift were soaring as two of area's sales to an- with a survey the sell other records besides only the other supplier.