Chicagoland dealers seek injunction against Biasco Piano Co.

[Tvak@aol.com]

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The following article was brought to my attention and I thought that all of 
you (or at least some of you) might be interested in it.   The heading on the 
printed-out article indicated that it appears at MMR Online, but no web site 
address was given.   (MMR stands for Musical Merchandise Review.)   

I tried going to www.MMROnline.com and I got Mineral and Metals Online.   
www.MMR.com got me MicroMiniature Refrigerators.   So I can't verify the validity 
of the following article.   

Still, I have no reason to believe that the article isn't true, having been 
given to me by the head of the tech shop where I work.   

Anyway, here it is, copied word-for-word, (including some bad grammar) 
although I omitted the names of the dealers seeking the injunction, and the names of 
the attorneys filing the injunction.

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"Chicagoland dealers seek injunction against Biasco Piano Co.

Five Chicago-area music dealers sought a preliminary injunction against 
Biasco Piano Co. in late June, alleging Biasco Piano has engaged in a variety of 
advertising practices in violation of the Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices Act 
and the Illinois Retail Advertising Regulations.

The motion asserts, in part, that Biasco Piano Co. "misrepresents the source 
and/or geographic origins of its merchandise; it misleads consumers as to its 
affiliation with certain piano manufacturers and its ability to sell new, 
fully warranted, products by certain manufacturers; it misleads and confuses 
consumers by failing to clearly disclose certain items it advertise are used; it 
misleads consumers as to the length of time it has been in business and the size 
of its operation; it uses inflated, fictitious MSRP and/or "regular" prices 
to falsely represent price reductions and mislead consumers as to savings the 
consumer will realize..."

Further allegations include misrepresenting digital pianos as acoustic 
pianos, misrepresenting real or regular prices of pianos pictured in advertising, 
bait-and-switch advertising, advertising incentives which it does not tend to 
provide, and failing to disclose hidden charges such as the additional cost of a 
matching piano bench."


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No mention of baby-stealing, so they could be worse!

If true it will be interesting to see how this pans out.   I have to mention 
that there has been no let-up in the ads in the Chicago Tribune, so if an 
injunction has been issued, it certainly has had no effect on the ad campaign.   

Tom Sivak


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