Hi All,  Back in the days before QRS wrapped there roll boxes with
plastic wrapping, most stocking dealers would allow their customers
to try a roll before making a purchase.  It was a win-win situation
because customers got the rolls they liked and dealers got to show off
their player pianos on a more regular basis.  Whether QRS realized that
wrapping the rolls would put a significant dent in sales and cause many
stocking dealers to ultimately stop buying the product, only QRS knows,
and they're not saying.  All they will say is that the wrapping was
instituted to preserve the freshness of the roll box and the
'virginity' of the music roll.

Until today, I could find no real 'saving grace' for the plastic wrap.
I know a number of stocking dealers here in New Jersey who stopped
restocking their shelves, claiming that the plastic wrap gave them a
legitimate reason to stop promoting the product.  Besides, they said
that keeping up with inventory had always been a paperwork hassle.
So, they were kind of glad that QRS started wrapping the rolls.

Today I changed my mind about the plastic wrap as a result of a letter
I received from an overseas customer.  They wrote, "Just a note to let
you know all rolls arrived yesterday as promised!  Good job they were
waterproof as parcel was soaking wet!"

Musically,

John A Tuttle
Player-Care.com
Brick, New Jersey, USA

 [ Gosh, John, does it ever rain in New Jersey?   ;-)   -- Robbie