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Sole-agency agreements and the distribution of consumer durables in inter-war Britain

Bibliographic Data

ID8420138
AuthorsNicholas D Wong (0000-0002-4667-978X, University of Liverpool, corresponding author), Andrew Popp (0000-0001-9603-7681, University of Liverpool)
Year2018
Volume60
Issue6
Pages884-907
Publication date2018-08-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueBusiness History (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-6791 • E-ISSN: 1743-7938
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00076791.2017.1360287
OpenAlexW2742886530
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited11

This article uses a case-study approach to explore the use of exclusive sole-agency agreements in the distribution and retailing of specialty branded consumer durables in inter-war Britain, a neglected topic in the business history literature. Utilising an extensive correspondence between piano manufacturer Broadwood and Sons, and Liverpool-based musical instrument retailer Rushworth and Dreaper (with comparisons made with two smaller sets of manufacturer–retailer correspondence) we argue that the stability of a sole-agency agreement encouraged the emergence of a highly reciprocal and collaborative relationship that led to innovations in marketing, selling, branding and product development. We urge a reconsideration of the value and effect of sole-agency agreements

Advertising · Agency (philosophy · Business · Business history · Competition (biology · Distribution (mathematics · Economics · Management · Piano · Position (finance · Product (mathematics · Reciprocal · Sociology · Value (mathematics · American History and Culture · Decadence, Literature, and Society · Finance · Historical Economic and Social Studies · Marketing

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