Radio Sales

The swift spread of the radio habit in the U. S., coupled with the heavy increase in the sale of radio equipment, has led many business men to predict a similar expansion in Europe.

The U. S. Department of Commerce recently investigated this very subject, in connection with the possibilities of expanding export sales of U. S. radio-equipment makers. Some strange facts were discovered.

Some countries, such as Bulgaria, forbid by law the sale or use of receiving sets. The market in Belgium is enthusiastic, and daily broadcastings from Germany, France, England and Holland are clearly received there. The difficulty is, however, that European equipment-makers have cut prices so low that U. S. manufacturers can scarcely compete.

Germany has established an import licensing system, which in practice almost entirely excludes U. S. and other outside manufacturers. In Great Britain there are no such restrictions and the radio has already achieved great popularity. There are already 1,200,000 receiving sets. In this respect, England ranks second only to the U. S.

The best foreign customer ot U. S. radio-makers, however, is Canada, which imported $2,413,687 worth of U. S. radio equipment last year.