When we make a purchase at our local magic shop, we are in effect, buying a secret. Is this not so? Every magic shop I have been in states that because the nature of magic is the secret, all sales are final, unless of course, your purchase is defective. That's a given, and we all accept it. No problem there.

If you walk into a shop and say to the dealer, "Could you show me that deck of Svengali cards?", the dealer will be more than happy to demonstrate this deck for you with a couple of different effects. If you like what you see, you buy the deck. If you do not like what you see, you simply say, "No thanks, but could you show me that copper/silver/brass set?" He does. You immediately fall in love with it,and you buy the C/S/B set. The dealer helps you learn the workings of the set and even gives you a routine you can use with it. Before you made your purchase he was more than happy to demonstrate the effect for you, and then when you bought it he was happy to assist you in learning the method. If not, you should be looking for another magic shop, but that is another thread discussion altogether.

My question is this. If it is okay to go into a magic shop and preview the effects that you are interested in, see what you like, and then buy what you want, why can this not be done with instructional dvds? I mean, we don't just go into a magic shop and buy an effect cold off the shelf. We all wouldn't go out and buy a car without test driving it. Why should buying magic dvds be any different?

I can go to my local library and borrow many different magic books such as Bobo's Coin Magic, Mark Wilson's Complete Course I'm Magic, Magic for Dummies, and so on. All very good books on magic. But nowhere can a place be found where you can preview an instructional magic dvd. Why is this? It seems like if I am willing to shell out anywhere from $20.00-$34.99 for an instructional dvd, I should at least be able to know what I am getting before I get home and open the case.

Why should I be forced to rely on pure chance as to whether I am getting a good instructional dvd? Many times I have purchased an instructional dvd, only to be disappointed with the contents. I can't take it back for a refund. I am basically stuck with it. Now if I had been able to preview the particular dvd, I would have known, "Gee, that's not my style", or "That's not quite the routine I was looking for in this effect." I could use my money to purchase something else that I would be happy with. My local dealer should be happy with this because if I am happy with what I am buying, I am buying more. He probably doesn't want me to buy something I am not happy with because I may not go back to his shop, perhaps. And if I do get something that is less than good, I will have to be very cautious about buying anything in the future for fear I will not get what I want.

Can we rely on the many opinions and reviews that are available here in the Café? Well, I think having as much information as you can get is a good thing, but all it really is, is opinion. And everyone is different. We each have our personal likes and dislikes, favorite performers/teachers, and routines. What may be great for Café member 'X' may not be great for me. For example, I love Patrick Page's Secret Seminars. I would recommend them to anyone. However, not everyone will be as enthusiastic about his material as I am. Is that bad? No, it just points out that everyone is different.

I just wished that there was a way that when we were interested in a particular dvd, that there was some way we could preview it before handing over hard earned money for something that may turn out to be nothing like what we had expected.

Perhaps if you just watched the performance part, but not the explanation? Although I have seen many dvds where the effect was outstanding, but the explanation left much to be desired. So, I don't think that is the answer. You can't really have a return policy because what would stop some from the 'burn and return' gig?

Perhaps if the shop had a back room with a tv and dvd player, or even a computer, you could go in, and put down a non-refundable deposit of say, $5.00, go in the back and watch the dvd. Then if you like it and want to buy it, you can do so, and get credit for your $5.00. If not, you lose your $5.00, but that's better than losing your $34.99 on something you're not happy with. And that way you know for certain you made the right decision.


I've just been curious about this and wondered what you guys thought about it. Perhaps some of you have the same opinion. I don't know what the best solution is, but I do know that I am very careful now when it comes to spending money on instructional dvds.

Thanks,
Mark

Well at my the magic shop that I go to, they have a set of dvd's that they have opened just to preview. So you can check out the performances and see if it is to your liking before you purchase the dvd.

Wow! You gotta like that! I know I would!

Thanks,
Mark

In my magic store opening up in Hawaii I will have a few LCD TV's playing demo videos of effects you find on DVD's and effects we sell not on DVD. I think it's a great idea to show the customer what would be on a DVD by leting them see the demonstration, which is on every magic DVD before the method and secret.

All of that sounds good. How hard is it to get a loanto open up such a store? I ask because I plan to do so as well when I am out of the military.

That is outstanding. You guys may be the trend setters! Maybe we can get some other shops to follow your leads!

Thanks!
Mark

It's actually easier than you think to get a loan. Just set the goal in your head that you want this to happen and there is always a way. Go for it wilder!

Whenever a new dvd comes out, you normally find a trailer for the effects on the internet anyway. Ok, you don't get to see the entire routine for every effect, but its better than nothing.

For dvds that contain just one trick though... like misleading mislead, hypercards, coin thru soda can etc, you do normally see the entire effect before buying it.

Well, I'm going to say this - one of the reasons that I like PenguinMagic is their instructional videos. The videos really help me when I first learned magic. I also purchased magic items from local magic store. The owner demonstrated the how-to for me and said to come back again if I needed more help. Sure, I can go back but not always find the time to do so. But PenguinMagic insturctional videos are there whenever I need to learn or to refresh. I think Sankey products now all have instructional dvd that come with all of his tricks too.

When I first got started into magic..The first place I went to was "Trifles and Treasures" In Rosselle Park N.J. and at first, wow the guys were real....
Anyway I hated that about the store but kept going.
Eventually they started to open up to me and tell me more resources for the art instead of trying to sell me little cheesy effects.
So I am completely all for worker's being able to demo.

Then on the other side of the story. I saw in a magic shop this july in San Antonio where the Children and I will say kids (5 to 12).. Well any way they where Demoed the Hover card and then they took them into a closet after they had purchased the effect.
I was alowed to go as well because I showed the guy that I performed. Anyway he was not the one teaching the kids the effect. It was his empoloyee who get this "DID NOT PERFORM MAGIC" they just new certain effects to teach the buyer. When I heard this I thought this was wrong. The look on the kids eyes was crushing. And the mom none the less was furious. So I told the employee to go take a break really fast and I explained to the kid that it was hard at first, and I gave him some pointers. He was a little relieved and his mom thanked me for taking the time out to really explain, Not like the other guy.
Now I understand that the performer was doing shows every 15 minutes so he couldn't teach the consumers. That is fully understandable, But at least have good workers who have some knowledge in both magic and people skills. I was really annoyed on how the guy was teaching. He spoke to this little kid as if he should know it and was stupid for spending that much money on "IT"
I in the other hand told him to "practice his little heart out, this is just the door to more incredible secrets in magic."

I have th e upmost respect to those who own and run a magic shop RIGHT!!
Kudos and keep it up. MAybe one day ill have my shop as well next to my restaurant. Where ALL the waiter are magicians. LOL one can dream right?