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mysticalmike Special user Saratoga Springs, NY 509 Posts |
Do you think there would be any good business if I open a shop at a fair selling easy to do magic tricks? If you think so, what do you suggest I bring? Do I need to get any special tax # or business license or anything? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Mike |
Comedy Writer Special user 594 Posts |
Mike,
This sort of thing is a huge undertaking. Not just the magic, but the tax implications, inventory, how to sell, etc. It might become a lot like work. CW |
mysticalmike Special user Saratoga Springs, NY 509 Posts |
That’s ok. I've got a bookkeeper and she's been doing it since long before I was born. (Thanks to my mom, who is my bookkeeper.) It nice to have cheap help these days. Lol. I got a friend who sold magic before at a store, so I can handle inventory. Work, yes it is. But having fun is even better.
Mike |
FacadeTheStiltBoy Elite user Greensboro NC 474 Posts |
I think that the bookwork/backend part isn't much of a problem, it is more or less selling and dealing with kids and their parents. You might want to check the pitch section of the board a bit and ask a few questions there.
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Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
A magic shop with a very limited inventory such as Magic Masters would do well. I have seen it work. Keep prices simple.
If you have never sold anything before, then forget it. If you have never "pithced" anything before, which this is a lot more like, then be careful.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
RobertBloor Inner circle The Socialist Republic of the USA. 1051 Posts |
Yes you can make tons of cash if done right.
Check out Mark Lewis' book. I know his name is sacrilegious around here, but his "The Long & Short of It" Svengali pitch is second to none. http://www.marklewisentertainment.com/html/magicians.html Definitely keep it to a limited inventory. Remember you'll be selling IMPULSE buys, not "magic routines." A DVD as an up sell with lot of fun, easy to do magic would also sell. Just some thoughts. Good luck if you go for it! Robert PS: One thought that might actually help you make MORE money is this... Get the fair to pay YOU to "perform" for their guests and make sure your contract allows you to sell a few non-food, non-beverage, and non-glow product/light products. Then perform your "demo" act and pitch your decks etc. Sounds like a win-win-WIN to me!
"That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,"
-The Declaration of Independence |
drwilson Inner circle Bar Harbor, ME 2191 Posts |
I have done this, and Robert is spot on. It works great as B-O-R sales if you are paid to perform. It doesn't work as well if you are paying fair rents and trying to make money on the pitch. The key is limited inventory: Magic that looks good, is easy to do, and is cheap. That eliminates almost all magic.
I have sold Svengali decks, Adams Ball & Vase sets, Two Card Monte, other packet tricks, booklets like 101 Tricks with a Svengali Deck and 101 Tricks with Cards, a simple cups and balls set in plastic. I have heard that people have made money selling Dime and Penny sets or Nickels to Dimes. I'd recommend Barry Govan's One Pitch is Worth a Thousand Words and Don Driver's Svengali Pitch video. The Wonder Mouse or Fuzzy Worm is a great pitch too. Keep the prices at impulse buy levels for your area and make the pitch fast and entertaining. A limited choice is the key. In the ideal pitch there is only one choice, buy the thing now or walk away. Dig around in the Café, there is plenty of good advice here. Remember, you aren't a magic shop you are a pitch act. Yours, Paul |
mysticalmike Special user Saratoga Springs, NY 509 Posts |
Thanks every one I really apperciate all your advice. so keep it simply stuff thing that they can do once they get home. ok kewl. so tell me will a lot of fairs hire some like this even know they have no promo stuff. most of my stuff is at hospital, churches and nursing homes.
thanks mike |
Tyler_Magician Special user 509 Posts |
He's a kid looking to make an easy buck, but he is looking in the wrong place. It isn't easy to start up a shop and he's doesn't have enough knowledge to sell anything or even think about doing it right now.
-Tyler |
Colin Gilbert New user 77 Posts |
Probably that's why he is asking for advice.
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TomBoleware Inner circle Hattiesburg, Ms 3163 Posts |
Quote:
On 2006-07-18 20:19, mysticalmike wrote: Probably not Mike, if your talking about the state fairs. The fairs like to hire the bigger acts for the shows. You may want to look into doing some of the local smaller festivals. It’s not that hard to get a booth at those to sell your magic. There is some great information here on the Café already about working the Festivals. Tom
The Daycare Magician Book
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/amazekids/the-daycare-magician/ My Blog - https://boleware.blogspot.com/ |
mysticalmike Special user Saratoga Springs, NY 509 Posts |
The fairs around here aren't state fairs. I am not looking for a quick dollar. I looking to start in next 2 years. what I am trying to do is just get some advice so when I do start it I can. so know where to go from here. I i have someone that sold a lot of magic in a store. I have a bookkeeper. I am just trying to find out more info on the stuff. I don;t mean to sound stupid about this its all new to me. I mean I figure out easy card trick,cups and balls,ball vase and etc.
mike |
Donald Dunphy Inner circle Victoria, BC, Canada 7563 Posts |
Mike -
You do understand that the vendors at fairs and festivals usually pay to have their booth there? That is how the festivals pay for their entertainment, insurance, and other expenses, by charging the vendors who set up their booths. Even festivals and fairs that charge admission, also charge the vendors who set up booths (usually there is no discount just because they are making some income from the admission as well). They are in the business of paying for their expenses. Have you asked the festivals and fairs what they will be charging you for the booth? (Around here, can be as high as several hundred dollars per day.) This is different than a $25 table at the local swap and shop. The exception is some of these performers who do BOR after their festival shows, then they don't usually have to pay for a table if the festival committee agrees to the terms of the performer's contract, requesting BOR privileges. - Donald
Donald Dunphy is a Victoria Magician, British Columbia, Canada.
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TheMagicOfDamon New user 55 Posts |
I have worked in retail management so if you need advice on sales, P&L statements, inventory control, dealing with customers PM me. I have worked for 7 years for one the US top retail chains.
Setting up at a festival can be fun but remember this. In order to do it you will be working from morning to night. If the fair opens at 8am to the public you may have to be there at 7am or 6am for set up and if the fair closes at midnight you will be there a little after to cash out your cash box and clean up, reset inventory for the following day and this may continue for several days until the fair ends (normally 3 to 5 days of those hourse. You may need another person to help you so that you can take food and rest breaks. Second, you will need FIXTURES. They may provide you a booth with a table but if you go to most fairs, vendors have their own fixtures. If you are sellling small close up items and have 5 or 6 people to deal with you will not wnat your inventory accessible for theft. Even in the big chain stores we cant watch every nook and cranny and I have had my fair share of foot chases and fights with shoplifters. Fixtures can be VERY expensive. 3rd, are you going to just take cash only or will you be using a credit card system? Merchant accounts vary in fees and services and you have to have established credit (in most cases) to have one. You will need a PC with a modem to process this. You will also need a secure money box to keep the cash you take in. (Inexpensive ones can be purchased at any office store) 4th Liabilty insurance The fair my have insurance coverage for the entire grounds OR the individual vendor may be required to carry a certain amount of liability insurance should a customer be harmed by one of the products you sell. 5th Resale Certificate You will need to have a state resale certificate and show that you are legitmate entity. As mentioned above, this is totally different then going to your local flea market to sell products (although the IRS sometimes comes around and asks vendors of new products for their Tax ID certifcate) I have personally seen it happen. You will be required to report all sales to the state sales tax collector (not that we report EVERY single sale) I hope my information has been helpful, good luck with your venture. |
MagiUlysses Special user Kansas City 504 Posts |
Greetings and Salutations,
Damon covers it pretty well. My girlfriend and I started a couple of shops at a local renfaire a few years back, and we're still not sure if it's worth it. First, have you ever worked a fair before, and do you know any vendors. If you've worked fairs before, you should know what you're getting into. If not, find a vendor selling some sort of impluse product, buy him a coke and pick his brain clean. Most vendors operate at multiple fairs, travelling a circuit during the spring, summer, and fall and selling their wares. When you start, keep it as simple as possible. Get a pop-up or tent, a table, a couple of comfortable chairs, a cooler loaded with water, food, and snacks, and something that's going to set your pop-up or tent apart from all the other pop-ups and tents. You're at the mercy of the weather, the economy, payday cycles, and inventory management is, for a us, a completely scientific wild-eyed guess based on past performance, attendance projections and the proper alignment of the stars and moon. Besides which, you're your own boss, which sounds great until your employee(s) bail for whatever reason, and pay particularly close attention to the mention of "pitching." Working in a brick-and-mortar store and working out of a tent, pop-up, whatever, with a hundred other vendors all vieing for attention is the real work. We can always find people to work for us, we have great difficulty in finding people who can pitch to people, and that's the key to surviving the in fair or festival market. Taking credit cards made a difference of more than 30 percent in our sales, and are you going to take checks? Yes, some people still carry checks. If you're going to be strictly cash sales, keep your inventory simple, and your prices even simpler. And don't buy anything you don't want to keep two or more of or can give as gifts. Shoot for breaking even your first season or two, until you figure out what the fair's customer base is like. Remember, most businesses don't make money until the third to fifth year. Good luck. Joe in KC |
DonDriver Inner circle 1790 Posts |
Don't open a 'magic shop" just pitch the Svengali deck or the worm or both as a package deal.You'll make way more money pitching.Their are 1000 reason why you will but I won't go into them all.Just trust me on this one.
Go to http://www.magicpitch.com and look at a clip from my Svengali pitch video. By the way magic pitch is now the only place to order either of my DVD's Don |
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