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shouksmiths Regular user York, England 109 Posts |
This may have been raised before but I am puzzled why any dealer would sell stuff that they think is of poor quality or a poor trick.
I can understand the point that when it comes to making a purchase if someone wants to buy it - especially having seen a negative review- then that's their call But it doesn't fill me with confidence in the other unreviewed items being sold by the shop. Doesn't selling 'poor quality tricks' eventually reflect on the dealer. Would it better in building longer term releationships with customers to ensure that when they buy they are going to be satsified and want to come back knowing they can trust the shop's selection of stock?? Really a question of quality control and I guess business strategy. It maybe that the shop wants to offer their customers a wider range as possible |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
I had a magic department for years in a custume shop. I can't speak for Dave and Craig but I can tell you that just because I don't care for something doesn't mean it does't have it's place.
There are people out there who will see the negative review of the electric dove and say "that is exactly what I need for my show". Same of the Supper Hammer etc. The job of the reviewer is to sort of "fill out" the information available about a product. Sometimes the only info you have to decide on a purchase is the ad copy. The ad copy may be honest or dishonest but it is no doubt incomplete. When writing the product description for the store I would always be honest but still wanted to increase the VALID sales of items even if I don't care for them. A VALID sale is one where the consumer is informed. So if I thought a product was a cheap piece of junk I might say "This value priced item will get the job done but don't expect it to last foverver" or something along those lines. I want to be honest of course but I want to increase the odds of selling that item to an informed consumer. At the costume shop we once got a box of little pigs. Each pig had a big hole under it's tail that was filled with a brown gell. If you squeezed the pig the brown gell came out the back in a sort of bubble. When you release the pressure it goes back in. I couldn't believe these were a real item for sale. Who would buy a pooping pig? They sold like crazy. I know this isn't a perfect example because they weren't badly made but were just tasteless. Still I was in the position of ordering month after month something that I would have given a very negative review to. |
shouksmiths Regular user York, England 109 Posts |
Good point Mike.
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slyhand Inner circle Good ole Virginia 1908 Posts |
Pooping pigs? Count me in!
I am getting so tired of slitting the throats of people who say that I am a violent psychopath.
Alec |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
Could you make them into a magic trick?
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BrendoneC New user 9 Posts |
I actually remember seeing those pigs for sale probably almost a decade now. But anyways back on topic, they can only review so many effects a week so of course there will be effects they have not rated, on their shelves because they are a business.
P.S. on the note of turning it into a trick, maybe a card corner to imPLOPable place. |
equivoque Special user 861 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-10-31 04:02, BrendoneC wrote: This was the first thing I thought of! |
pennjarr Regular user 110 Posts |
I know a few dealers that are very honest with the products they sell (Mike Danatas Magic Studio in the UK for example), I have gone in to ask about a certain product, and been told in no uncertain terms that they think it is rubbish/poor/pony etc. It is their opinion, and I am grateful for it. If everytime I asked about something I was told it was simply the best thing since sliced bread, that would seem a little weird. Most dealers carry such a huge range that they cannot test/check everyone of their purchases, they order some, it comes in, if they get time to look at it, they form an opinion.
Whether something is good or bad is subjective, if I trust a dealer and they share their opinion, I take it into account. But I have to make up my own mind. If they only stock the stuff that they rate, then they might miss out on my custom, because we don't like the same things. And back to your original question, there are so many new products coming out every day, for a dealer to check every item before they order is very time consuming, and the subjective nature of the filtering process potentially hazardous to their business. |
shouksmiths Regular user York, England 109 Posts |
Interesting point about not being able to check every trick. I guess that depends on the range you wish to carry.
Take Hank Lee - they carry everything! but then compare to Practical Magic - who have a much limited range, carefully chosen for a more specialist market children's performancse = then there are other places like Merlins who do make a concious decison about what to carry - and tend to refuse most of the new tricks. However after complaining bitterly about ACAAN on the last Wizard Review- suddenly Magic World is promoting a new CAAN - so clearly if it sells stock it! |
Gabz New user 19 Posts |
Some of the unreviewed ones are just classics:
I mean, why review a Thumb tip? But they do say that they have a review pile so it is possible that unreviewed tricks will be seen another time. Besides how can you not trust World Magic Shop? |
Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5150 Posts |
My local brick and mortar will order the hot stuff because that's what customers are looking for. Some buy them without question, because those effects - good or bad - are the latest buzz on the internet. We are talking about a business here after all. As a regular, I'll take the time to ask, and I'll get an honest review (I've never been let down so far). And, that honesty keeps me coming back.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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Wizard of Oz Inner circle Most people wish I didn't have 5150 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-11-01 12:01, shouksmiths wrote: I've noticed several internet sources beginning to specialize more and more by offering exclusive releases. For example, I visit Steven's Magic's site quite often - not because they're the best with customer service - but because they've always seem to cater to the more discerning performers and collectors. That may sound patronizing, but I've found their inventory to be well-researched and fairly reviewed, so they've gained my trust. Now, when I see a new exclusive effect they're introducing...my interest is peaked.
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
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pennjarr Regular user 110 Posts |
My comments were more to do with bricks and mortar magic establishments, and a good point by Shouksmiths, if you carry a smaller range then you do have time to check items beforehand.
Also if it is a poor item, it is unlikely to sell, and you are stuck with it taking up valuable storage space. The options for us buyers are so much bigger than in the past, if someone releases something in Australia, I can watch the video, carefully read the ad copy, read reviews, email someone I know who has it, and then order it, all without leaving my armchair. If I go into a shop, see an effect that is new to me, I have to evaluate it, on what I see, and discussion with whoever else might be there at the time (including the sales person). Even where effects seem to be universally panned (i won't name any products, there seem to be too many) there is often someone who pops up to tell everyone they are wrong, this is 'such a worker' with 'such potential'. I am sure with even the poorest products, there is someone, somewhere out there who is using it, and quietly making a living. All I can do, is listen to the opinions, apply my own experience and make up my own mind. Reviews good and bad help with the process, but they are at the end of the day only someones opinion. just as everything I have said is my opinion, its okay to disagree, and I always reserve the right to change my mind David |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
When I went to my first magic convention I bought a lot of stuff and had a lot of fun. At my second magic convention a more experienced magician was with me and told me which tricks were junk to be avoided. Well, I had more fun at the first one!
Just like when I was a kid and ordered stuff from the back of comic books. The skeleton that "crawled right out of your pocket" turned out to be a piece of plastic that clipped on and didn't crawl at all. The remote control hovering ghost was a balloon, a piece of white plastic, and a string. The 8 foot tall life-like plastic frankenstein was a poster (I didn't really expect a mannquin but I was kind of hopeing). I was a little dissapointed when I got those but the fun of ordering and the anticipation and laughing with my friends as we decided to scare my sister with the dumb ghost thing anyway made it all worth it. Being a magic shop dealer I thought some people took the whole thing too seriously. If you are really looking for that new trick for your act then of course you are going to shop carefully and probably talk to other performers who actually do that trick etc etc. But sometimes it's fun just to get something your curious about and not let anyone talk you out of it. You might discover a hidden gem. You might learn a new principle even if you don't love the prop. Please excuse this ramble down memory lane. |
shouksmiths Regular user York, England 109 Posts |
We all buy stuff for a range of reasons. Some because we just want to know how it works and others because we think we might use it in a routine
But we shouldn't get too hung up on it. Afterall magic is supposed to be a fun hobby and well all buy stuff we later regret. But a lot of stuff we love I like kids magic and have a few Supreme props. I may never use them but they are lovely things to have My rule when buying magic is to not buy immediately but make a note. It's amazing that even a week later I'll look at the note and think 'why did I even consider buying that!' |
asherfox Veteran user 366 Posts |
You will enjoying shopping at vanishing.inc.
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dp Veteran user 345 Posts |
At http://www.worldmagicstore.com the team respects that everyone has their own opinion. Just because I don’t like something it doesn’t mean that we don’t have many customers that have found interesting uses for products that Craig and I have slated.
We slated Hero this week by Chris Webb but would have been more than happy to stock it. As it happens Chris has said that he wouldn’t want us to stock items that we can’t sell. This came after an offer I made to stock it. To this date, I think this is the only item we have given a bad review of that Jon hasn’t got in stock. Cheers David
Close Up Magician & Illusionist - David Penn
Search The Wizard Product Review at http://www.worldmagicshop.com |
equivoque Special user 861 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-10-29 17:52, MeetMagicMike wrote: Yes! The effect starts with hitting the pig with a rubber hammer... |
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