My current magic dealer is J.B Magic Blackpool, England.
My question is to other dealers or others who share my experience below.
Whenever I go in sometimes I feel awkward asking questions as there responses seem to always be positive.
Why on the other hand don't they say that videos rubbish buy this one. I like a bargin, but am always willing to pay a little more for quality.
Maybe my relationship with the dealer isn't as established as it could be but I have been on a regularish basis for 3-4 years now.
I experienced the same attitude in Davenports London.
The sales staff were unfriendly and weren't willing to offer good advice.
Thanks to you guys I have managed to increase my knowledge pool of magic far beyond that magic dealers shop counter thanks!!!!!!!

I too have always found Davenports service to be lacking as well. But to be honest I've only been there three or four times but I have been treated better at shops I have only been to once on my travels. Try Repro Magic next time your in London. I have found them quite useful and informative and they have a comfy couch for the wife to relax on while you are looking over their fine equipment. Bought the best set of chinese sticks I have ever seen last time I was in.

There are many shops like that, I fear. I am very lucky to have a shop here in town (Dallas and Co.) where the people are fair, and give good advice. Even if it means less money.

But, like you said, the Cafe can be very helpful if your dealer isn't always looking out for your own well-being.

Could you imagine ANY other business -- from aardvark rentals to Zamboni repairs -- where the following was the case:

a) You can't examine the product before you buy it.

b) In some cases, you can't even see it demonstrated before you buy it.

c) If you don't like it, after you've bought it, you're out of luck -- because you can't return it.

Enough already with the line, "well, you're buying the secret."

I'm not! I'm buying the mechanism; I wouldn't touch the thing if I didn't already know the secret!

It's time magic buyers demanded -- yes, demanded -- that they, the ones who are laying down the money, be treated half-decently by those who are peddling the goods to get that money.

When I give a lecture to a magic group, I demo my products at the end. I don't just show what they do; rather, I explain in great detail how they work and how members of the audience can, if they want, make the product themselves.

In offering the items, I am offering my customers a SERVICE.

Service: that's a word that seems to have fallen out of favor among many dealers lately.

cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

Sadly in this day and age 'Magic' means 'Money' to far to many!

Interesting attitude isnt it?

I guess, they are making enough money already (and somebody must be making money - and as Peter and I recently discussed after his Lecture in Akron, it isnt the magicians who create the effects who are making the big money!)

I have a limited number of shops in my area. One is the farther away, and harder for me to get to, but it is always my FIRST CHOICE, becuase it is friendly and informative. No, he doesnt give the secret away before the effect is bought. But he does say, "That one is pretty good, but......." and steer me away from something that wont work for my skill level, or perfroming style.

In addition, I get a call form them on ocassion, saying this new video, or this effect looks like soemthing that you would enjoy. Now that is service.

Going to the other shops is like going to the dentist. Nothing but discomfort and an attitude that you need them, and they are too busy to waste time on you, so hurry up, and get in line. And I only go if I HAVE to go there.

Guess where I send my friends and associates? And guess where my serious magic money is spent?

I hear from a lot of business (not just magic) that the online businesses have hurt them, and they cant afford to give good service. DUH...? If there is competition, you try harder, or mercifully for everyone, you get out of the biz. You dont concede by offering poor service and then limp along whining and with a bad attitude expecting that somehow you will survice.

BroDavid

BroDavid refers to a dealer who will "steer me away from something that wont work for my skill level, or performing style."

Cherish that dealer, David.
He sounds like one in a million; or, at least, one in a thousand.

cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

I wonder if any dealers are reading this & re-evaluating their attitudes? - - - - - - Nahhhh

Thanks guys these are brilliant thoughts. I'd hate to say it but i would be tempted to order over the web rather than walking out of a shop with a bad taste in my mouth.
I perfectly agree with Peter (this seems to be happening a lot)that you are buying a gimmick and not a secret. I once paid 20.00 quid (pounds) for a safety pin with a magnet attached. This was certainly paying for a crap secret. I always lean towards videos as they never tend to go towards gimmicks and if so something you should already have or could make.
why go to a dealer when i can speak to people over the web that already have the video or can give constructive critism in a review.
Thanks again for the replys

Good point, Sybilmagic.
Message boards, like this one, and magic digests -- where others can offer constructive criticism of various effects -- can only benefit magic by creating more informed consumers.
Sure, some dealers may complain -- just as I'm sure the candlemakers complained when the world started to switch to electric lights!
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

Hey Sybilmagic, I just noticed we live close to each other, maybe we could have a chat sometime?

All I can say is that in the Washington and Baltimore area we were blessed during 50 years with having the great Al Cohen, who is all of the positive things you could mention about a dealer, a businessman, a mentor, an acquaintance, a friend, a family man, etc., etc. Al will work with you, offer advice, steer you toward tricks at your level, not reveal any secrets, suggest better tricks over "lesser" tricks, suggest bargain tricks for those with less money, offer beginner tricks for kids just starting out, let other magicians do a little demo in the store if they're in there, and generally just be a real person. His successor, Steve Brown, is just the same, so we're all lucky. Al, for those who don't know, just recently retired, but the store remains the same, with the same name. It's on Vermont Avenue in D.C. and I suggest if you're in D.C. as a resident, or if you're just visiting, to drop in and say hi. It's a great magic shop and everyone loves it. So there's a positive word on magic shops. --Matt.

Hey if you would like real service, then ring Kieth Bennett< this man is what you call a real Dealer,, tell him Darren told you to call....

PM me for the phone Number

I have to agree on the Davenports attitude, but things have improved recently as a good friend of mine has started working there. He is south African and a good guy. But one place I have found good service is International Magic in the West end. These guys have let me examine tricks and read instructions to see if I would find the trick practical. If a trick is not so good they will tell me why. Sometimes they even have Jerry Sadowitz demo stuff. If you buy two videos they give you a fiver off one. That's good service.

I guess I have been very lucky in my dealings with magic dealers. I grew up in D.C. and remember Al as being a great inspiration for me, and then I joined the Military and was shipped to the west cost where I was lucky enough to find Brad Burt of the same Magic shop name and there I feel as though I've walked onto the set of Cheer's. everyone knows your name and they are also interested in YOU, not just selling you the newest thing on the block and I enjoy that.

Peace

I visited most of Europe's magic shops two years back and was only treated in a positive way in two of them (one in Rome specialized in card magic and International in London (where at least Martin is a nice guy (and also surprisingly to some Sadowitz))). For some reason demonstrators have a tendency to be *****s (yes I know there are exceptions) while you are in the store. They are always nice on conventions though. Perhaps there is a connection to think about there.

I have completely stopped buying anything in a store where I'm not treated like an adult.

For over 25 years I lived only an hour away from Al’s Magic shop in Washington, D.C. I doubt if two months went by where I didn’t spend several hours just hanging around the shop. Al was a gem, a gentleman, and one of the best, NO THE BEST magic demonstrator I have ever seen!

About 10 or so years ago Denny Haney opened his Denny & Lee’s Magic Studio an hour in the opposite direction. Denny was a working professional who knew what worked in magic. He would always steer me to what he knew I would like, use, and well within my skill level (yet make me stretch a little!).

Both of these gentlemen and the people they tended to have helping in their shops always made it a joy to visit, talk magic, practice magic, and yes, even buy magic.

Then my daytime job moved me west! I now live over three hours drive from either shop. I don’t get to visit as often as I did in the past. But I still get to Denny’s at least four times a year. Denny’s is my first choice in buying magic he has simply treated me so well that I will remain a loyal customer. If there is something I am interested in, I give Denny a call and discuss it on the phone. As often as not he gives me the straight scoop on it and discourages me from buying it. When I finally do buy, the item arrives at my doorstep within two days!

Chris Smith’s Internet shop is also a great outfit to do business with. I have only talked to Chris a couple of times but he seems candid about the products he carries (often to the point of losing a sale).

There are some genuinely honest, polite, and straightforward magicians out there who are also dealers. I am lucky to have found a couple and will stick with them even if it should cost a penny or two more!

You said a mouthful there. I first met Brad a hundred years ago, it seems. We were both working for Chuck Martinez in his Magician's World Magic Shop in San Diego. In all honesty, we hardly knew each other back then but for the past 25 years or so, we have been excellent friends.

His shop is a rare one, indeed. Now that I live in Australia, I have to settle for a phone call to Brad now and again to see how things are.

Brad and his staff go out of their way to find out your requirements so that you don't buy something that you can't or won't really use later. This kind of thinking makes it a joy to shop for magic. Since Brad is very careful about selecting his stock, he almost never sells a lemon.

Not all magic dealers are bad to their customers and not all of them have the trust in humanity that Brad has. He believes that no magician would use an effect unless they buy one. Prove differently to him and you won't get the same priveleges regarding full examination of an item the next time you walk in. Brad Burt and integrity are on the same page in the dictionary. I guarantee it!

Best,
Ray