You may have seen on another section of the forum about a brick and mortar shop facing a financial crisis.

In the movie "Other People's Money" starring Danny Devito he gave a very apt speech, perhaps some of you recall it. I only mention it because it sprang to mind when I read about the situation.

I thought I could buy something from the shop to boost its sales and their prices are comparable to Amazon, but the shipping cost stopped me.

Just to be clear this isn't a slam on the brick and mortar owner, just an observation about the age of Amazon.

I could always use spare 3d Rabbits and $15 is a fair price. Same price on Amazon, however, the brick and mortar wanted to charge me $6 for shipping while Amazon offered free shipping.

Now back to the Danny Devito movie. Is this another situation of the Buggy Whip argument?

For the record I love going to brick and mortar shops, but my location sort of make that difficult and Amazon really knows how to Woo you.

Thoughts?

The efficiency (?) of the internet has caused a massive paradigm shift in the way we do everything.

Survival of the fittest, and all that.

True, but I hate to see them go.

I've always imagined that in my latter years that I could become a surly magic shop owner. It was a dream I had.

I suppose once magic became available to the masses online that this was inevitable.

I agree.
Also,I think that the retail experience is am important part of our social interaction.

Ultimately, the brick and mortars will have to adapt to the point where their online presence is strong enough to allow them to compete.

The rest are already dinosaurs; and we know what happens to them.

Maybe they need to specialize.

Everything that is prepackaged can always be undersold by Amazon.

A limited release of a quality prop would be worth the extra money just not to be a Borg Magician.

Just look at all of the chair suspensions out there...

Isn't this precisely the argument for free trade, outsourcing of jobs, etc.? If local factories can't manufacture as cheaply as foreign ones, then they should go the way of the dinosaur...

I'm not stating my opinion on the matter. But it is certainly topical.

That prop would have to do something amazing; otherwise economics dictate that the more you make of them, the more you make.

In many areas, magic for example, I think there is a great benefit to seeing it in person, by real people in the real world.

The are many factors involved here.
In New York City, for example, the skyrocketing rents make it virtually impossible to make a profit. Many larger retailers opened stores knowing they wouldn't make a profit; the premise being that they needed a real world presence. Now they are closing those stores.

The ZigZag was pretty amazing now, but do to mass saturation of the market they have become pasay but I see your point.

I just added up my Subscribe and Save items on Amazon and was surprised to find that I'm spending over $200 a month.

I do have 4 accounts though (family members).

Maybe Amazon will kill the grocery stores one day...

Amazon did not do the killing. Customers who stopped going did.

Isn't that sort of like a magician blaming his audience for a bad show?

Not at all. Why did they quit conning? Because the customer service and experience of going into the shop didn't outweigh savings.

All I pointed out in your analogy was a bad show. I did not, until now, mention a possible reason for such a thing.
Customers have to come through the door or there is no reason for a door.


I worked at Magic Inc. for 10 years. Believe me the decline long predates the advent of Amazon.

Funny. Just a few years ago I was given for Christmas an Amazon gift card of decent value. As it had been a tight year budget wise and I had not purchased any magic, I looked on Amazon hoping to perhaps be able to get something nice. A book maybe. Sadly, besides magic kits geared towards children or beginners, there was nothing. Nada. Zip. Times sure change.

That said, I've always prefered brick and mortar stores, whether for magic and other special interests. Part of it was the "fun" or "experience" factor. I still to this day remember the anticipation and excitement that ran through me the first time I took the elevator up to Tannen's and waited for the door to open (although the niave teen me had visions of it being a large showroom based on my perusal of their catalog). Sadly, like old fashioned comic book stores, hobby shops, bookstores (old-school!), and record stores, they are a very endangered species in this time.

Carter

I tried to find a brick and mortar magic shop on my last trip to the States, but there wasn't one within an hours drive.

It is always nice to see something demo'ed live instead of watching a heavily edited video.

I buy things like sponge bunnies and long handled change bags on Amazon, but the few props that I don't make I buy on Auction sites.

I don't think "Amazon" is killing brick and mortar unless you are using "Amazon" as a generic term for "internet magic shops". I think Penguin is the biggest culprit. Actually, several Amazon "order fulfillers" are actual brick and mortar stores also (The Magic Warehouse for example). I agree with Danny to a point. Customers who have, or had, a real brick and mortar need to utilise them whenever possible. Unfortunately many, if not most people nowadays, only have online access for their magic needs.

I don't think I have used Amazon yet.

I travel for work. When I do I always try boy go to brick and mortar magic shops. Almost all have added additional goods or seadvices...costumes, make up, games, comics. Or unique, handcrafted items or areas for performances/shows/special events. So many are trying to offer unique experiences. But I've been so disappointed in my visits to various shops. Most can demonstrate or even explain a trick they have on display. Once I was talking to an owner and asked about a trick he had...he asked me if the knew about the magician who was creator. When I said I didn't he called me a dumb sh!t. I stood...froze...not believing what I heard. Only time I've gone into a shop and not bought a thing.

Brick and mortars can survive...but they have to offer value to their customers.

Im curious as what the effect rick was Imgic?

I don't recall the trick but he asked if I knew Brother John. I'm a hobbyist and not all that well versed in magic, and didn't realize he was talking about Brother John Hamman

I once worked for a man who insisted the internet was a fad, even as sales plunged.
His only strategy was to constantly raise prices in response to shrinking sales.
When I asked him why people would pay those prices, his response was "they have to, because I need them to."

Like I said, dinosaurs.