Now that I have seen them at dollar stores, do you have a problem with people saying "You can buy that at Dollarama for a buck" during your pitch?

I had thought about doing a flea market pitch with them as an extra income stream.

Neal,

When they sit on a shelf nobody thinks about them.You could set up outside the dollar store,do a pitch and they would buy them from you for $6.00.

Don't let this even cross your mind again.

Later,Don

Cool. I may consider this. Even if I buy them for a buck from the store, I can mark them up enough to make it worth while, and if I pick them up there's no shipping.

If I start pitching though, I will need larger quantities when people start throwing money at me because they are so excited

Neal,

You can't work that way buying them from the dollar store.You have to buy them wholesale.Besides I'm sure the squirmle from Carl is in a much better package and has much better directions.Just trust me on this one.

As a matter of fact, I just worked the New York state fair back in August.A Wal Mart was just down the street selling the same squirmle for $2.76.( I was getting $6.00)Twice in 12 days did anybody mention Wal Mart and their price.All I said was...sorry but this isn't Wal Mart.Once the parent went ahead and bought one for their kid anyway.

Later,Don

I need to find a supplier in Canada

Neal -- I have never had anyone say that they saw the same thing in Wal-Mart for $2.99 or whatever. And even if they did, I'd tell them that the worm I sell comes with better instructions and does better tricks (all of which is true). But if they still didn't want to buy it, I'd ask them to please move on because they are standing in the way of other real, live, customers!!

I have had a few people try to chisel me down on the price, and I just tell them that "my boss won't let me do that." Actually, since I started charging $6 for one worm and two for $10, I have sold almost twice as many worms per show -- even though I always used to charge $5 anyway. So now people think they are getting a big bargain and I rarely have that problem anymore. [And thank you, Don, for that great idea!! ]

I also agree with Don, you need to buy wholesale so you can buy in the quantities you will need when you need them. You also won't get tangled up with sales tax and VAT, etc.

Neal, if you're a vent, I'm sure you will have no trouble bringing a Magic Worm to life for the specs, and you should be able to sell them like hotcakes. I have found that the more you can interact with the worm, the more the specs eat it up (and buy it). SETH

Just noticed, today, that the Cracker Barrel is selling the worm in their restaurant "general stores" for $1.49. I think it was called the "Tricky Worm".

And unless someone demos them properly, they will probably just sit there, even at that price. SETH

I could set up my joint outside Cracker Barrel, and pitch my worms for $6.00 each and still outsell the store at their price. As Seth has said, you HAVE to demo them to sell them. It doesn't even bother me as to what price they have on them.

ROD

Great information, thanks Don..

C

This has nothing to do with cards or magic, only sales technique. I'd done shows where I sold my strippers, 2 for $20 and had others selling them 2 for $10--or worse yet, selling one thing and GIVING AWAY strippers. I didn't like it but frankly, it didn's seem to matter much. Sure, occasionally, someone would come back and complain but I'd just give 'em another stripper and keep on going.

I hesitate to say this VERY OLD PHRASE...but "IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD". It sounds simple but....You just make up your mind and do it! The Ralston Purina company (makers of Rice Chex and Pig Chow) has a motto--"Get the most outta what you got!"

Belly-aching about something you can't change just wastes time AND money...because while you're feeling sorry for yourself, you COULD be selling.

Stop worrying about what THE OTHER GUY is doing or not doing...JUST DO YOUR JOB!!

Jon