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Michael Daniels
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What I don't get is magical suppliers who demonstrate/expose their principles or methods in the advertising on their websites without any kind of password or other security to keep the general public out.

L********c.com and M********s.co.uk, for example, are freely exposing mentalism kit that costs well in excess of a thousand dollars. Would anyone in their right mind pay that kind of money for equipment that any competent Googler could find out all about in five minutes? How soon before it is all over YouTube or TV?

I can't help thinking that these dealers are shooting themselves in the foot here. I won't name them fully for obvious reasons.

It is very simple to add a few questions that test knowledge of magic and mentalism before access to selected portions of the site is possible.

Mike
Piers
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Have you raised it with the websites concerned?

Piers.
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Dick Christian
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Mike,

I fear you may be failing to understand or appreciate the dealer's motive and objective and that you think they are motivated by a desire to further the art. With rare exceptions nothing is further from the truth. Their motivation and objective is simply to maximize their income by selling a product. The product just happens to be magic or mentalism. To those of us in the craft, that is something to be honored and preserved, but to them it is no different from soap, breakfast cereal, shoe polish or any other product. This is especially true of many of the magic "dealers" on the Internet, many of whom are merely drop-shippers with little or no interest in, knowledge of or experience with magic. The only requirement to be an online "magic shop" is a computer with Internet access, a PayPal account and access to a wholesaler.
Dick Christian
Tom Jorgenson
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It's been going on forever. Hollywood magic used to have a Super-X levitation set up in their store display window...yup, floating a lady was so easy a mannequin could do it.

At the promise of an extra nickel, some dealers just don't care.
We dance an invisible dance to music they cannot hear.
chichi711
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The only way to get through to them is hit them in the wallet. that's all they care about. Let them know that due to the exposure you will purchase from those that don't expose and actually try and protect your investment. If enough do that then they will adjust the business.

In the case of something expensive they will lose orders and the curious lookers will never buy such a product. It wouldn't take long if they knew that is why they were losing orders.
Dick Christian
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Quote:
On 2010-08-27 11:56, chichi711 wrote:
The only way to get through to them is hit them in the wallet. that's all they care about. Let them know that due to the exposure you will purchase from those that don't expose and actually try and protect your investment. If enough do that then they will adjust the business.

In the case of something expensive they will lose orders and the curious lookers will never buy such a product. It wouldn't take long if they knew that is why they were losing orders.

While that tactic may sound good, I fear that the reality is that those of us who will not buy from them because they videos expose too much are likely to be outnumbered by those who will be convinced to buy because of the videos. I expect that the dealers make more of their bread and butter from the "merely curious" than from the serious magicians who tend to be far more selective in their buying habits.
Dick Christian
Stefmagic
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At least, I can understand showing pricey material, once you saw it, you can make you're mind if it's for you or not!

But please put the videos on password protected area that only magicians/mentalists with some experience and knowledge will be able to get access!
chichi711
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Yeah good point Dick. I think that is the case with inexpensive items. I highly doubt someone is going to go drop a few hundred dollars on something, because of curiosity. Well I guess we have to hope that our creators will stop selling to them then. If they don't have the wanted product then they cant sell or expose it?
Michael Daniels
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No matter how cynical we can be about dealers, it just doesn't make good business sense to expose methods, especially for very expensive items, since most potential purchasers (except those with money to burn) would be deterred rather than encouraged.

I also wonder how those early purchasers who bought these items at conventions now feel when they see the exposures on the websites.

However you look at it - it's just crazy.

Mike
chichi711
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And with that move comes to close a valuable thread. Lets not forget who pays the bills guys.
Michael Daniels
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This does seem like an odd forum to move this thread to. Although the issue of dealer exposure is a general one, the examples I raised relate specifically and most importantly to mentalism.

Mike
chichi711
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Michael you will learn that they move threads to certain areas to die off. Less confrontational then locking them up. It seems if they were to move it the Dealers section would be the best area outside of where it was started. Again you have to remember who pays the bills.
Michael Daniels
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Quote:
On 2010-08-27 11:15, Piers wrote:
Have you raised it with the websites concerned?

Piers, I have emailed the two websites and have already received a confidential reply from one. It is too early to tell if there may be any progress on password protection.

Mike


Posted: Aug 28, 2010 7:39am
--------------------------------
Update - I have now heard back from both websites and there does seem to be a willingness in both camps to consider password protection.

Mike


Posted: Aug 31, 2010 10:55am
--------------------------------
Another update - I've just heard from M********s.co.uk that they have now added some password protection on the device in question. At the moment the security is rather basic, but it is better than nothing.

Let's hope that L********c.com will follow suit.

Mike
SH
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Denmark
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Quote:
On 2010-08-31 10:55, Michael Daniels wrote:
Another update - I've just heard from M********s.co.uk that they have now added some password protection on the device in question. At the moment the security is rather basic, but it is better than nothing.

Let's hope that L********c.com will follow suit.

Mike

Hi Michael

We will..., is working on a solution.

- Soren
Labcomagic
Michael Daniels
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Great stuff - thanks Soren.

Mike
AlluTallu
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Soren,

great to hear that, my respect towards Labco just increased a lot! Maybe we still have some hope in the fight against exposure after all. Smile
SH
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Denmark
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Hi

We have been listening to the magic community.
Password protection of Labcomagic's secrets is now
a reality.

Best
Soren
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