How to Know When a Magic Trick will be Back in Stock at The Magic Shop

Chris writes:

I just wanted to say I love your magic store. But, (and it is a little but) I have no idea when out of stock items will be back in stock. Now novatech.com have a little nifty thing under the out of stock sign/label that says when its in stock again might be worth considering getting something similar. I only say it because I have wanted Sleight of hand for beginners for my daughter for a long, but every time I look it's out of stock. Please tell me when items will be in stock again?

Dear Chris,

That's a great idea and I'd love to add that feature to the magic shop. I think the main issue for us is that we often have no idea when an item will become available again.

Unlike large PC component companies, most magic items are made by small independent creators as a hobby. They don't tend to have a manufacturing schedule. Often magicians just making another batch if and when they feel like it. When will they make more product and ship it to us? Your guess is often as good as ours!

Unlike almost every other magic shop, our inventory is live and updated dynamically. It feeds in data from manufacturers if they make stock level data available to us. Because it automatically restocks items as we run low, if an item shows as completely out of stock, it's generally because the manufacturer has run out of stock too, not just our warehouse. As soon as they let us know that more is shipping to the warehouse, we update our inventory that same day.

Originally we simply removed items from the site as they sold out, but feedback from customers suggested that they didn't like that, as they would search for an item and assume we didn't supply it. Manufacturers also became worried that we had dropped their item and would contact us to ask why we didn't feature it on the site. Customers searching google online still wanted to read about the product and check out the suggestions for other items we include on the product pages. They also like that we prompt them to contact us to be reminded when more become available. So now, we show a notice suggesting that the customer contacts us and we can set up a reminder to contact them when more product becomes available. We can usually email them as and when we get restock information.

Ideally we would be able to get restock dates from manufacturers for each item and we could display that. I'll look for a way to include that information for larger suppliers that can offer that data.

I really like your idea about suggesting similar alternative items. I'll add that to the development work list!

Best wishes

Dominic Reyes

How do Magicians Force Playing Cards – Questions and Answers

by Dominic Reyes Leave a Comment

Paul sent us the following question about how to learn to force playing cards:

'When reading instructions and finding something like 'use a force of your choice' or 'control the card to the bottom of the deck'. In theory, I know what both of those mean, but I'm yet to find a resource – particularly for forcing – for learning techniques that seem genuinely convincing.

Can you suggest something to me from which to learn some convincing forces and also a good tutorial on card controls? Thank you!' – Paul H

Paul, You're not along getting frustrated when you come across the phrase 'use a force of your choice' or 'use your favourite force'. We think that a magic tricks instructions should explain at least a basic force if the magic trick requires it.

The good news is that there are loads of ways to learn how to force playing cards correctly.

Solution 1 : Download this Magic Hands Tuition Download : Essential Forces

Solution 2 : Learn from a DVD. There are many good DVDs that cover the basic forces. A good one that will teach you a large range of controls, as well as the right way to use a hindu and riffle force is Born to Perform.

Solution 3 : Learn from a book : Just like DVD's there are a huge range of magic books that will teach you the basic forces. We tend to go with the most highly regarded source for beginners to learn the core sleights of card magic The Royal Road to Card Magic

You have a huge range of forces to choose from, but we would sugest learning and mastering the riffle force as your first project. Follow that up with the Hindu Force, before moving on to work on mastering a Classic Force over time. Thise three forces should provide you will all the technique you need for almost any force condition.

Which is the Best Magic Smoke Device? – Magicians Ratings and Reviews

by Dominic Reyes 1 Comment

Here's a feature comparison of the most popular magicians magic smoke devices currently on the market.

Which magic smoke device is best?

That depends on what you need from the device. There tends to be two main camps of magicians, each needing something different from their magic smoke device. Some magicians look for practicality and a no fuss solution to producing smoke during a magic trick. Other magicians seek a fully customisable device that they can adjust to the specific requirements of the magic tricks they are working on. Looking at the devices currently on the market, it seems that both camps are being catered for. Devices like Pure Smoke and VAPR provide a fully formed, commercial solution that has a 'load and go' approach. Devices like Magic Smoke and SSS are more adaptable, but require more set up or refill procedure.

VAPR and Pure Smoke are designed to be 'clip on and go'. Magic Smoke needs to be fitted to your jacket, but as a result, you get a device set up specifically for your own individual needs.

VAPR is the new kid on the block and adds a great deal of additional features to a smoke device system. A self healing smoke tube, remote control, ability to produce smoke over a long period, and small rechargeable power unit make VAPR attractive to working magicians. However, the need to use official refill carts adds an additional ongoing expense.

Reliability issues.

Pure Smoke is the current market leader in magicians smoke devices. It's simple set up, use of standard batteries and excellent aftercare warranty have really helped it corner the market for smoke devices. However, some units were plagued by technical issues, so some magicians had to use the warranty to have their units replaced. E (The maker of Pure Smoke) has been excellent in replacing faulty units of Pure Smoke, so their customer service record is very good.

VAPR is made by Sans Mind who do not currently have a consistent track record of customer support for a device like this, so we can't be sure at this point how good their after care will be. That's not to say it won't be awesome, we just haven't tested it yet.

Both Magic Smoke and SSS are self service devices. The parts used for these can be sources cheaply online and replaced as required.

Pure Smoke and VAPR are sealed units, so self repair is more limited than magic smoke and SSS.

Hands off Smoke.

Only two devices have seen specifically designed to allow remote smoke. VAPR and SSS. If you want to create smoke from a close up mat or from an object that is away from you, then these may be your best choices.

Refills

VAPR and Pure Smoke require refill cartridges that need to be purchased from the magic shop. SSS and Magic Smoke can be refilled directly from a bottle of cheaper generic PG or VG liquid. Which option you choose is a matter of your budget and how 'plug in and go' you need the device to be.

Customisation

SSS provides allows the most customisation, but as it is only a DVD teaching how to make the device yourself, it may not be attractive to magicians who do not want to source parts and build their own device.

Price.

The cheapest option is SSS. However, it comes at the cost of your own time and effort to build the device. Magic Smoke is a more expensive option as an initial purchase, but the cheaper refill system will save you a lot of money over time. Pure Smoke and VAPR are more expensive than the 'build it yourself' options, but still great value for magicians that plan to use them. However, the refill cartridges will be an ongoing cost to factor into the decision.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with our comparison? Let us know your experiences using any of these devices in the comments section below: