talkmagic.co.uk

Having read a thread within this august forum which talks of the 'time machine' trick being sold as a 'rip off' can someone out there enlighten me regarding the whole area of knock offs and copying/selling on of tricks please?

I continually see watches, marked H&M, which are the focus of the time machine trick going for around £25. I visit the site who are are given the credit for the trick and also are the 'legitimate' sellers of this item and find it will cost me a lot more. This is obviously a problem, for without considering the morality of buying (intellectual rights and all that stuff again) one will most likely embark upon the cheapest route.

I have a card duck which came from a good source and cost me twice what I see them on offer for in various places. This is not a small scale problem, but is obviously something that is quite important to me as I do not want to buy stuff that compromises my integrity.

Advice, scenarios, examples of probity and folly all welcome.

How do I do the right thing? How do do I persuade others,

Thanks,

Vic

I'm not going to offer an opinion as I would probably spend 2 weeks writing and still be wrong , but have a look at this site for a list of known ripoffs and their original effects.

Thanks Kati,

Naively this is an area that I hadn't fully considered (what do I mean fully, says a voice in my head, you hadn't even thought of it partially - oh no, schizoid and a CUPS sufferer, this mean twice the spending ),

Vic

The big problem is that copied items are sold by many reputable online and real magic shops - intentionally or otherwise. After the initial list of knockoff items mentioned above I checked my collection and found I have some of them but they all came from the usual excellent sources quoted here on TM. Not sure what the answer is but now we have access to the list of iffy versions we can make a considered decision to buy or not buy and deal individually with our own consciences.

Thats what i like about Magibox, they refuse to now sell any magicmakers products, as they dont like the morals that the company has.]

Thats what i ca a trustworthy dealer, wont sell you rip offs.

Magic Mark

I think if you have a look at their site you will find a Time Machine for sell.

yes, that is because they are selling off this stock cheap, to get rid of them.

I have deleted all content of my posts (the rest of the usual silly stuff has been deleted by Mods!)

Just as an update:

I think if you have a look at their site you will find a Time Machine for sell.

This was pointed out to Magicbox and the response from magicpaul on Magicbunny was:

Hmm it shouldn't be on our site!! We stopped doing business with Magic Makers a long time ago!!

They now seem to only offer Timetrix.

To my mind and I'm not picking on magicbox but a lot of suppliers have dropped MagicMakers of recent and I was talking to one of the American online shops that have dropped them. The reason is often more to do with pressure than ethics. It's a business decision. If it was an ethical decision they would not have dealt with them in the first place.

I think that you're right Happy Toad. I've heard of a few dealers who won't trade simply because of the restrictive terms placed on them by MM, particularly when trying to return damaged and poor quality goods.

I don't think in most cases it's an ethics issue.

So, let's see if I get this right (bear of little brain this end).

If I buy Time machine from geezer on ebay, that's a knock-off and there's nothing of the £25 I pay getting back to the originator but if I buy Timetrix from whoever (say, Magic Box) then a percentage will find it's way back to the originator (or the originator has had cash up front for the licence?

Phew (take deep breath, long sentence that )

Vic

Ok im responding just to add a small debate to the argument.

Firstly people are referring to the time machine as a rip-off and that timetrix is the original. Well its strange that Perfect Time from collectors workshop was around before timetrix.

So who is coping who? Surely if this is the case, then the time machine is not a rip off of timetrix, and Bazaar De Magia have no argument.

Please correct me if I’m wrong.

As for MM not dealing with complaints and faulty items, this is definitely not true. you will find that they deal with faulty items very generously.

What is definitely true is that Time Machine is a rip off.