Hi guys.

THe local toy shop (there's only 1 in my area!) asked me for ideas to set up a corner with magic stuff to sell and I can demonstrate some and get the sales happening.

Any good suggestions of good items to sell? I definitely don't want to sell things that I use, e.g. TTs, rough and smooth, magic colouring book, etc, etc.

I thought something not technically difficult, but nice and visual as well?

any suggestions would be good. I think she's trying to target the 10ish age range.

Soo-Wee

The Crazy Cube, Svengali deck, Scotch and Soda/Dime and Penny, Stripper Deck. These would be a good start and probably things you don't do when working.

-Ari

For kids that young?
Visual stuff. Ball and vase, magic milk pitcher, spiked coin, devil's coin box, think "magic kit."
When you're demonstrating it, if possible, use techniques that they don't teach in the manual for the trick. (Eg. use french drop while performing ball and vase.) When they buy it, and come back to ask how you did that, show them, to turn their disappointment into joy, then demonstrate another trick for them to buy. This creates repeat customers, and interest in the art. You can actually do some pretty neat stuff with the basic magic kit tricks, provided you perform them well.

If you get any repeat customers who are starting to get pretty good, move them on to the slightly more professional kid's magic tricks; change bags, color changing silks, that sort of thing.

Excellent advice. thanks buddy. I'll keep that in mind.

Some of the magic sets though include a TT. what is everyone's thoughts on that?

I wouldn't worry about it. TT was exposed in "Night at The Museum"(a maga blockbuster hollywood movie) TT was one of the first things I ever got when I was a kid. It is not the TT but how you use it. If you are good no one will suspect, if your bad they will say, "oh yeah...seen that one before."

Just one of those things that spectators are aware of but magicians will still get away with for another hundred years provided he/she knows how to use it.

TT
Sponge Balls
Svengali Deck
Invisible Deck
SCOTCH AND SODA
Hotrod
Penny and Washer (Cheap trick, effect is washer is placed outside a small black box, rotated in hand and the penny now lies in the hand and washer is in the box.)
Any magical kit. The full set kind (That is loaded with material you could easily routine and sell)

There's enough there that amatures use, stuff that professionals use, and stuff that both use. I'd go light on anything professionals use if it's out of a toy store. In a toy store your target audience is children.

-ArchAngel_G

When I first got into magic, I dismissed the TT as impractical and preposterous. I thought the only use for it would be a hold-out for lockpicks. The usefulness of the TT is not immediately obvious to anyone who looks over your merchandise, so feel free to sell them.
I suggest, though, that you only demonstrate them to the repeat customers, who seem interested in magic.

You can also get away with selling the really cheap thumb tips. For a couple of years, I used a cheap, tiny little plastic TT that I got in a magic kit. I was never caught while using it. (Even while performing for teenagers, the most skeptical of audiences.)

When I worked at a magic shop for about a year, Nickels To Dimes was the BEST seller. ALWAYS.

It's visual, SUPER easy, very fooling and it's cheap. Kids really enjoy it, provided you give it an interesting presentation.

Thanks for all the advice!! keep it coming guys!!

@archangel. selling the invisible deck?? I use it in my show!

You could always go the hummingbird card/floating bill route, but these are things you may not want to expose. How about the "Rating pen"?

I would recommend the Ring and Chain effect. You can buy the stuff needed to make them yourself. I use brass rings 1 1/2" and beaded brass chain, total cost is a couple of dollars.

It is very easy to perform and even little kids can learn it in a short time.

Twist

So do I. But I think this is safe to sell to children. Without getting too spoilerish it is strong enough for near any magician and simple enough to accomplish a child can pick it up in 5 minutes.

I wouldn't be intimidated by offering effects that are in your own routine because they won't perform it the way YOU do. And it's not the trick that's important, it's the performance.

-ArchAngel_G

+1

It's not important if you use something in your show. Whenever I teach a kid about a TT (when I worked at the magic shop) I can generally use one for an effect 5 minutes later and fool that kid. It's all in performance.