Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
- Don Hendrix
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Number two also arrived in Tucson today, and I like it. Very nice update to an old principle. I am very likely to use this one. If you like surprises, you really should sign up while you still can. I believe that we are receiving good value for our money.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
I just received the new Real Secrets effect. My immediate reaction- Excellent! I will use this. Totally organic. Another home run.
Got to love Real Secrets!
Terry
Got to love Real Secrets!
Terry
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Showed up in DC today. If you watch my More Genii Speaks video in the May issue, I read aloud a brochure that was being given out to everyone who attended Magic-Con.
It's a flyer selling subs to Real Secrets, and it has the names of contributors on one side, and apparently random items on the other side. I can't say more than that, but things are as advertised.
The second one is as clever as the first. No, it's better than the first. Again, this is worth double the low price I paid of $12.
It's a flyer selling subs to Real Secrets, and it has the names of contributors on one side, and apparently random items on the other side. I can't say more than that, but things are as advertised.
The second one is as clever as the first. No, it's better than the first. Again, this is worth double the low price I paid of $12.
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- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Oh: Real Secrets members should check out the blog because there's a new handling for item one that was posted just a few days ago.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Richard you are right. The latest handling is fantastic!
Best John
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
I like it because even a person who has zero memory capcity, like myself, and whose mathematical abilites are also near zero, can do this effect. And it must be miraculous to a laymen. Going to try it on the missus in the next few days.
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- erdnasephile
- Posts: 4766
- Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Richard Kaufman wrote:Oh: Real Secrets members should check out the blog because there's a new handling for item one that was posted just a few days ago.
That last handling is brilliant...definately value added. Really glad I signed up for this.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Without notice, the blog has been wiped.
Did anyone save a local copy?
Did anyone save a local copy?
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Could be a glitch, or an error, or just a message that stuff isn't going to stay up there very long. Wait and see if it comes back in a few days.
I saved it, however I can't share it. I believe that would be against the rules.
I saved it, however I can't share it. I believe that would be against the rules.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Posting it publicly would be against the rules.
I sent email to the anonymous administrator and asked. It's not a technical glitch or an accident. They apparently plan to erase the so-called "blog" (even though a "log" is an accumulated, recorded history) at the end of each month.
Yes, possibly even before some overseas members have even received their shipment. I notice Matt Field says he received his on April 24. That means he had a window of less than a week to evaluate and make use of the blog entries before they suddenly vanished without warning.
I suggested compiling and sending each month's posted entries to subscribers via (e)mail, and was rebuffed.
I sent email to the anonymous administrator and asked. It's not a technical glitch or an accident. They apparently plan to erase the so-called "blog" (even though a "log" is an accumulated, recorded history) at the end of each month.
Yes, possibly even before some overseas members have even received their shipment. I notice Matt Field says he received his on April 24. That means he had a window of less than a week to evaluate and make use of the blog entries before they suddenly vanished without warning.
I suggested compiling and sending each month's posted entries to subscribers via (e)mail, and was rebuffed.
- Matthew Field
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
I fortunately printed out the blog to file it with the trick. Whew!
Matt Field
Matt Field
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Yes, I received the message from on high:
"The Blog is becoming Notes. Every month at the release of a new item the previous Notes will be deleted."
It really would have been nice to warn people so they could save it if desired.
"The Blog is becoming Notes. Every month at the release of a new item the previous Notes will be deleted."
It really would have been nice to warn people so they could save it if desired.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Now if only the posts about unobtainable items would vanish as well.
Last edited by Jonathan Townsend on May 3rd, 2012, 12:59 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: the posts are not pointless -as future readers can point them out in wonder
Reason: the posts are not pointless -as future readers can point them out in wonder
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Lousy customer service/communication for those who might not have downloaded the "notes"/blog/etc. before it's deleted.
They probably don't want to make it easy for anyone to download all the notes at once and bundle them with the props for sale on e-bay (which is going to happen anyway).
They probably don't want to make it easy for anyone to download all the notes at once and bundle them with the props for sale on e-bay (which is going to happen anyway).
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Through my own fault and being busy, I didn't keep up with the blog, so now that's lost.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Personally I think this just adds more value for the people who have made the initial investment. I saved the blog notes because it seemed like the right thing to do so I could store them with the included instructions and props in the provided envelopes.
The real irony about online communication/technology when applied to secrets is that hard copies and mail-order correspondence with the contract NOT to post anything on youtube, chat rooms, or any other public forums ensures the effect's long shelf-life and exclusivity. The problem with new tricks going online is the viral nature of the internet beast. When select secrets remain just that, there is value and ownership for those who subscribed and made the pledge.
The Real Secrets is the best thing to come out in a long time and I hope the run will be a long one. As for people re-selling, I think it would be their loss as already stated above this is premium quality for your dollar.
Perhaps they could provide a consistent cut-off date in the future so people who have that particular installment can save a copy before it becomes deleted.
The real irony about online communication/technology when applied to secrets is that hard copies and mail-order correspondence with the contract NOT to post anything on youtube, chat rooms, or any other public forums ensures the effect's long shelf-life and exclusivity. The problem with new tricks going online is the viral nature of the internet beast. When select secrets remain just that, there is value and ownership for those who subscribed and made the pledge.
The Real Secrets is the best thing to come out in a long time and I hope the run will be a long one. As for people re-selling, I think it would be their loss as already stated above this is premium quality for your dollar.
Perhaps they could provide a consistent cut-off date in the future so people who have that particular installment can save a copy before it becomes deleted.
- erdnasephile
- Posts: 4766
- Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Edward Pungot wrote:...I think this just adds more value for the people who have made the initial investment...
When select secrets remain just that, there is value and ownership for those who subscribed and made the pledge....
Perhaps they could provide a consistent cut-off date in the future so people who have that particular installment can save a copy before it becomes deleted.
Agreed.
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
It's just a matter of informing your customers that if they want to save X information, they need to do it by a certain date. Common courtesy.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
? looks like a niche for an aftermarket: their "notes" and additional yahoo group discussion of the material content.
Mundus vult decipi -per Caleb Carr's story Killing Time
Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
That's enough for me.
Bye Bye RS.
Bye Bye RS.
"I still play with a full deck, I just shuffle slower"
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Tom Gilbert wrote:Through my own fault and being busy, I didn't keep up with the blog, so now that's lost.
Failing to vigilantly check a website for unannounced updates with surprise expiration dates is in no way any subscriber's fault.
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
I posted this over there:
I can say in all honesty that I it has never been confirmed to me who is behind Real Secrets. When I have questions, I write to the same Real Secrets email address as everyone else. The answers always come back from "The Real Secrets Team."
So, I can assure you that it's not me. I have more than enough to do with getting Genii out every month, putting on a whopper of a convention, and trying to finish up my next two books! Not me. I swear.
I have my suspicions about who the people are behind Real Secrets (more than one person), but I do not know for certain.
Regarding the first two releases: Considering the price ($12 a month if you signed up early; $15 a month if you signed up later) I think the first two tricks are great. I mean, really, when was the last time you could buy a great trick for $15 that was as good as either one of these? Not for decades. The price is exceedingly fair. It's better than fair: it's a bargain. I paid just like everyone else--no freebie! So if I thought it was crap, I'd tell you.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the releases this year.
As for "Weber's Wallet," which I both wrote about and spoke about in Genii, it is an item that I had been led to believe will be available through Real Secrets at some point. But that may not be true. Weber is one of the contributors to Real Secrets, and the website states that Real Secrets will sometimes have items for sale exclusively to members from the contributors. I think that's pretty straightforward. "Weber's Wallet" is cool as hell!
I can say in all honesty that I it has never been confirmed to me who is behind Real Secrets. When I have questions, I write to the same Real Secrets email address as everyone else. The answers always come back from "The Real Secrets Team."
So, I can assure you that it's not me. I have more than enough to do with getting Genii out every month, putting on a whopper of a convention, and trying to finish up my next two books! Not me. I swear.
I have my suspicions about who the people are behind Real Secrets (more than one person), but I do not know for certain.
Regarding the first two releases: Considering the price ($12 a month if you signed up early; $15 a month if you signed up later) I think the first two tricks are great. I mean, really, when was the last time you could buy a great trick for $15 that was as good as either one of these? Not for decades. The price is exceedingly fair. It's better than fair: it's a bargain. I paid just like everyone else--no freebie! So if I thought it was crap, I'd tell you.
I'm looking forward to the rest of the releases this year.
As for "Weber's Wallet," which I both wrote about and spoke about in Genii, it is an item that I had been led to believe will be available through Real Secrets at some point. But that may not be true. Weber is one of the contributors to Real Secrets, and the website states that Real Secrets will sometimes have items for sale exclusively to members from the contributors. I think that's pretty straightforward. "Weber's Wallet" is cool as hell!
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- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
I agree with Ted M. When an addition is made to the blog, an email should be sent to all Real Secrets subscribers alerting them to the fact so they can take a look. Putting the burden on us to check every day, or every week, when often there is nothing new is not customer-friendly.
I admire what the Real Secrets people are trying to do, but they're being somewhat clumsy about it because they're not expert in retailing.
I admire what the Real Secrets people are trying to do, but they're being somewhat clumsy about it because they're not expert in retailing.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
The one thing they are good at is responding to cancellation requests. I just got a polite letter stating they will refund my subscription and cancel my account. That was immediately followed by a PayPal notice confirming it.
Now, if they were only that good at keeping customers...
Now, if they were only that good at keeping customers...
"I still play with a full deck, I just shuffle slower"
Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
One more thing. If you choose to cancel your subscription, remember to go to your PayPal profile and cancel the auto-renew subscription otherwise you might get a nasty surprise next year when you find yourself paying again for a service you didn't use.
"I still play with a full deck, I just shuffle slower"
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Dave, you're free to do as you like, but you honestly didn't think the first two tricks were worth $12 each?
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
My cancellation had nothing to do with their product, and had all to do with customer service.
"I still play with a full deck, I just shuffle slower"
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
The magic bunny guys are convinced you, Richard, really do not care for the Real Secrets product but have carefully worded your statement to obscure your actual disappointment.
They seem to be operating from the position that anyone who likes a Real Secrets product is a brainwashed victim of the emperor's new clothes syndrome. Interestingly, those who KNOW that the tricks are derivative and terrible, and that Real Secrets is a scam, believe they are engaged in logical and reasonable discourse - in spite of the fact they are neither members nor know anything about the products in question.
It's amazing how much magicians hate secrets. I guess now they know how many laymen feel.
They seem to be operating from the position that anyone who likes a Real Secrets product is a brainwashed victim of the emperor's new clothes syndrome. Interestingly, those who KNOW that the tricks are derivative and terrible, and that Real Secrets is a scam, believe they are engaged in logical and reasonable discourse - in spite of the fact they are neither members nor know anything about the products in question.
It's amazing how much magicians hate secrets. I guess now they know how many laymen feel.
Brad Henderson magician in Austin Texas
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Dave V wrote:My cancellation had nothing to do with their product, and had all to do with customer service.
? why not just sit back and enjoy the monthly goodies?
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Why would I have "carefully worded my statement to obscure ... disappointment"?
Real Secrets is not advertising in Genii. I have no business connections to the people I suspect are behind the company. What the heck do I care? And I actually paid good old US buckaroos for it--if I wasn't happy with what I got for my $12 each month so far, what would prevent me from saying so?
Nothing "carefully worded" about this: I think the tricks are damn clever and worth far more than the asking price. Feed that to the bunny.
Real Secrets is not advertising in Genii. I have no business connections to the people I suspect are behind the company. What the heck do I care? And I actually paid good old US buckaroos for it--if I wasn't happy with what I got for my $12 each month so far, what would prevent me from saying so?
Nothing "carefully worded" about this: I think the tricks are damn clever and worth far more than the asking price. Feed that to the bunny.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Brad Henderson wrote:... It's amazing how much magicians hate secrets. I guess now they know how many laymen feel.
IMHO the "hate" is not directed at the exclusive aspect of the product and instead at the tease/taunting going on about it.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
It made no sense to me either. Just letting you know your name was once again invoked. Not a member. (Had an account there AGES ago but no clue what the name let alone password would be) or would feed the bunny as per request.
Brad Henderson magician in Austin Texas
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
JT, Do you see a lot of teasing and taunting? I haven't seen any here - and as the Cafe is riddled with "children" I am reluctant to make judgements based on the behaviors I've seen there. Having said that, I thought the controversy was that the one "taunter" turned out not even to be a member.
Someone compared the anger here to that which occurred when McBride asked Mystery School people to keep things secret and Kohler demanded an agreement before selling the FK holdout. The Magic Cafe crowd feels they deserve to be told everything, that every trick they see, hear, or read about is theirs for the taking.
Cafe Magicians hate to be told "no."
Now they know how their audiences feel, yes?
Someone compared the anger here to that which occurred when McBride asked Mystery School people to keep things secret and Kohler demanded an agreement before selling the FK holdout. The Magic Cafe crowd feels they deserve to be told everything, that every trick they see, hear, or read about is theirs for the taking.
Cafe Magicians hate to be told "no."
Now they know how their audiences feel, yes?
Brad Henderson magician in Austin Texas
- Bill Marquardt
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Jonathan Townsend wrote:? why not just sit back and enjoy the monthly goodies?
Some of us regard the mis-representations within the RS announcements made prior to the inauguration of the actual service, and their apparent disdain toward their subscribers and would-be subscribers, as evidence of a lack of integrity on the part of whoever is "running the show." We choose not to do business with that sort. (I have no wish to start an argument about my assertions. I am expressing my personal view.)
I can subscribe to Genii, Magic and pay for a membership to the S.A.M. (with M-U-M) for the cost of a 1 year subscription to RS. In my opinion that is a better choice.
It makes me happy to know that those who remain subscribers are satisfied with the products. I actually like the concept of this service. I just disagree with the way they run things.
- Richard Kaufman
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Speaking of Weber's Wallet:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Michael-Webers- ... 2a1cf3e322
At $180 and reserve not met yet.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Michael-Webers- ... 2a1cf3e322
At $180 and reserve not met yet.
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Richard Kaufman wrote:Speaking of Weber's Wallet:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Michael-Webers- ... 2a1cf3e322
At $180 and reserve not met yet.
Strange, the write up says he paid $150 and that that is the reserve. Sellers remorse?
- erdnasephile
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Richard:
I went back and checked the ad:
It reads: "I bought it for 150.00 so their is reserve price. Happy Bidding and good luck."
I think he/she meant to say he/she paid a lot for the wallet; hence, the reserve.
I went back and checked the ad:
It reads: "I bought it for 150.00 so their is reserve price. Happy Bidding and good luck."
I think he/she meant to say he/she paid a lot for the wallet; hence, the reserve.
- Matthew Field
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Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
Just received the second Real Secrets trick over here in England. A beautifully produced item.
Matt Field
Matt Field
Re: Real Secrets Trick of the Month Club...
erdnasephile wrote:Richard:
I went back and checked the ad:
It reads: "I bought it for 150.00 so their is reserve price. Happy Bidding and good luck."
I think he/she meant to say he/she paid a lot for the wallet; hence, the reserve.
The Weber wallet was sold at Blackpool for a special price of US$100 or 65 pounds (the regular price is $150), so I think the reserve is a bit too high...