Random I-Tunes Song of The Moment: Jump in The Fire by Metallica
Lynx Wallet Review
One wallet, 8 streaming videos, and $100 bucks. Is it gem or is it rubble? Stay tuned to find out.
Effect
The main effect is any named card (truly a free choice) is found to be inside of envelope in your wallet, apparently the only envelope in the wallet. The bonus effect taught is any card at any number. The spectator deals to the named (free choice) number in the deck of cards, and it matches the card in the envelope in your wallet. By the way, the envelope is removed from your wallet before the spectator begins counting.
Method
The method relies on a special wallet that combines two common wallet gimmick principles into a pretty handy utility device. The method is very easy and very doable. There's a very, very, very small amount of memory work involved — we're talking very, very small. This uses a combination of the Shogun wallet, and a card/envelope index. Included with the wallet is all the cards you need, the wallet and all the envelopes as well. Even with the wallet fully set up to perform, it's surprisingly thin.
Ad Copy Integrity
Okay . . . so up to this point, everything sounds great, right? And it is, but then we have the written ad copy.
Written Ad Copy
Take a look at the second sentence of the third paragraph of the ad copy: "Next, the magician can hand the wallet for a spectator to examine and hold until the end." Hand the wallet for a spectator to examine? Are you kidding me!? (I love using an Interrobang.)
Then they say it again in the fourth bullet point: "Let you [sic] spectators examine both the envelope and the wallet." Really? let them examine the wallet? Are you kidding me!? (I told you; I love using them.)
Just in case I'm not being clear, the wallet CANNOT be examined. They mentioned that the envelope can be examined too. Well, sort of. It's not gimmicked, but what's inside of it is gimmicked. So they cannot examine the envelope while the card is inside of it. Then, once you remove the card from the envelope, the envelope is free to be examined, except for one problem. You kind of need it to help mask the gimmicked nature of the card that was once in the envelope, and if you're gonna hand out the envelope, "why aren't you handing out the card Mr. Magic," asks the observant spectator.
One other minor point is the claim that this can be used as your everyday wallet. It kind of can, but you can really only hold four credit cards (or 3 credit cards and your ID). It's not too bulky, but it only has four slots. The rest of the ad copy is solid and very accurate. It really is only one wallet, and the effect is very clean.
Ad Copy Update - February 12, 2015
As it turns out, the ad copy mistake was a "lost in translation" moment. It was an honest mistake on the creator's part. They've since rectified the situation and changed their ad copy to say "Next, the magician can hand the wallet for a spectator to hold until the end." This is an honest and accurate statement. This correction changes the final rating from 3 Stars to 4 Stars.
Video Ad Trailer
During the video trailer, you'll see the magician show a single envelope inside the wallet. He then spreads the wallet open (while holding it still) and lets the spectator dig around in there to make sure there are no other envelopes. Once she's happy that there are no other envelopes, then he closes the wallet and gives it to her to hold. This is all accurate and honest and correct.
If you consider that handling (i.e., the spectator looking in the wallet while you hold it) "letting the spectator examine the wallet," then you may be okay with the claim that it's examine-able. However, the fact that the ad copy says that you can give it to the spectator for examination really rubs me the wrong way.
For the sake of completion, here's another ad trailer (also very accurate). This one is a performance on stage.
Product Quality
Well, we've got the props (i.e., the wallet itself, the cards and the envelopes). Then we have the training videos. Let's take it a piece at a time.
The Props
The wallet is high quality and very well made. It's super easy to set up — there's a one time set up to use the wallet. It's easy to properly and quickly retrieve the needed envelope. The envelopes and the cards are very thin and they fit in the wallet nicely. You'd be surprised at how thin the wallet is even when it's loaded up and ready to go.
Some of the envelopes had a small problem where there was some glue inside of them, so the inside was kind of stuck together. A quick run of my finger inside the envelope fixed this, but I am concerned that over time, the glue residue may stick to the card inside of it. So far this hasn't been a problem, but who knows what may happen after this thing sits in your back pocket for six months.
The cards you receive are super thin, and I'm not sure how long they'll last. They should be ok if you keep them in the envelopes in the wallet, but just know that they are super, super, super thin. Of course, the advantage of this is that the wallet isn't very bulky at all, even with all the cards in there.
Training Videos
Rather than a DVD, you get a password to a group of Vimeo videos. Once you enter the password, you'll see 8 video thumbnails. Click on one, and watch it. Then click the back browser button and watch the next one, etc.
The videos actually are very well done from a teaching perspective. Everything you need to know to perform this is covered in excellent detail. The lighting, sound, etc. was pretty decent . . . well enough to see what you need to see and hear what you need to hear clearly.
Final Thoughts
If it weren't for the huge ad copy fail, I would easily give this product 4 to 4.5 stars. The only thing I can think of that explains the ad copy is either a) they blatantly lied or b) due to a "lost in translation" moment they were mistaking letting the spectator look in the wallet while you hold it as handing it out to be examined. Either way . . .
Final Verdict:
3 Stars with a Stone Status gem.
Rating Update: February 12, 2015
See the note above about regarding the Ad Copy Update. It turns out, it was option "b" above; it was "lost in translation," so the star rating has been changed.
Final Verdict:
4 Stars with a Stone Status gem.
15 Comments
Hi Jeff,
I agree 100% and to be honest i thought before i received this that the ad copy MUST be wrong but i hoped they has come up with something new. It may be be a translation issue but i feel that dealers such as Murphy’s should accept some responsibility not to repeat ad copy that is incorrect.Buying magic is always difficult because you are buying a ‘method’ but if i bought any other product that made misleading claims i would demand my money back or report the company to Trading Standards (UK).I am considering this at present because this item was not cheap. It is completely unacceptable for a dealer to use promotional material supplied by a producer without checking it’s veracity or does Murphy’s agree with the ad copy !!!!!!
@Steve – Hallelujah Brother! Can I get a Amen!
@Steve – One point to consider, however, is that unless Murphy’s watched the video, there’s no way they would know if the ad copy is accurate. I do think it’s a little much to expect Murphy’s to watch every single DVD that comes there way. So I don’t really feel this is Murphy’s fault.
It is, however, the fault of the creators.
Hi Jeff,
No, I disagree. Murphy’s act as a main supplier to many online magic shops and if it was my company I would want to ensure any product I sold was at the very least accurate with its ad copy.Yes,the creators were originally at fault but as you suggest it may be translation problem that Murphy’s should have corrected especially with a product that costs $100!!
Yes, I do expect them to watch every video of products they promote or are you suggesting creators can make claims in the add copy that are incorrect.When we buy magic we have to be able to trust that what we are told is fair and accurate,in this case it was not.I have spoken to one dealer in the UK that feels the same and has suggested they are very unhappy.
I sometimes think that with so many new products quality is suffering.My main point is if i want a good reputation in a competitive market I must promise my customers that all the ad copy on my website is accurate.Incorrect ad copy on Murphy’s website is their responsibility and theirs alone. What changed between your original reply and today? Have you been got at?
Best,
Steve
@Steve – I hear ya brother, and I agree with you. But I also feel that one of the big reasons reviewers exist is to help consumers to know how accurate the ad copy is. As you know, I focus on that a lot. Nobody’s “gotten to me.” I just think that we have to consider all angles. For example, Smith’s grocery store doesn’t taste every soup that it sells. They trust that the manufacturer of the soup is honest and that when Campbell’s says there’s no fat in their soup, Smith’s takes their word for it. They don’t test it.
Murphy’s is not the manufacturer; they are the distributor. It would be a nearly insurmountable task to have every product that Murphy’s distributes watched and compared to the ad copy. Also, the moment Murphy’s found out about it (from me), they contacted the manufacturer and found out that it was a translation problem. They (Murphy’s and the manufacturer) immediately fixed the mistake.
You asked if I’m suggesting that creator’s can make false claims. Of course I’m not saying that. I’m sure you know that I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that it would require Murphy’s to hire several staff members whose sole job would be to watch and test products. That should not be the distributor’s job. That should be the creator’s job. Murphy’s is just a warehouse and a trucking system to get products to the retailers.
I think that the moment they realize they’re dealing with someone dishonest, then they need to stop doing business with that creator. But in this case, with The Lynx Wallet, it was just a simple misunderstanding that was easily rectified.
It would be one thing if Lynx Magic was a repeat offended who was famous for misleading ad copy, but they’re not. It was an honest mistake. Even if all the systems were in place (Murphy’s watching all videos, a better translator at Lynx Magic), mistakes will still be made.
You asked what changed. What changed is that as I suspected this was an honest mistake. We, humans, do that once in a while, and I can’t hold a permanent grudge for an honest mistake. On more than one occasion I’ve changed a review from good to bad or bad to good when I realized that I made a mistake. My goal isn’t to be right. My goal is to do the right thing. The right thing is for me to prevent dishonest companies from ripping off magic buyers.
This (Lynx Wallet) was not a case of a dishonest company ripping off anyone. It was an honest mistake that has been fixed. Hopefully that makes sense. I totally see where you’re coming from, but I really do feel that 99% of the burden is on the creator.
Thanks,
Jeffro
Hi Jeff,
You know that I find your reviews superb and whilst I accept your word that this was an honest mistake I am still left with a $100 product that I bought in good faith that does not conform to the ad copy on which the purchase was based.I repeat if this was any other product I would demand a refund.
I just don’t think this an isolated case.A recent example is E-Rase. In your review ( corroborated by the replies you received) and as of today not withdrawn you gave this product NO stars as the method did not work BUT as of 11am BST the product is still on sale from Murphy’s at approx $60 including good reviews.The full review with a link from My Lovely Assistant is also misleading.The star rating quoted is three but MLA average is two and they have lifted a positive part of the review to post next to the product.Several weeks have passed since your review so either you have got it totally wrong,which I doubt because as you say you correct ant errors you make, or Murphy’s are still selling a product they know is rubbish.That is not the action of a responsible company that is concerned about it’s customers or one that has made a ‘genuine mistake’.
I use a superb dealer in the UK who I trust and from now on I will not pre-order items on the basis of Murphy’s ad copy because they are simply not trustworthy and ,according to you, the veracity of products they sell is not checked.I also think you will find that even large companies have the capacity to check the quality of their suppliers products even if that requires the employment of specific staff.
In conclusion, we have to accept that mistakes will be made by creators because of for eg translation issues, but as a wholesaler Murphy’s obviously have not got the time or inclination to check for errors that leaves,we, the customers disappointed and angry but hey who cares we already paid!!It should not require reviews to correct errors in ad copy that is ridiculous it is the responsibility of the company that sells the product to ensure that it does so based on correct information!
Best Steve.
@Steve – I agree with most of what you’ve said. I do think that it is a problem that Murphy’s has not taken down the E-Rase product. That’s a shame. Regarding an isolated incident, I was referring to Lynx Magic, not Murphy’s magic. As far as I know, this is an isolated incident with Lynx Magic.
Regarding a refund, I’m with you 100%. If you (or anyone) bought it based on the misleading ad copy, I would demand a refund from the dealer for sure.
Regarding relying on reviewers, I don’t know if I’d say it’s ridiculous. I think many people rely on reviews before they buy lots of products. I hardly buy anything online with consulting reviews. While I agree that creators need to be honest in their ad copy, I still don’t think it’s the retail store’s job to test every product they sale.
As I mentioned previously, I’m pretty sure that even the most high-end fancy grocery store doesn’t eat every canned good they sale, and they don’t send it to labs to test the ingredients to see if the nutrition label is accurate, etc. They rely on the integrity of the manufacturer. In magic, the manufacturer is the magician who created the effect. We all rely on them to do what’s right.
The moment it is discovered that they do something wrong (i.e., lie in their ad copy), then the retailers and the wholesalers need to stop selling the product. As I mentioned, I agree that Murphy’s should stop selling it. However, this too is an honest mistake.
Dr. J who wrote that review gave it three stars. However, after reading my review, he went back and changed his review to be only 1 star. Murphy’s is not aware of this change. I will let them know about it.
Jeffro
Jeff
I am not sure you could use this strolling as you never know where the people can be standing
Anyway one quick question.
I have Michael Webber wallet which is also a S******* wallet but no index, how do you think the quality of leather compare
@Martin – I would have no problem using this strolling. There are very minor angles that you have to be concerned about, but even those are only an issue if someone is staring directly into the wallet. For the few rare cases where there may be an angle problem, I just wouldn’t perform it for that particular group of people. Regarding the Weber wallet, I have no idea. I’ve not handled it. I can just tell you that this wallet (Lynx) is excellent quality and will last you a long, long time.
Steve , Just to add that if you are in the UK , as well as the Trading Standards under the Distance Selling Regulations you are entitled to your money back no questioned asked
The only dealer in the uk that says you can return anything within 1 year is merchant of Magic
However the UK law is very clear so I would return to the dealer and ask for a full refund
Hi Martin,
Thanks.I have to say that it was Merchant of Magic who after receiving this product changed the ad copy to make it correct BEFORE Jeff did his review.They should get considerable credit for this.I am aware of UK law but thanks and i hope others will use this method when dealind with ad copy that is misleading.
Best Steve
@Steve – I’ve heard good things about Merchant of Magic. I’m glad they found the problem and did the right thing.
Hi Jeff,
Many thanks for your time replying. In UK law it is not an excuse to say the problem was with the creator,if a product is advertised on a website with misleading ad copy the responsibility lies with that company,in this case Murphy’s.If any loss to Murphy’s occurs they would have to seek redress form the creator.
I am not convinced that Murphy’s have a quality control system in place’if it did issues such as E-Rase would not occur I find this unfair and frankly crass .It takes a short time for a reputation of a reputable company to be ruined ! They must be offered loads of products and i don’t think it unreasonable to at least check the product works before offering it for sale.
I will the matter rest now but as I have said before I will,in future, not pre-order any item based on ad copy provided by this company.
Best Wishes
Steve
@Steve – I agree. The UK law is definitely not an excuse to have misleading ad copy. I still think, however, that the onus is upon the creator, not the distributor or even the retailer. There’s certainly nothing wrong with the distributors and retailers taking that extra step, and personally, I would do so if I were the retailer, but if a customer finds out that Campbell’s soup has insect parts in it, it’s not the grocery store’s fault. It’s Campbell’s fault. 🙂
Thanks for keeping it civil brother. I appreciate the dialogue and enjoy healthy debate.
Jeffro
@Martin – Thanks for the comment. Even if the law wasn’t such that you could get a refund, I would definitely confront the dealer and fight for a refund.