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As simple as it sounds, a low $5 flat-rate shipping fee, with free shipping on orders over $100 changes the whole equation (Outside the USA a $10 flat-rate shipping fee and free shipping on orders over $100).

The email puts a positive spin on it (that trick prices will be reduced - I don't GIF about trick prices)
I will/generally did have $100 orders anyway but it is a sad if not understandable development

We've determined that Free Shipping has created inflation in magic trick prices across the whole industry. Especially in the lower priced ones. What used to be a $10 magic trick now has to be a $15 magic trick, because shipping costs at minimum $4.50 for a parcel in the US, and much more internationally. You're essentially paying for shipping by having it added to the price for you. What if you buy 2-3 of these inflated items? Well, then you're paying for shipping 2-3 times!

The worst category is playing cards. Nobody wants to sell you a $5 deck of cards anymore it seems. Well, we do!

I think that 'now has to be' should have read 'had to be'
They are pretty much saying that shipping was built into every product/deck (we sort of knew it had to be) but now with a Shipping Charge you would think that we should expect the price of every deck to come down by at least $4.50 (That's if they are really doing it for our benefit)


I wonder whether Vanishing will follow suit or become the preferred playing card reseller for many (Internationals)

Honeybee wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 5:44 pm

I wonder whether Vanishing will follow suit or become the preferred playing card reseller for many (Internationals)

Considering they're still dealing with the fallout from their main warehouse burning to the ground, I wouldn't be surprised if they started charging shipping. Though they currently now stand alone offering free shipping at any price, so that does give them a competitive advantage.

It was good while it lasted

Penguin promoting it as a Big Day / Big Sale - so far for card collectors this is just hype for at present there are only 19 decks on sale

https://www.penguinmagic.com/tricks/tagged/summer-2024

Adamthinks wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 6:33 pm

Honeybee wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 5:44 pm

I wonder whether Vanishing will follow suit or become the preferred playing card reseller for many (Internationals)

Considering they're still dealing with the fallout from their main warehouse burning to the ground, I wouldn't be surprised if they started charging shipping. Though they currently now stand alone offering free shipping at any price, so that does give them a competitive advantage.

The other advantage that Vanishing have is that their webpage is far superior for a quick view/summary of latest releases (decks)

https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/playing-cards/

GandalfPC wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 7:00 pm

It was good while it lasted

Yes, it has been but I think I would rather them have come out and say "we can no longer afford free shipping" or if they had to put a little spin on it "we no longer think free shipping is the best model for us"
All the talk of cheaper tricks due to not having shipping built into the price - would seem to be a furphy to me. Aren't most tricks Instant Downloads that are NOT shipped. Isn't most magic 'an idea' that you perform with your own deck, coins, balls, cups
We will see if deck prices come down - I don't expect them to But that is the line they are pedaling here.
One thing for sure is that Shipping is hurting so many industries - regularly shipping charges are more than the item

I had always put in a larger order with PM because it was wasteful to me to ship one or two decks with free shipping.

This decision seems to make good business sense and is still them taking on a huge cost that I don't see others doing.

I just placed the following order with PM. Only about half the decks are available with Vanishing and those that are available are more expensive due to VAT being added (without VAT the prices were the same or slightly cheaper). Yes it's possible I will have to pay import duties on the PM order, but in my experience it happens to me about 1 in 15 or so orders.

1 x $12.95 Star Trek Dark Edition (Black) Playing Cards by theory11
1 x $12.95 Star Trek Light Edition (White) Playing Cards by theory11
1 x $12.95 Dune Playing Cards by theory11
1 x $18.04 Night Market: Holographic by 808 Magic & Bacon Magic
1 x $12.30 Night Market: Night by 808 Magic & Bacon Magic
1 x $12.30 Night Market: Day by 808 Magic & Bacon Magic
1 x $8.19 Bicycle Disney Donald Duck by US Playing Card Co
1 x $15.38 Bicycle Elton John Playing Cards by US Playing Card Co
1 x $8.20 Bicycle Disney Classic Mickey Mouse (Red) by US Playing Card Co.
1 x $12.95 Stranger Things Playing Cards by theory11
1 x $18.86 Hyakki Yagyo (Yokai Realm) Playing Cards by Bloom Playing Cards
1 x $14.76 Hyakki Yagyo (Mystic) Playing Cards by Bloom Playing Cards
1 x $12.95 The Rolling Stones Playing Cards by theory11
1 x $12.00 The Lord of the Rings - Two Towers Playing Cards by Kings Wild Project
1 x $6.15 Phoenix and Peony (Red) Playing Cards by Bacon Playing Card Company
1 x $6.15 Phoenix and Peony (Green) Playing Cards by Bacon Playing Card Company
1 x $16.00 The Lord of the Rings - Two Towers Playing Cards (Foiled Edition) by Kings Wild
1 x $12.95 Wonka Playing Cards by theory11
1 x $14.95 Outkast Playing Cards by theory11
1 x $12.95 Guardians of the Galaxy Playing Cards by theory11

I had always put in a larger order with PM because it was wasteful to me to ship one or two decks with free shipping.

Yes, that was my reasoning too - if everybody kept ordering one deck with free shipping, I think this day would have come sooner

I expect other Penguin-produced decks will start to come down in price relatively soon, and that's just fine by me. Like others here, I don't just order one or two decks at a time, so this absolutely lowers my cost when I order from Penguin. I also think this is the right model to use for other reasons, but I do recognize it takes away the easy, impulse buy of one-or-two items.

Honeybee wrote: ↑Mon Jul 22, 2024 7:18 pm Penguin promoting it as a Big Day / Big Sale - so far for card collectors this is just hype for at present there are only 19 decks on sale

https://www.penguinmagic.com/tricks/tagged/summer-2024

Once the sale started today, they ended up with about 50 decks on sale

Bit concerned now. I have received a shipping notification (order placed July 23, shipping notification received Aug 2) however I note that it says it's being shipped by UPS Innovations. Now I really really hope this isn't the traditional UPS service, because for international shipments they are HORRIBLE.

They will try to collect the customs charges (regardless if they are below threshold or not) AND will charge ME (the receiver) a handling charge of at least £10 to so! I really hope that this isn't the case and instead it's some sort of mail consolidation service that they offer (it might be, their web site is confusing on this topic) otherwise I will have to stop using PM for my deck purchases.

In Oz, free Penguin shipping always meant a month (even 6wks) before receipt