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Magic

getmagicnow.com

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Re: Magic

#281

Post by [deleted] »

bhaumik wrote: post #202
cmikec wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks! Yeah, honestly, after deciding to launch this we released a really minimal landing page which I saved here: http://getmagicnow.com/index-old.html - As you can see I made that in about 20 minutes, and was not expecting this. After someone posted it on Product Hunt I spent whatever time I could polishing it up. In general though, I agree, simple websites are much better. Thanks for the kind words.

Hm, well here's a startling difference between the HN and Product Hunt community. The PH comments: This website looks extremely untrustworthy, purely from a design standpoint. I feel a lot of potential users would be put off by this! Interesting idea. Terrible site design. Unclear if they're charging for this added convenience. http://www.producthunt.com/posts/magic

[deleted]

Re: Magic

#282

Post by ulfw »

Those prices. Holy moly. Is everyone in the Bay Area rich these days?

Re: Magic

#283

Post by ulfw »

exogen wrote: post #182
zaroth wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Awesome demo! Can you update the shot while swiping left to show the timestamps?

Sure! http://brianbeck.com/images/magic-times.png The first couple responses were pretty slow, sounds like they were getting absolutely hammered with requests. I could have done it a lot faster myself for sure, seems promising though!

One and a half hours to order something (plus delivery time - which they set would be another hour!) for 33$. Wow.

Re: Magic

#284

Post by ddingus »

gk1 wrote: post #39
beambot wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right from the site: > It's completely free to chat with Magic. When you order something, we'll let you know the total price so you can confim it before you are billed. There are no hidden fees, and tip is included. You have to confirm the price. It sounds like you can decline if you think it's unfair.

I saw, but it doesn't say how their fee structure works. I would rather not have to compare their quote with the original price every time just to be sure I'm not being dealt a 50% "convenience fee."

Wasn't it actually convenient?

I like the one cost quote. Perfect. Things are worth what people will pay for them.

They quote, you either find it's worth it, or not, no worries.

Seems to me, there will be people who value their time low, who will not want to pay so much, and others who will value their time highly and will pay.

Scaling off the latter crowd might be easier to do and capitalize on.

Re: Magic

#285

Post by blurg »

q2 wrote: post #252
cmikec wrote: post #2

Hey everyone - this is insane. My friends and I created Magic a few days ago as a side project and it's completely blown up by accident since then. We're getting stormed with messages and orders. We thought we'd launch it ourselves later if it did well, and other people have been posting it on Product Hunt, Reddit, HN themselves... I'm here to answer any questions, although we've hardly slept!

I have a concern: How do you plan to handle security related dangerous items? For example, an user may ask you to deliver a package taken from one place to another place and you may arrange that but that package may contain dangerous/destructive/harmful materials which may be against law of the land where you operate. You can ask user to confirm contents but he/she may lie and faithfully you may try to deliver and in…

That was an immediate concern I considered as well. Like, a drug front that sets up a little website that looks like a restaurant or something. Only customers would ever really know about it, but Magic service providers would find it when someone asks for it. Customers place "secret code" orders with Magic. Magic unwittingly delivers drugs (or whatever contraband) throughout the city.

But...then I concluded that surely it's ultimately cheaper and safer to just hire your own drug couriers. Given the slightest risk of discovery, they're less likely to reveal anything about the sender or to know the identity the recipient, unlike Magic.

So yeah, some people will always slip some shady stuff through every now and then. But I don't think Magic is the best solution to any of those illicit problems. No illegal arms dealer is sitting around thinking, "If only I had someone to deliver all these gun orders, I'd be rich!"

Re: Magic

#286

Post by blurg »

sinwave wrote: post #68

This reminds me of an opinion that I have which I've been looking for an opportunity to flesh out and share. Despite all of the research and engineering that's gone into the user interface (and "experience") of smartphones, text messaging as an interface has one massive advantage: the perceived cost of sending a text is miniscule in comparison to other operations. I don't have units, but it's probably an order of mag…

So...a smartwatch? A limited interface to do the most basic smartphone functions with none of the cooler, more engaging (or distracting) features.

Re: Magic

#287

Post by welshguy »

Color me flabbergasted. Props to these guys for launching an MVP and all that, but seriously - what a value proposition: "Why order online when you can get someone else to do that for you adding an undisclosed middleman fee?". First world problems.

Re: Magic

#288

Post by huuu »

dirtyaura wrote: post #247
api wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But how can you disrupt without parallax? ... And thanks. I thought I was the only one who thought the video fad was dumb. Now it's just a toll booth for getting a product presented, and I never watch them. How about others? Do you find videos actually useful or are they just glitz?

thinking that everybody prefers reading is a typical programmer bias. A good number of people will prefer watching a video. Same with voice, most programmers prefer email or chat for work related discussion. Almost all the sales people I know would rather pick up the phone and sort the issue by talking.

It's not about what people like but about what works.

I don't mind videos but I hate those non informative mood videos.

This site doesnt need video because the information is already there.

Re: Magic

#290

Post by ghshephard »

Like Jim Barksdale used to say - there are two ways of making money, you can bundle or unbundle. Magic is clearly a very clever bundling play.
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