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  • Report:  #551197

Complaint Review: Paul Harris Presents

Paul Harris Presents False Advertising Bend, Oregon

  • Reported By:
    Edward — Montreal Other Canada
  • Submitted:
    Fri, January 08, 2010
  • Updated:
    Thu, January 28, 2010

Here is a link to a magic product. If you read the ad and then watch the demo video you will notice a huge difference in what the ad claims it does and what it actually does.

http://paulharrispresents.webs.com/apps/webstore/products/show/834064

Here is a link to a very popular magic forum where numerous people feel that the ad is extremely deceiving and very misleading.

(((REDACTED)))

There are 14 pages of posts. Page 8 is where "PHSIS" Janet Harris finally posts the demo and the negative reactions to the demo begins.

(((REDACTED)))

The ad boldly states, "YES, HE'S MOVING FORWARD AND ACTUALLY WALKING... ONE ASTONISHING STEP AT A TIME!"
 and continues on to say, "His entire clay body VISIBLY TURNS AND LURCHES FORWARD with each dramatic step."

If this isn't blatant false advertising, I guess I don't know what is. There has been several misleading ads in the magic community for magic products but this one blows all others out of the water. Many people are very upset about this kind of advertising, and perhaps one day laws will be introduced to stop this kind of marketing all together.

Please let me know what you think, and if this is a case of false and misleading advertising worth reporting a complaint to the FCC.



 

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

3 Updates & Rebuttals


Janet Harris

Bend,
Oregon,
USA

Response to rebuttal again

#4REBUTTAL Owner of company

Thu, January 28, 2010

I am not sure who you are, but you seem to have some anger issues that go beyond
this issue of semantics with the Little Man walking or shuffling.  I have a feeling no
matter what is posted on this issue, you have made up your mind and will be no
convincing you otherwise, so I am not even going to try.

That is the first time I heard the definition of PHSIS.  I only thought it meant
Paul Harris' sister, but that is flattering some have given another definition to this
abbreviation. (even if you don't think I am intelligent.)

The obvious issue is do you want to purchase it or not purchase it.  If it is not
something that will work for you, then don't purchase it.  For many magicians,
this is something that will work into their routines; for others, it won't.  We are
not forcing anyone to buy this, and have immediately given a refund to someone
who requested it. 

For anyone else's information, a professionally made demo with audience participation
and suggested routines is in the works as we speak.  Again, some may like it and
others may not. 

I really don't understand how this can be categorized as a rip off.  My understanding
of a rip off is for instance a contractor taking your money and then leaving town
without performing work paid for or purchasing an item and not being able to
receive a refund if you are not satisfied. 

I am sorry, whoever you are, that you feel this way, and again, do not believe any
amount of rebuttal will change your mind.   


Edward

Montreal,
Saskatchewan,
Canada

Very Bad Business Practice

#4Author of original report

Mon, January 25, 2010

The advertising is very misleading. Your definition of "walking" is not only deceiving but isn't the legal definition either. The consumer is not responsable to try and figure out what your own personal definition of walking is supposed to be.

The ad also states that he takes "one step at a time", "with each dramatic step". What is your lame excuse for that? The demo shows the clay man shuffling. Not even close to walking with each dramatic step, one astonishing step at a time. 

You seem to have a lot of excuses, but none of them hold any water. The more excuses you come up with the more you loose credibility. There are a very small number of people who are trying to defend Paul Harris, but if you look around the internet you will clearly see that the majority of reviews feel that the ad is misleading.

On top of that, the reviews clearly show that most are not impressed with Little man and do not find it to be astonishing or magicial. The method is immediately suspected. Even if the suspicion may be incorrect, because most immediately think they do know the method, it takes away all astonishment.

You also plainly admit in your rebuttal here that Little Man does not walk, by using the excuse that he would need knees to accomplish that. So, you admit that Little man doesn't actually, one astonishing step at a time. (Notice I didn't capitalize each letter like it is in the ad) 

 Your posts on the Magic Cafe shows that you have not been completely honest, and now here we have you admitting that Little man doesn't walk. To do that he would need knee's. Those are your words are they not? 

PHSIS (Paul Harris's Sexy Intelligent Sister) is not very intelligent after all. A good friend of mine seen the original prototype which you claim needed more work on before marketing, or before a demo could be made. My good friend informed me that there was no difference in the prototype and the one in the demo.

Perhaps it's time you just started being honest with people.

I am also aware that more than two people have asked for their money back. I am also aware that Little man hasn't been selling very well. So please, don't try to create a picture contrary to that.

I am also aware of the few members on the Cafe who are big fans of Paul Harris and have insulted and bullied other members for voicing their honest reviews and opinions, all in an agressive attempt to defend Paul Harris's reputation.

The links are provided here for everyonee to read for themselves.

 


Janet Harris

Bend,
Oregon,
USA

Magic Product Rebuttal

#4REBUTTAL Owner of company

Mon, January 25, 2010

Speaking for Paul Harris, and myself, Janet Harris, Customer Service at Paul Harris Presents.com, we want everyone to know there are many
people who are happy with the product that we are going to put out, and that
the word "walk" means different things to different people.  An excellent email
that describes this I am posting below.

Also, I really do not understand how this is considered a ripoff because anyone who has pre ordered this item is entitled to a full refund at any time.  The following are the words posted on the website below the product's description: T ANY TIME DURING THE PRE ORDER WAITING PROCESS, YOU CAN ASK FOR YOUR MONEY TO BE REFUNDED BACK TO YOU."  We have only had two people request a refund out of dozens of orders received, and they were promptly refunded the day they asked for it.

The following email and many more like it are posted on the Magic Cafe website for
all magicians to view.

"You know a doctor would have a blast with this thread.  Just a few things to consider as far as our Little Man is concerned.  In order for him to "walk" as has been defined here, he would need KNEES so he can bend them. Little Man has no knees -- in real life if you have no knees, you will shuffle like this and to you it would be walking. 
But let us also remember another point.  Now think about this.  If you are really bringing to life a lump of clay, do you really believe it will walk perfectly?  When we send people into space for months on end with zero gravity and return them home, have you ever seen the acclamation they go through to relearn how to walk?  Now just picture for a moment a piece of CLAY that has NEVER been in a shape of a Little Man and has NEVER been alive and has never walked (and to top it off has no knees, no ankles, and no experience with walking.)  How do you honestly picture this piece of clay walking?  Remember we as magicians have to see in our minds how this would look in real life PRIOR to us ever being able to sell the idea to an audience."
If goes on, but you get the idea. 

Thank you for letting me post my side of this issue.


   

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