A lot of companies make bold claims about their products and services, but “we can make anything” might be the boldest one I’ve heard so far.
And yet that’s exactly what the folks at MagicMon are claiming they can do — from something as simple as a tee shirt to something as complicated as an action figure of yourself, their team can help you turn an idea in your head into an actual, tangible product.
I was admittedly sceptical when I was first introduced to them, but they actually have the pedigree to back it up — MagicMon is actually a subset of famed local design studio Mighty Jaxx, whose team has years of experience when it comes to designing and manufacturing interesting products.
And considering that their list of clients include big brands like Airbnb, Instagram and Facebook — in which they created an entire suite of products for the latter’s Facebook Gaming arm — they’ve proven time and time again that no project is too ambitious for them. How many companies can say that they can make giant beach balls, anyway?
Of course, reading about them is one thing, and going through the process myself is a whole other story. So what better way to test MagicMon’s capabilities than to actually make something with them?
The Wizard Will See You Now…
Starting a project with MagicMon is as fuss-free as it gets — after “requesting a wizard” on their website (don’t worry, it’s free), you’ll be prompted to fill in a few basic details like project type (i.e the material you want to use), contact information and a brief description of what you want to make.
You’ll then be taken to a chat room with one of MagicMon’s designers, who’ll guide you through the consultation process. It’s probably best to come with some references (pictures of a similar product, rough sketches, etc) to begin the discussion, but you can also bounce ideas with them if you aren’t exactly sure of what you want.
For this review, I challenged them to make a 3D model of the Vulcan Post logo, but only had a 2D image as reference. Their designers were able to create a 3D render with this alone, which is a testament to both their skill and how little resources you need to kickstart your idea.
Once the basic design is settled, you’ll move on to more technical things like size and material. MagicMon has pretty much every material imaginable at their disposal, and you’re really only limited by how much you’re willing to spend (wood costs less than metal, for example).
It’s probably best to provide a budget at this point so that they can advise you on what’s feasible for your price range.
Working Their Magic
After the initial consultation, all you have to do is wait while the folks at MagicMon do their thing. You’ll receive an email notification whenever they send a new message, so you don’t have to return to the chat every few days to check for updates.
I received my first email a week after my first consultation, which included a mockup of the product and a quote for how much it would cost to make. At this point you can make further adjustments to the design and size, or proceed with the order and payment if everything is good.
Throughout the manufacturing process, you’ll receive frequent updates as well — I was shown progress pictures at every stage of production, and had to give my approval before they proceeded with the next step. If the end result is unsatisfactory, the fault truly does lie with the customer in this case.
Once the logo was completed I received another notification, and the completed product was delivered to my doorstep on the same day. The entire process took about five weeks and cost $80, which is very fair considering how little I had to do to obtain something so unique.
The Verdict
My experience with MagicMon was a highly positive one — the clean user interface of their website makes the entire process simple, yet efficient, and the guidance of their experienced designers really help in refining the rough ideas that you have in your head.
Another cool thing is that there’s no minimum quantity for an order, so you could create a single, unique product like the Vulcan Post logo that’s sitting on my table as I type this.
If you’re looking to make a personalised gift for someone (or yourself, I won’t judge), MagicMon is definitely worth checking out.
Probably the biggest selling point of MagicMon’s service, however, is the sheer effortlessness of it all – sure, I probably could’ve found some craftsman to do the same thing after some extensive Googling, but MagicMon acting as a middleman between their (trusted) manufacturers is a lot more convenient and gives a lot more peace of mind.
MagicMon has made bringing your ideas to life easier than ever, and this definitely won’t be the last time that I engage their services. If you’ve ever wanted to create something but never knew how, you really don’t have to look any further.
VP Verdict is a series where we personally try and test out products, services, fads, and apps. Want to suggest something else for us to try? Leave a comment here or send the suggestion into our Facebook page.
