Magic Tricks - York Trade Your Way to the USA

CBBC is once again on the hunt to find Britain's best young traders.

We've scoured the country

to find the next generation of budding entrepreneurs.

They need to know how to buy, how to sell and how to close that deal.

Everything must go.

From more than 1,500 applicants

just fourteen teams have made it through to the heats.

Now the battle begins in Trade Your Way To The USA.

They'll each be given £75 cash and a tough trading challenge.

They must decide what to buy...

Which trick draws the biggest crowd?

This one.

Boo!

..negotiate the lowest price.

What would you say at 20p?

I'd say absolutely no.

And then sell, sell, sell.

HORN SOUNDS

Come on, guys.

£2, £2 for these.

Roll up!

The team that makes the most money wins the challenge...

60, 70, £70.

..and a place on our all-important leaderboard.

Only the top four teams go through to the semi-finals

and only one of them will be crowned Britain's Best Young Traders

in Trade Your Way To The USA.

Please buy.

Trade Your Way To The USA is back and is tougher than ever.

Today, some of Britain's best young traders will be tested to the max.

Let's meet the two teams who dared take our challenge.

It's DNA versus ARD.

Meet Subrina,

Joy

and Solace.

A group of best friends from south London known as DNA.

DNA stands for dreams and aspirations.

We could win this because we're persuasive.

We're confident.

And we're determined.

These girls know the tricks of how to trade.

We bought multipack crisps and chocolates

and sold them individually at school.

We made a pretty sweet profit.

And loads of crisp notes.

Joy always shoots to win.

I bring to the group my leadership skills and my passion for trading.

Budding fashion designer Subrina has the artistic flair.

My role in the team is to be the creative one

because I think outside of the box.

And Solace is in charge of those all-important numbers.

I've got more sums than Pythagoras

and it looks like it's adding up to victory for DNA.

ALL: We are DNA and we're going to trade our way to the USA.

Aidan, Ritvik and Dylan are school friends from Derby.

This shop is named after me.

13-year-old Dylan has learnt everything he knows about business

working in the family shop.

We're going to win this challenge through sales.

I'm the salesman and we have to sell, sell, sell.

Aidan's creative talent earns him big bucks.

I buy these models for about £1 each and once I've finished painting them

they're about £20 each, which is a great profit.

And maths brain Ritvik reckons he's got the right moves.

My biggest strength has to be my negotiation skills.

With all our skills combined

we're going to be a really hard team to beat.

Sell ice to Greenland.

Sand to Arabia.

Sheep to New Zealand.

ALL: So watch out because we're hungry for success.

So it's the London lasses, DNA,

going head-to-head with the Derbyshire dealers, ARD.

But which team will make the most money in today's challenge?

Because only they still stand a chance

of trading their way to the USA.

The teams have arrived in York

with no idea what their trading challenge will be.

What they do know is they must win

if they want to compete in our USA grand final.

TRAIN WHISTLES

Welcome to the National Railway Museum in York.

This week is Wizard Week,

a special event attracting wannabe witches and wizards.

4,000 people are expected through those doors and they'll be looking

to spend their money on products to boost their wizard credentials.

Your challenge is to sell practical jokes and magic tricks.

Yes!

You'll get to choose which tricks and jokes to buy.

You must negotiate the lowest prices and then sell, sell, sell.

It's simple. The team that makes the most money wins the challenge.

Here are your trading funds.

I've given you each £75 to trade with.

DNA, ARD, are you ready?

ALL: Yes!

Let's get buying.

The competition is on.

The teams have come to Scarborough to meet our magical expert.

They each have a £75 trading fund and they must buy wisely

if they want to win.

The first rule of buying is to really understand the product

that you're selling and my top tip to you is this.

Use your listening and observation skills in this task.

Here are your notebooks.

Are you ready?

ALL: Yes!

Let's go.

Miles has 15 years' experience dealing in magical goods.

If anyone knows the tricks of the trade, it's Miles.

So with just 15 minutes to quiz him, every question counts.

What target market do you think your products are based at?

Well, the Wizard Week you're going to is attracted to kids

so the things I've got here are things kids can buy and kids can do.

Well done, Joy. In business you need to know who you're selling to

so you can choose the right products.

-What's your cheapest bestseller?

-The deck of cards.

I'm going to flick through the cards. I want you to shout stop, OK?

-You ready? Say stop.

-Stop.

-Happy there?

You take that card there. Take it out of my hands, show your friends.

Have you looked at it? Put it in the deck now.

I've put a copy of your card somewhere in this shop.

If you all look up.

Is that your card up there?

-Oh!

-That is your card up there. It really is magic.

Here's another really nice one.

If you take that, pick a colour, put it into the box.

Put it to me so I can't see it,

and what I'll do, I'll try and read your mind.

-OK? The colour that you chose is the colour... Orange.

-Wow.

It's a really high impact trick, it's also a really good price.

Miles is performing so well,

he's telling them all the tricks of the trade.

This is where they need to be writing a lot down.

Which trick draws the biggest crowd?

This one.

Boo!

-Oh!

-That's a nice item and people will want to buy that.

What tactics do you use to promote your products?

Magic does not sell if you just sit there and do nothing.

You need to demo it.

You need to do it over and over and over again.

That's how you promote it is by doing it.

That is a key bit of advice.

Demonstrating these products is the way to get sales.

All right, teams, your time for questioning is up,

thank you very much, Miles.

It's now time to choose your products. Are you ready?

-ALL: Yes.

-Let's go.

Right, boys, is there anything you need help with?

Could you show us how this works?

This is a dice, a lid and a box.

All I've done is I've put the lid on its side behind my back.

ALL: Oh!

It's really good.

Could you show us the deck of cards?

This has to be one of the easiest card tricks in the world.

Every other card is the nine of hearts.

-In between it.

-Yes.

-ALL: Oh.

OK.

If I was doing this challenge I would copy everything that

Miles does from his performance, storytelling and magic tricks.

At the end of the day he's the expert

and he's found success in this business. Why change it?

Well, I think we should get the chopping hand thing.

And it does look gross.

But there's no point us buying it

if we don't know how to show the magic tricks to the audience.

I know how to do it.

So DNA, what is your strategy for choosing the products?

Buying stuff that we feel comfortable with presenting

because if we can't present it then no-one will really buy it.

'Spot on, Solace. Demonstrations get sales.'

What is your strategy in the negotiation?

To get the lowest price and more products.

What have ARD decided on?

The dice in the box is a good trick.

And it helps us interact.

What's your strategy in the negotiation?

I think if we buy some items in bulk we can get a reduction.

In business bulk buying is a great way to bring down the price.

It sounds like you know what you're going to do.

I'll see you later in the negotiation.

DNA hope to make the most money by choosing those products

they're happy to demonstrate.

ARD reckon they'll bring in the cash by buying in bulk, but which team

will use the tricks of the trade to negotiate the lowest prices?

With their magic tricks chosen, it's time to negotiate.

To win the challenge they must get great deals.

First, ARD.

Their strategy is to buy in bulk so can maths brain Ritvik

use his negotiation skills to work some magic?

So what's the wholesale price for the coloured dice?

£1.99.

We're going to buy about ten.

So that's about £20,

but I'm wondering if you're able to negotiate for 13?

That's far too low. I think you're severely under-buying them.

If you buy 15 I'll knock the cost price down to £1.50 a unit.

So that's £22.50. Can you make it £20?

Take it or leave it.

-Buy.

-Yeah.

OK.

They didn't quite get the price they wanted,

but they did get over £7 discount.

It's a great start.

The card pack, what's your wholesale price on that?

£1.

If we buy 15, that's 75.

Would you lower the total price? £11?

I'll be honest, it's a really good trick.

Telling the supplier that you really like their product

is a lovely way to get a better price.

We're not, like, cheating you. I mean, that's a pretty good price.

Ritvik is confident, persistent and assertive,

fantastic skills for negotiation.

OK.

The wands, how much do you sell these for?

They're 75p.

I've only got five.

Fine, would you do £3?

Yeah, OK.

So how much are you selling wholesale price for the guillotine?

The guillotines are £6 each.

Can you do 40 for ten?

I can do three for £15.

14? Just that little bit lower, just for us,

because we'll be showcasing your product anyway

so you might as well, it's free advertising as well.

We're showcasing your products. Yeah?

Go on then.

-Right, that's £75, please.

-Yeah.

Ritvik's cheeky negotiation tactics have got ARD some great deals.

Next it's team DNA.

What is the wholesale price for your hand chopper?

£6.

How about we go to three?

Wow, going in for a 50 per cent discount, that takes some courage.

-No.

-Give us a magical price.

Here's a magical price. £6.

Will you go down to four?

-£5 each.

-OK, £5 then.

Thank you. The deck of cards, you want 30 of them for £15.

That should be £30 of stock and you want it for...

15.

That's not going to happen.

Seventeen of them for £15.

-Yes, I'll do that.

-Thank you.

What's your price for the ink?

Disappearing ink is a bargain 70p.

Could we play 50p for them?

-It depends on how many you want.

-Ten.

OK, I'll let you have ten at 50p each.

Along with wands, money box tricks

and magic sweets, their cash is almost gone.

Time to seal the deal.

OK we'll be taking a deck of cards, 15 of them for £17.

The other way round.

Sorry, 17 of them for £15, ten money box for £6 each... Sorry.

What... The money box was £9.

I don't think you know what you're ordering.

I'm really surprised at the girls because they started off so well.

But under pressure, they're losing their confidence.

You've got another £1.50 to spend.

Then we'll have one more sweets.

-One more sweet.

-That's it.

Right girls, I think that's £75.

Team DNA spent £45 on guillotines and card tricks.

They reckon their demonstrations will make them

their two bestsellers. Let's hope so.

They also bought sweets, wands, money boxes and disappearing ink.

Team ARD spent £36.50 on what they hope will be their best sellers -

the dice tricks and the guillotines.

They also invested in sweets, wands, 10p key tricks and card tricks.

Now it is down to their performance in the big sell.

But which team will pull the rabbit out of the hat?

And which team is for the chop?

Today the competition hots up as DNA and ARD go head to head.

Both are desperate to win

and get one step closer to our USA grand final

because the team that makes the most money today will still

be in with the chance of becoming Britain's best young traders.

WHISTLE BLOWS

Good morning, ARD. Good morning, DNA.

Welcome to Wizard Week at the National Railway Museum.

Your challenge is to sell practical jokes

and magic tricks to the 4,000 visitors expected here today.

You have two hours to sell your products.

Are you ready?

ALL: Yes!

Let's set up.

-Quickly!

-You have to sort it out first!

The teams get out their tricks, ready for the arriving visitors.

Every sale gets one team one step closer to the USA.

-The bigger products at the back or the front?

-Um, at back.

Ritvik has a cheeky plan to beat the girls.

I'm going to put a sign that says, "Cheaper than the other team."

Just to wind them up.

I like your style! So what are the boys prices?

The dice trick is £6.99.

The sweets are £2 each.

The wands are £2.25.

The guillotine is going to be at £10.99.

They paid £4.66 each which will give them over £6 profit.

So, are the boys products cheaper than the girls?

-Guillotine?

-Those are £20.

OK. Wow!

That's almost double the boys.

DNA could make £15 profit on each one.

But if they do not sell it could cost them a place in the final.

-The wands are £3.50.

-And what about the invisible ink?

-£6.

-Are you worried about the competition?

-No!

All right. Listen, good luck. I'll see you later.

With their store set and the visitors arriving,

it's time for this battle to begin.

-Teams, are you ready?

-Yes!

Three, two, one,

-start selling!

-HORN HONKS

-Cards!

-Magic cards!

Magic wands?

This is going to be a very exciting challenge.

The girls have priced their products double that of the boys.

So will it be price or volume that wins this challenge?

Wow, you two look awesome today.

Cheeky salesman Ritvik

starts working his magic on the wannabe wizards.

These sweets make your whole mouth go blue. These are only £2 each.

-There you go.

-Thank you.

-Fully clear your mind, OK?

-OK.

-I am going to know your colour.

OK.

It's in there, I know, I can feel it. OK, is it red?

Yes.

Ritvik has just performed a textbook sale.

He demonstrated, he was a showman.

He kept the intensity and the curiosity.

They are only £6.99. It's cheaper than that stall there.

Then he got a sale.

Absolutely fantastic. Well done.

That went well.

We have made a profit of somewhere around £30,

-which isn't bad for straight away.

-Go on.

How are the girls doing?

They've decided to divide and conquer.

-Subrina sells at the stall...

-We have disappearing ink.

£6, that's a bit much, isn't it?

While Solace and Joy go out to find customers.

Magic wands, only £3.50!

Have a magical time! Thank you.

These turn your mouth blue to match your T-shirt. Thank you.

Magic wands have been on fire.

We've sold many of the magic wands. The sweets are selling well.

Their pocket money priced tricks are selling well,

but can they shift their most expensive product...

One, two, three!

-..the £20 guillotine?

-Would you like one?

No, not at that price.

In business, you have to become a real expert

at reading your customer's body language.

If you give them a price and they go like this...

it's time to reduce your pricing.

They love the guillotine and they only had £10 to spend

and the guillotine was 20. Too much.

I've got it.

Over 30 minutes in and Ritvik's dice trick is drawing a crowd.

-But what are his teammates doing?

-They're not doing anything!

Maybe it's time they move and get a customer or something.

This is a tough task, but the only way to get sales

is to demonstrate an Ritvik can't do it all on his own. Time to step in.

I don't see activity here.

I'm testing different things, but I'm going out

to sell this cos I've mastered it and I'm really good.

OK. Do it on me then.

An ordinary deck of cards, look. Yeah?

But I can make them disappear.

And...gone.

Aidan, you need to work on your showmanship little bit more.

And, Dylan, this is a real safety net to you.

You need to walk at the front

and start bringing in the crowds. Good luck.

The girls' strategy is to sell products

they know how to demonstrate,

but over 45 minutes into selling, they're struggling to master them.

I want you to tell me when to stop, yeah?

Blurgh! Why do I have so many of these?

It's gone all wrong.

To get those sales, Joy needs to do her homework.

I'm trying to figure out how these card tricks work

so we can show it to the public.

Right, I've got them. Solace.

Only an hour left.

The boys have teamed up to shift their most expensive product -

the £10.99 guillotine.

-That's more like it.

-It's a really good trick.

So how do you do then?

-We'll tell you if you buy the product.

-All right then.

Thank you, sir. Lovely. 10.99.

We need to really push it.

If we want to secure that place to America, we need to really focus.

Both teams must get sales to win,

so have the girls mastered that card trick?

My lovely assistant knows your card and has it on her.

Would you like to check my fraud?

Is it the same card?

Would you like your own cards?

That's £3.50 for the girls.

At the beginning of the day,

DNA didn't have a handle on their tricks,

but with practise, they're leaving customers spellbound.

-One...

-But they still have six guillotines to sell...

-Stop!

..which the boys are selling at 10.99.

-Wouldn't you like one of these?

-How much are they?

Oh... £17.

Brilliant selling. That made them a whopping £12 profit.

-That was good.

-You could've pushed it for the 20.

No, but, you know. if we said 20, look at her face.

Well done, Joy.

She read the customer's body language to get the sale.

DNA, you have got less than ten minutes left.

What is your strategy now?

Reduce our prices.

This is going to be a fight to the finish.

Hand chopper £10 on sale.

Vanishing ink £2.

There you are, darling.

One, two... Ooh!

Only 7.99. It's below half price, sir.

We'll do £7 for you, sir.

-Go on.

-Thank you, sir. It's great doing business with you.

They can perform six different tricks and they're just £1 each.

-There you go.

-Thank you.

Just run!

Eight...seven...

six...

-£6, sir.

-£3.60, that's all I've got.

..two...one. Stop trading.

KLAXON SOUNDS

Oh, my God!

DNA, can I have your cash box? Good luck.

-ARD, can I have your cash box? Good luck.

-Thanks.

We've done enough because we worked as a team

and used our persuasive techniques.

A lot of notes were going into the pan.

Like, £20 notes, £5 notes, £10 notes.

Ah, it's a lot!

I want to win this so much. It would mean so much to me

-if we at least got to the next round.

-We have a fighting chance.

I am so nervous!

They came, they demonstrated and they sold,

but only one team has conquered.

It's time to find out who's won the challenge

and stays in the running

for our USA grand final.

ARD, DNA, I've had my eyes on both of you for the last two days

and I have to say, I've been very impressed with what I've seen.

Remember, 1,500 young traders applied to be in your position,

but only 14 teams made it through, so well done.

Remember, the team that makes the most money wins the challenge

and only they still stand a chance of trading their way to the USA

and becoming Britain's best young traders.

The money has been counted.

ARD, you took...

£85.69.

DNA, you took...

£127.20!

Congratulations, you're our winners!

THEY SCREAM

DNA are today's winners and they're in with a chance

of competing in the USA.

Everything we've worked for has just paid off.

-It's really exciting, fun.

-Yeah, it really is exciting.

It's a sense of accomplishment.

I think our teamwork got us the win.

It was devastating. I don't know what to say. I'm a bit depressed,

but it was a fair win to them. They got more money than us.

ALL: Good luck to the girls.

ARD, commiserations. You worked really hard. Well done.

DNA, you took the most money and are today's winners.

The winner of each heat goes on to our leaderboard

and only these teams stand a chance of getting to the final.

So winners of the first heat DNA go in at the top.

But will their £127.20 be enough to keep them in first place?

Because only the four teams that make the most money

go on to fight it out in the semi-finals.

I've been in business for over 20 years

and I remember when I first started out,

my selling technique was clumsy and clunky.

I discovered that whilst the performance of selling

is important, the key to making money is closing the deal.

Today's teams took that lesson on board

and it's well worth remembering

if you want to trade your way to the USA.

Next time on Trade Your Way To The USA - two more teams do battle.

Booyah!

Have you not written down the prices that we agreed?

-We actually have no idea.

-You've got to change your game plan.

-That's £3.

-High five!

-EVIL LAUGH

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd