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Just an idea

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el-taco

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Hey LPF, long time no posting (I lol'd)

Anyway, I had the novel idea of making my own online laser store. I have a friend who can provide cheap hosting and domains are cheap as chips these days. Here is my plan:

1. Come up with catchy title for site
2. Buy the hosting and the domain
3. Start site
4. Advertise somehow
5. Build lasers with parts from 0-like and somewhere else (see limitations)
6. Sell lasers
7. ???
8. PROFIT!!!

Anyway, here are some of my limitations/queries:

1. Would it be legal? Since, technically, I would not be importing laser pointers (the banned item) and would be building them here. Technically, I believe it is completely legal to own a pointer.
2. Pen lasers are the most appealing (in my opinion) to people. Could anyone guide me to a link/place where I can purchase good looking, yet easily modifiable pen hosts? Alternatively, I could bulk buy some of jayrob's heatsinks and some of the hosts that go with the heatsink and build like that, although that adds in the extra cost of a heatsink.
3. What is a good software to use for a website selling stuff? Perhaps SenKat (does he still exist? havent seen him for a while) or sk8er could help me on that one.
4. how do i shot web?
 





diachi

diachi

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el-taco said:
Hey LPF, long time no posting (I lol'd)

Anyway, I had the novel idea of making my own online laser store. I have a friend who can provide cheap hosting and domains are cheap as chips these days. Here is my plan:

1. Come up with catchy title for site
2. Buy the hosting and the domain
3. Start site
4. Advertise somehow
5. Build lasers with parts from 0-like and somewhere else (see limitations)
6. Sell lasers
7. ???
8. PROFIT!!!

Anyway, here are some of my limitations/queries:

1. Would it be legal? Since, technically, I would not be importing laser pointers (the banned item) and would be building them here. Technically, I believe it is completely legal to own a pointer.
2. Pen lasers are the most appealing (in my opinion) to people. Could anyone guide me to a link/place where I can purchase good looking, yet easily modifiable pen hosts? Alternatively, I could bulk buy some of jayrob's heatsinks and some of the hosts that go with the heatsink and build like that, although that adds in the extra cost of a heatsink.
3. What is a good software to use for a website selling stuff? Perhaps SenKat (does he still exist? havent seen him for a while) or sk8er could help me on that one.
4. how do i shot web?
Click to expand...


1: Don't know.
2: You could use leadlights, I think theres a GB going on for leadlight hosts.
3:Senkat has started posting again. either Senkat or Sk8er would probably be helpful.
4: Don't know.

As for advertising you could possibly ask c0ld to see if he would let you advertise here.

-Adam
 
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el-taco

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Cheers for your quick reply and ideas!

I guess I could talk to c0ld, and get some advertising here after donating to the forum.

However, I have one problem...
My PayPal got limited which was link to my bank account and credit card. I have completed all the steps to get it out of this process, yet paypal wont budge. Is there a way I can get a PayPal hooked up to my bank and everything, so I can receive funds through there into my bank account?
 
maxkillz

maxkillz

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Well theres already a lot of sites to buy lasers and parts from. I guess if your lasers looked good and worked at or above spec and you had decent prices you might be able to compete. I thought about making my own site for a while too but I just don't have the time. maybe in a year or two I'll have enough time to maybe make a few high powered DIY greens and possibly blues and sell them for a good price (I'll have to charge a bit more than materials to cover possible warrenty stuff and to pay for the time to make it) but instead of chargeing near $1000 for a green lab laser rated at 100mW I would probably charge somewhere like $200 or so but I would try to make them as powerful as possible but also last a while. since I have not made a green on my own yet I do not know how powerful I can make it :-X


sorry for the mind dump
 
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el-taco

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Ha, its cool man

I think that if I make a site here in Australia, I will get some business since our imports of lasers was cut off.

Hell, Ive had people offering me $150 for my (very scratched) DX True 30mW.
 
maxkillz

maxkillz

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el-taco said:
Ha, its cool man

I think that if I make a site here in Australia, I will get some business since our imports of lasers was cut off.

Hell, Ive had people offering me $150 for my (very scratched) DX True 30mW.
Click to expand...
lol people here WAY underprice them, I got offered $10 for my blu-ray :-/ I guess people in Detroit don't know anything about lasers
 
S

SuicideKing

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Nov 22, 2008
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1. Make sure you have a caveate on your website, stating your items are "Experimental Kits" and all liability is on the consumer who will be doing the actual building and assembly (even if the only "assembly" they really do is inserting the batteries).

2. Check out Alibaba.com for volume buying from international manufacturers. Here's a link for Laser Pointers and raw cases:
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?SearchText=laser+pointer&Country=&CatId=0&IndexArea=product_en

Also, call Paypal on the phone, using their customer service line (you have to dig for it, but it's on their website) and explain your situation. Be calm, let them know you'll do whatever you have to do to get it un-Limited. If the first person can't help you, *politely* ask to speak to a supervisor or second tier service rep. ( I did exactly this to get mine cleared up and they were suprisingly accomodating).
 
robjdixon

robjdixon

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Feb 29, 2008
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el-taco said:
Hey LPF, long time no posting (I lol'd)

Anyway, I had the novel idea of making my own online laser store. I have a friend who can provide cheap hosting and domains are cheap as chips these days. Here is my plan:

1. Come up with catchy title for site
2. Buy the hosting and the domain
3. Start site
4. Advertise somehow
5. Build lasers with parts from 0-like and somewhere else (see limitations)
6. Sell lasers
7. ???
8. PROFIT!!!

Anyway, here are some of my limitations/queries:

1. Would it be legal? Since, technically, I would not be importing laser pointers (the banned item) and would be building them here. Technically, I believe it is completely legal to own a pointer.
2[highlight]. Pen lasers are the most appealing (in my opinion) to people. Could anyone guide me to a link/place where I can purchase good looking, yet easily modifiable pen hosts? Alternatively, I could bulk buy some of jayrob's heatsinks and some of the hosts that go with the heatsink and build like that, although that adds in the extra cost of a heatsink.[/highlight]
3. What is a good software to use for a website selling stuff? Perhaps SenKat (does he still exist? havent seen him for a while) or sk8er could help me on that one.
4. how do i shot web?
Click to expand...

Look at the Laserglow clearance sale.
 
M

mike666

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Nov 7, 2008
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We sell items via our site. see signature (not laser related).
I use Namo to build/update the site, Supanames to host it and a php shopping cart that works with PayPal that I designed myself, but there are plenty of php and asp scripted free carts if you search for them.
However you will still need to integrate it into your site.

A easier, but less professional way, would be to use PayPal's own ' Pay Now buttons'. These are simple peices of html code that you place into your site. People then click these buttons to buy the related item. These too still need to be set up right though.
 
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el-taco

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Jun 17, 2008
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SuicideKing said:
1. Make sure you have a caveate on your website, stating your items are "Experimental Kits" and all liability is on the consumer who will be doing the actual building and assembly (even if the only "assembly" they really do is inserting the batteries).

2. Check out Alibaba.com for volume buying from international manufacturers. Here's a link for Laser Pointers and raw cases:
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?SearchText=laser+pointer&Country=&CatId=0&IndexArea=product_en

Also, call Paypal on the phone, using their customer service line (you have to dig for it, but it's on their website) and explain your situation. Be calm, let them know you'll do whatever you have to do to get it un-Limited. If the first person can't help you, *politely* ask to speak to a supervisor or second tier service rep. ( I did exactly this to get mine cleared up and they were suprisingly accomodating).
Click to expand...

Ive been on alibaba before, but it never crossed my mind to look at lasers.

However, the one real problem I have is that I can't import anything over 1mW. I might see if someonen on LPF would like to gut the lasers for me in exchange for a little $$ and the salvaged diodes (however useless they are, lol)

Also, I will ask when I call paypal to speak to someone higher up. I called them and the woman said "theres nothing I can do" and simply hung up STRAIGHT away.
 
S

SuicideKing

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 I will ask when I call paypal to speak to someone higher up. I called them and the woman said "theres nothing I can do" and simply hung up STRAIGHT away.
Click to expand...

Not knowing your situation, but assuming you weren't actively involved in anything illegal, talk to the supervisor and ask what exactly you need to do (they usually have a list of things, like clearing any claims or showing some kind of proof of purchase, etc), then jump through every hoop they throw at you. If you still get the runaround, ask them why the account wasn't just canceled or terminated. The very fact that its "limited", implies it can be re-instated, if the terms of the limitation are met.

If all else fails, you could open up a bank account at a new bank and re-register with Paypal as a new user, using the new bank information. -just remember not to use your social security number in the new Paypal registration (they have other identification options you can choose).

ALSO,
I think the import limitation is on finished lasers. -I don't see why you couldn't import just the diodes and other un-assembled parts.

Good luck to you.
SK
 
E

el-taco

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Thanks man.

Im not too fond of opening another bank account to be honest... I will try your idea with paypal, hopefully I will get past their brick wall of ignorrance.

PS- we dont have social security numbers in Australia :)
 
J

jake21

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el-taco i was plaining on doing the same thing lol.i found few suppliers with leadlights, 803sleds,lpc815 sleds, drivers and such i hope it all works out  ;)   damn 1600 post :cool:
 
E

el-taco

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Ive got a supplier on alibaba Im talking to now, offering me 1mW ( LEGAL :D) pointers for $17. They arent leadlights, theyre more newwish style (without rubber though).

I will see where it goes. I plan on building mostly greenies, however I might just build a few blu rays

EDIT: Then the bomb drops... $48 shipping :O
 
E

el-taco

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I need them to be <1mW

I have found a supplier which is cheap, good looking (the laser, that is) and seems to be following all of my requests. I'm fairly confident that I will purchase from this person
 
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