Ethical Selling: What is YOUR opinion?

[IsaacT]

So I have friends, coworkers, and fellow classmates, all of whom have seen one or more of my lasers and have offered me money to make them one. Now I wouldn't mind making a little bit of money with this hobby of mine, lord knows it has taken its toll on MY wallet long enough.

But I am stuck between a Crown and a Pill(rock and a hard place parallel? Maybe?). Anyway....my dilemma is this: how do you, as a seller, choose your customers? Obviously any lasers I sell will include a pair of safety glasses and more than a few words of warning, but how do I make sure that at the end of the day, my making some money doing what I love doesn't involve being wholly irresponsible as a laser enthusiast?

Would love to hear any and all opinions on this subject. Also, how much would you sell them for? I don't want to sell them for the cost of parts, because then it really isn't worth the time.....

Thanks for your opinions in advance!
-Isaac



PS - HAPPY EASTER!!!!

 

[mhemling33]

I like to enforce over and over that they have to treat it like a gun. I tell them that leaving batteries in it is like leaving a loaded gun out. Then I ask them if the like being able to see or not being in jail. I also typed up a do's and don'ts paper and give them like 5 copies along with two pairs of glasses. I pretty much try to make them scared of the laser which I hope leads to respect of the laser's power. If i wouldn't trust them with a gun then they wont get a laser. But in the long run it's a gamble there is nothing you can do to control what they do. This is a question I am sure everyone that has ever sold a laser or thought about selling a laser has asked themselves. It will be interesting to hear what others answers are.... Good thread topic

 

[Whiffin]

I tried to sell me 1w laser on eBay, obviously they rejected it, but was worth a pop.

I emphasised that it could blind you, tried to sell with Goggles, and said that I'd want an email of proof of age before I send, and would only send to the name/address on the ID.

I knew it may put of a sale, but felt it was right. Obviously that was on eBay, on a form like this people are more mature ... or so you'd hope

 

[IsaacT]

The unethical ebay is craigslist. Not advocating mindless selling, but if you want to sell a product, and don't want to try selling on this forum, you can always put an ad up on craigslist in either your city, or one close to you(if you live in a small town). Always a chance someone will contact you so you never know.

 

[Whiffin]

I'm UK-based so not ideal.

But I could put in local paper, but will ensure I see the person before selling.

 

[OzLasers]

It's a little different over here in Australia, as there's a blanket 1 mW limit. We always give the safety spiel, offer protection equipment and etc.

If someone is going to misuse a laser, all the pep-talks and fear mongering in the world isn't going to stop them. I guess having only low powered lasers available has prevented a lot of physical eye damage that lasers can cause, or at least minimized the impact. Didn't do much to help the pilots though.

It's a shame the laws ended up this way over here in AussieLand.

 

[Bionic-Badger]

I wouldn't sell a completed laser to anyone that I didn't have personal confidence in their self-responsibility. You never know when the sale might bite you in the butt because of some dumbass's stupidity.

 

[joshshermannn1]

Obviously, you have to know your customer, are they the kind of person that will shine the laser at cars, or give it to a friend who will shine the laser at cars? Etc.. That person will also have to have safety glasses​

As for words of warning: I always send (If they're in the U.S) their state laser laws and the national laser laws. The part about 5 years in jail usually will deter anyone who wanted to shine the laser at aircrafts or etc.​

When selling a laser, I wanna start putting a label on it that says “CAUTION - LASER LIGHT IS BRIGHT AND BLINDING - DO NOT SHINE AT AIRCRAFT OR VEHICLES AT ANY DISTANCE.” This is what the U.S. FDA/CDRH Recommends you put on it. I sell 'em based off the risk I took building it; e.g. I spend $40 on the diode, which could easily break; so I take 30%($12) of that and add it on .​

 

[Bionic-Badger]

I wouldn't even sell to anyone that would need that information. Of course I don't sell many lasers, so it wouldn't affect my sales.

 

[r4mn33k]

I have sold some lasers locally, usually I talk to them a little on the phone or via text, find out what type of person they are. Such as if they use a lot of slang and stuff, its easy to tell that the person is not responsible enough by the way they sound so I say no and just ignore them. Once someone asked me if it would burn people if he pointed at them and I asked the persons age, he was below 18 so I just said no and ignored him. Although I was making money I didn't want to at someone elses harm. I usually ask why they need it, once a person wanted a 1W blue to kill some sort of bacteria in a fish aquarium, another wanted it for a school project, someone else wanted one for a university project and some just as a hobby. Many times I ask them to bring their lasers a long so I can see what they have been using and to know that they will not misuse it. Once a person brought a wicked laser s3, compared it with my 1W blue and it was much brighter than the s3, and he has paid significantly higher.

 

[Lonewolf]

I wouldn't sell a completed laser to anyone that I didn't have personal confidence in their self-responsibility. You never know when the sale might bite you in the butt because of some dumbass's stupidity.

Well said :beer: ... And even the responsible person, can have a "Bud Lite" moment... with some irresponsible friends. I would ask myself if the benefit (profit), out weighs the risk (liability)....according to the laws in your area.

 

[norbyx]

I think that it is very easy, most young people are prone to do things out of the ordinary. That is mainly why you have to be over 18 for some things and over 21 for some others.
Personally if a guy is over 21 and wants to buy a laser I say go for it, it can be dangerous... yes but if he hasn't learnt what a dangerous item can do than he deserves the consequences.

Now I have been bad rated in this forum just for asking a stupid question on some "illegal" argument.
I am 37 going for 38, have wife and 2 kids and still see stupid people all over the world (and the internet) that judge a person because of what he asks or how he speaks, that has nothing to do with being ethical, or a responsable person.
So if you are basing your judgement over a phone call....or knowing a guy for 5 min... well than you will for sure make a mistake, sometimes the best criminal minds look just like a normal person, and still ....

 

[IsaacT]

I think that it is very easy, most young people are prone to do things out of the ordinary. That is mainly why you have to be over 18 for some things and over 21 for some others.
Personally if a guy is over 21 and wants to buy a laser I say go for it, it can be dangerous... yes but if he hasn't learnt what a dangerous item can do than he deserves the consequences.

Now I have been bad rated in this forum just for asking a stupid question on some "illegal" argument.
I am 37 going for 38, have wife and 2 kids and still see stupid people all over the world (and the internet) that judge a person because of what he asks or how he speaks, that has nothing to do with being ethical, or a responsable person.
So if you are basing your judgement over a phone call....or knowing a guy for 5 min... well than you will for sure make a mistake, sometimes the best criminal minds look just like a normal person, and still ....

To assume you know someone after 5 minutes is Naive, to assume that someone's behaviors to do not translate to possible irresponsible behavior you would be in part responsible for is downright folly. To see warning signs and not take a step back and reevaluate the situation is like selling a knife to a guy you just heard talking on the phone about how he is about to kill someone.

Could it be a joke and he could be normal? Sure! Could it be out of context? Absolutely! Does that mean you are right to simply go ahead with a transaction that could have deadly consequences? NO!

Lasers may not be knives, but they have the potential to directly maim a person's vision, and indirectly cause catastrophic accidents if used incorrectly.

Heed the advice given to you and temper your enthusiasm with some common sense. We are a welcoming forum, and a few neg reps at the start of your stay here don't mean that we want you gone. Straighten up and fly right and you will fit in nicely! :beer:

-Isaac

 

[norbyx]

To assume you know someone after 5 minutes is Naive, to assume that someone's behaviors to do not translate to possible irresponsible behavior you would be in part responsible for is downright folly. To see warning signs and not take a step back and reevaluate the situation is like selling a knife to a guy you just heard talking on the phone about how he is about to kill someone.

Could it be a joke and he could be normal? Sure! Could it be out of context? Absolutely! Does that mean you are right to simply go ahead with a transaction that could have deadly consequences? NO!

Lasers may not be knives, but they have the potential to directly maim a person's vision, and indirectly cause catastrophic accidents if used incorrectly.

Heed the advice given to you and temper your enthusiasm with some common sense. We are a welcoming forum, and a few neg reps at the start of your stay here don't mean that we want you gone. Straighten up and fly right and you will fit in nicely! :beer:

-Isaac

Isaac,
I have been aplauded in every single forum I have loged into. From a noob to an expert I have become in the years, but I had never had a bad rep. just for asking a question, anyhow I "suppose" I will have to live with it and cary on.

Lasers can be dangerous, we all know that, but they aren't weapons. I think that a pellet air gun can be considered much more dangerous in this case than a laser, still many kids use them, kill birds and small animals, and still is not seen as an irresponsable act (to me it is now).

 

[Flaminpyro]

If you think lasers are not weapons then how do you explain this>



You have obviously never held a class 4 laser in your hand or you would not make statements like this.

Please listen people here are trying to help you and you don't even realize it as you think you are right
don't be confused that you are hated just take a cue and listen.

Lasers can be dangerous, we all know that, but they aren't weapons. I think that a pellet air gun can be considered much more dangerous in this case than a laser, still many kids use them, kill birds and small animals, and still is not seen as an irresponsable act (to me it is now).

 

[norbyx]

Didn't know you guys had multi million dollar lasers, sorry, I assume that those would have to be sold under specific websites and if one had one it would have to be used in a very responsable way....
In that case I was wrong they actually are weapons...
Well keep looking on Craigslist to see if I can get a hold on one.