Radar Detectors For Rent - Site

**Rottman** · 02-12-2008, 02:22 PM

Well welcome to the board 986 and good luck with your business! I think it's a cool idea.....

**whiterabbit05** · 02-12-2008, 08:19 PM

they could do flat rate priority mail for those who dont need it that fast

thatll help cut the cost

**tjbender** · 02-13-2008, 01:02 AM

I question the business. Not the owner's intentions or anything like that, but I worry about the wisdom of it. Since the business owner is posting in this thread, I figure I'll ask the question that's on my mind (and would keep me from ever doing something like this):

How--if at all--are you covered if you receive a reservation from a Nigerian with a stolen credit card who has you ship it to a sweetheart drop in America? I understand that keeping credit card numbers on file limits your risk, but if the card is stolen in the first place, then what good is having it? You end up with bounced credit card charges, no V1, and a victim who was suckered by the thief into serving as a drop house for their stolen goods, then mailing those goods along to Wheretheflipever, Nigeria.

**thestaton** · 02-13-2008, 05:44 AM

Just an idea... USPS Priority is pretty efficient for 2 day delivery. Perhaps it could cut down on your costs if the customer didn't need the guarantee of 2 day shipping.

If they need it quicker say overnight or two day, make um pay the extra over priority.

Just thinking out loud

**986Girl** · 02-13-2008, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by bcorby

I question the business. Not the owner's intentions or anything like that, but I worry about the wisdom of it. Since the business owner is posting in this thread, I figure I'll ask the question that's on my mind (and would keep me from ever doing something like this):

How--if at all--are you covered if you receive a reservation from a Nigerian with a stolen credit card who has you ship it to a sweetheart drop in America? I understand that keeping credit card numbers on file limits your risk, but if the card is stolen in the first place, then what good is having it? You end up with bounced credit card charges, no V1, and a victim who was suckered by the thief into serving as a drop house for their stolen goods, then mailing those goods along to Wheretheflipever, Nigeria.

First, I require the credit card number up front (probably pretty obvious), and then I run an authorization on it for the full retail cost of whatever model is being rented. An authorization tells me if there is enough limit on that card or not to place the full retail amount. No one gets charged until the detector gets back to me... so if it comes back fine and dandy, you get charged the rental amount. If it never comes back, I charge you for the full retail amount and purchase a new one.

As for credit card theft, etc. The best any online merchant (and we're talking bigger places than myself, like Amazon, Banana Republic, etc) can do is require information about the cardholder (name, address, etc) and only ship to a verified address linked to that card. Nigerian scams with sweetheart drops are unfortunately out of our power to detect/prevent against. Another reason why it is important for everyone to be checking their own credit card statements!

As for my stakes in it... I am as liable to be had as any other online merchant. But I could also wake up tomorrow to find I have a third arm. Or I could suddenly be bought out by some super rich power company.

I don't let the fear of WHAT could happen stop me from trying. I believe in the services I am providing, and have a real passion for the business, and so far things are going really well, especially how young the business is. I'm receiving great response from this thread (which I thank you all for!), and word about my services are spreading.

Edit: Oh, and I do not keep credit card numbers on file. All credit card transactions are run through a major credit card processing company that keeps the information stored and secured on their own servers.

**Rottman** · 02-13-2008, 08:07 AM

Have you done any advertising 986?

**986Girl** · 02-13-2008, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by thestaton

Just an idea... USPS Priority is pretty efficient for 2 day delivery. Perhaps it could cut down on your costs if the customer didn't need the guarantee of 2 day shipping.

If they need it quicker say overnight or two day, make um pay the extra over priority.

Just thinking out loud

Brainstorming, I love it

USPS Priority is what I am currently using for shipping. It is much cheaper than UPS, DHL or FedEx.

My thought with guaranteed 2-day shipping was this:

If Person X wants a rental to start next Thursday. Shipping via 2-day lets me know exactly when to ship the rental out, and tells Person X exactly when they are going to receive it. Since I require a signature, so that we both have proof of the day you received the detector, ala the day your rental begins, I know it's important to people to know exactly what day it is going to arrive so they can make plans to be there. Also, if I shipped a detector a few days in advance, via regular mail, and it gets to them...lets say in one day... does Person X's rental start on the day they received it? Or the day they scheduled their rental to begin? Being the type of person I am, I would say the day their rental is scheduled to begin; but I have to be realistic about the cost to the business to be without that detector for several extra days - that's potentially another rental that could be placed.

But you have definitely got me thinking about all of this again (dang, and here I hoped I was done with all this shipping drama!)

**986Girl** · 02-13-2008, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by davekr

Have you done any advertising 986?

Mostly local, and very small time. I go out to every car meet I can with vinyl on my vehicle, wear shirts/sweatshirts, hand out stickers and buddy up with several online automotive forums for banner rotation and cross promotion at their own internal events. I also participate heavily in local motorsports events, and am an active member of the SCCA, so I grab the microphone and announce myself whenever I get the chance

I'd like to go bigger, but it's unfortunately just not in the budget at the moment. It's tough being small beans, but I'm trying to do things that are "one off costs," like my shirts and vinyl, that will continue to promote even after the initial cost is paid off.

**986Girl** · 02-13-2008, 09:00 AM

Due to the overwhelming response I've gotten here, I'd like to offer any member of RadarDetector.net a 15% discount on any rental! When asked for your discount code, enter Radardetector.net and I will apply the 15% discount!

Also, if anyone would like a sticker for their car, I'd be more than happy (and very appreciative!) to send one your way. Just send me a PM!

I don't have any more of the larger ones at the top, but I still have the bottom three. The second one down is full color vinyl, perfect for windows, 4"x1". The third one is about 5" x 1", silver vinyl. The fourth one is 6.5" by 1", orange vinyl.