I had been researching 6″ random orbital sanders when I came across a 3M model on Amazon that has a very bizarre pre-purchase condition. Before you are allowed to buy it, you must verify that you are a professional or commercial user.
See for Yourself! (via Amazon)
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This product is intended for professional/commercial use.
When you check out, you will be asked to verify that you are a professional/commercial user. Please review the safety information and legal disclaimer for this product.
Strange, right?
The electric sander is priced at $475, which I feel is well in the “only buy it if you know how to use it safely” price range, but apparently 3M isn’t so confident.
3M is one of my favorite abrasives brands, for everything from Roloc discs to automotive wet/dry sandpaper. You can buy their products at hardware stores, industrial suppliers, Amazon of course, and even Walmart (which is where I sourced most of my wet/dry paper a few years ago).
There are many other 3M products I use on a regular basis, personal protective gear, and I can understand the need for such a pre-purchase condition. When you order something from Amazon, it typically arrives in a nice retail package complete with instructions and safety warnings. When you order certain 3M industrial products from an industrial supplier, you typically only get the items by themselves in a nondescript plastic baggie.
The warning requires potential customers to review the safety information, although clicking the link for the sander doesn’t bring up any such details, and there’s also a legal disclaimer:
3M packages and labels its industrial/commercial products for purchase and use by industrial, professional, and commercial customers. Unless specifically stated on the product package or applicable product literature, 3M industrial products are not packaged, labeled, or intended for sale to individual consumers (ie., the general public).
Amazon’s elaboration about who can be considered an industrial, commercial, or professional user doesn’t really explain whether this is their policy, or a condition by the manufacturer, but I suspect it was a requirement by 3M.
The only products I can find with similar warnings on Amazon are the other 3M industrial sanders and abrasives. Some of those other products do include safety information, direct from 3M.
It seems that 3M and Amazon are just covering their bases against potential lawsuits, but why Amazon and not any other industrial supplier? I’ve never seen an alert at McMaster, MSC, Enco, Zoro, or any other supplier requiring me to verify I’m not a consumer.
At checkout, there really is a box you have to check that says you read the safety information and are a professional/commercial user.
John Sullivan
And is this the required power supply?
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Power-Supply-28436-100-240/dp/B00AW13DEW/
Stuart
Certainly looks like it. I like how these brushless DC motored sanders are so compact, but gosh they’re expensive.
NCD
Buy Hutchins, Dynabrade, or IR………… problem solved.
Stuart
I ultimately went with Festool, and hope to receive it by the end of this week. The Mirka Ceros was a strong contender, but I just don’t see a need for it.
Fred
I like it. They can’t judge by the look of you or the questions you ask in the store like retail people can. They can recommend other choices, but you the buyer have to actually click it. They can make the disclaimer available but we all know people will click it without reading it. They really can’t prevent you from buying it like a retail person could refuse a sale.
I’ve seen firsthand unqualified people own and use very expensive and very dangerous tools without any business even being near it. I’ve seen a guy with a $3k tractor for mowing 1/3 acre. People make bad decisions when they aren’t informed and at least Amazon can say they’re trying.
Seth
Businesses or salespeople refuse sales? Since when?
Speaking as someone that works at a business that sells chainsaws I have never seen or heard of anyone unsucessfully trying to purchase one. It always comes down to money->item. Retailers have lawyers to fend off lawsuits and at the end of the day, the economy is not good enough to lose the sale, let alone the bad press for ‘poor customer service’.
Rob
Most dangerous tool in my opinion is the automobile. With tools I know my limits, and I push them. Speaking of chainsaws, I’ve got a brother who should not be allowed to operate one. When he starts cutting, stay back…waaaay back. “widow makers”, leaning trees, bad v notch cuts..its all the same to him!
fred
I can think of many more dangerous tools sold online and at bricks and mortar stores with no questions asked. I don’t know how many sander accidents occur every year – but I suspect that saws (for another category) might have them beat. It is good to have manufacturers take a real interest in tool-user safety – but the same goes for us tool buyers who need to take some personal responsibility for learning how to properly use tools before embarking on what may cause personal injury or worse.
John Sullivan
Interesting that the kit that includes a vacuum line and the power supply is less expensive ($449 at the moment, but you know how amazon adjusts prices constantly) than the vacuum-free sander alone:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Electric-Orbital-28522-Diameter/dp/B006MIXE16/
And of course, the equivalent pneumatic is far cheaper, but that’s another category of tool.
Stuart
The kit also has a better description.
A mobile strikeforce that goes where air supply may be suboptimal…
Dean
Lawyer Full Employment Act?