Mail Order Key Duplication

[egoods]

I've been duplicating keys for friends and family for a couple years now, bought myself a simple machine when no locksmith around here could seem to get the keying right for my 69 Camaro. So, I do what I typically do in those situations and did it myself (can say there's nothing quite as satisfying). Right, so, more to the point. I have this machine that sits 90% of the time and does nothing, I'm a freelance journalist, which translates to I have a lot of free time. I was thinking as a part time gig I could duplicate keys for people (they send a key I'll make however many copies they need). Do it from my house via the net, keep costs low.

My concerns are vast, but here's a breakdown of things that are really bothering me.
1) is there law that could hurt me. i.e. while I don't have to be licensed here in Michigan, if somebody from out of state wants keys duplicated and I would need a license to do it in that state am I stepping on toes?

2)Legal issues, of course I would never duplicate a key that says "Do Not Duplicate" on it, but if someone were to duplicate a key and use it for bad things would it come back to bite me?

Are there other issues I'm missing? My target market would be bulk orders, I tried to find a similar business but couldn't. Thanks for the input!

[unlisted]

I think you will be stepping on toes, but only from other lockies/stores that are cutting keys. I don't know about the US and any laws you may break in the process, but if you do this online, I would recommend you have some "hold harmless/etc" type clauses in it, stating by using my service you are responsible for your own actions, and knowledge of any and all laws that may affect you in your local state.. etc. etc.

You may have issues with "bulk orders" as I would imagine you would have most business from end users, like residential houses. Most commercial buildings, etc have either an in house locksmith/cutting service or a company on call for services like that.

You would also need to offer your service at such a low price that it would beat having persons run off to the hardware store for 10 mins..

Than, there is also the issue with if someone needs a key cut, how can they mail you one and not have access to it for multiple days?

Please don't let any of this turn you "off" from doing it, I still say go for it! If you can market it properly, I am sure you would get a little business out of it, and hey, maybe one day also get some bigger commercial contracts for only cutting duplicate keys.

[freakparade3]

I think the biggest issue you will have is convincing people who don't know you to mail you keys to their property complete with their address........... That just won't sit right with most people.

[thelockoutguys]

I think the biggest issue you will have is convincing people who don't know you to mail you keys to their property complete with their address........... That just won't sit right with most people.

I agree with freakparade3...And if somebody accidently got ahold of the mail with the adress and keys/?? Making keys wont get you rich but it is offered by locksmiths as a conveinence to customers..The real money is made from the labor and the keys are extra $$. I think Youd have to be selling a whole lota keys to make it worth while..But dont let anyone here discourage you...id do some research and see if there are any others doing the same..

[maintenanceguy]

You're not subject to the laws of a state you're not in so that's a non-issue.

But:

I can get a key duplicated at the local Walmart cheaper than the shipping to send a key both ways.
People who need keys cut need them now. They don't want to wait a week.
Mailing a key (with a form filled out, finding a stamp, etc) is not more convenient than driving a mile to a hardware store.
Lots of people get keys cut on an impulse buy. "Hey...a key machine...I need a spare key" so they get one. No impulse sales over the internet. It's too inconvenient.
I think you'll quickly grow tired of having to open, repackage, add postage, print out a sales invoice, and walk to the mailbox for the 90¢ you'll make on each sale.

I appreciate an entrepreneurial spirit but I doubt that this is the million dollar idea.

[Engineer]

I've seen lots of people trying this on eBay, they seem to give up after a while, probably Maintenanceguy has nailed all the reasons perfectly!

Oddly enough, "Do Not Duplicate" while probably a good idea not to duplicate them, is not exactly insited on by some associations - Indeed I read one article where a Locksmith was concerned he was going to be sued, but an industry body's own guidelines say that Lockies should copy them if the customer requests one. Although I cannot find the orginal article I saw, I did find this:

http://locksmithcharley.com/DND.doc

http://www.law.uh.edu/faculty/pjanicke/IP%20%20Survey%20files/Packet%202007/Trade%20Secret%20Cases%202007.rev3.doc

[freakparade3]

Do Not Duplicate keys are generally handled on a case by case basis for locksmiths. You ask questions and if the answers are satisfactory you copy it. DND keys are not covered by law. Most generally keys that are not to be duplicated say "Illegal To Copy" at least that's what I see around here.

[Eyes_Only]

I worked in a locksmith shop for 2 years and from my experiences there I would not recommend cutting keys for people as a mail order business.

Theres a lot of variables that comes your way when cutting keys (especially car keys) that can cause a key to stick, real stiff to turn or not work at all. This doesn't happen too much with most common house keys but throw in a handful of car keys or really worn out keys and you're gonna have to expect customers to return every now and then.

A lot of times with worn out car keys we gotta use our imperssioning skills to get the key to work smoothly after we duplicate them if the car is there. Customers usually don't mind this but imagine if your customer is 100 or more miles away.

And this is in a actual shop, imagine the damage control you'll have to deal with for a mail order key copy business. The refunds and having to eat the shipping costs for returned keys that need re-cutting is something I rather not deal with.

I've considered this kind of business myself in the past but from what I've experienced and learned about the business of cutting keys working in a real lock shop this is something in my opinion that could cause a lot of problems. I'd leave something like this to the auto dealerships.

Oh and did I mention lost mail?

[sevedus]

Interesting problems associated with this idea, well rehearsed by readers. The issue of sending the actual keys through the mail is troublesome.... security and timeliness issues of course. Could you offer this service based on knowledge of the key rather than the physical presence of the key? What if people scanned both sides of the key on a digitizer and sent you the images (with appropriate legend for scale)? If your machine is a straight up CNC rather than a mechanical tracer lathe you might be able to get the tool path right off of the scan.

[edit- slightly off topic for this-information moved to your lock design thread-unlisted]

If you can figure a way for the customer to decode the key he wants you to duplicate and describe it well enough technically for you to cut it, he gets the key in half the time, because half the transaction is via e'mail..

[Wizer]

Mailing keys would be nice extra for anyone who copies them. But since You have a "simple machine" I dont think cutting with code is possible. A computer operated cutter with software is very expensive, You would have to make many keys per day.
I have had only a few customers making orders on phone or email, and in some of those cases codes cannot be found on Silca software nor on my friends instacode. I would not try duplicating keys from a picture altho it sometimes works.
-I´m here in Finland, so maybe more codes can be found to US keys?

[WOT]

Why would someone mail in a key instead of getting it done locally?

Consumers go to Home Depot

Major users use in-house lockie and when they need a bulk set (i.e. dorm room used as a single person to be turned into two person room and suddenly need an additional change key for each room), they'll order from the manufacturer. Best Access, Schlage have business units that handles requests just like that.