Recommendations for a spotlight to scare off wildlife at night?

when you are not at the store, and cannot touch/feel/try the item, a liberal return policy goes a long way…

and I do the same for Home Depot / Lowes, I am a software guy, when it comes to hardware, I usually buy everything that might work, and return the rest.

I do believe that both Amazon and brick-and-mortar stores re-sell the unused items.

-avi

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There are very few flashlights that you’re going to be able to test in any store and almost never at night in the dark. There certainly are costs to businesses and therefore other customers when people are returning things for no damn good reason. And some items can’t simply be put back on the shelf although some can be. When I see objects on shelves that have had packaging opened or resealed in some manner I am reluctant to buy it because I don’t know if all of the components were put back into the package by some clown that didn’t know what he was buying or doesn’t care about the next guy that may buy it. I have returned items to Amazon twice. One was because the item was damaged probably at the factory and the other was because it was some unknown unidentified thread that is not used in this country. And when I went back and looked at the wording of the description it was clear that they knew it was a problem and worded things in such a way as to deceive. Edit, added more.

you are correct about flashlights, which is why I ordered from Amazon, so I can try it out. btw, it was much cheaper to get the same light direct from the manufacture, so I am paying for the privilege of "might need to return"

I do not abuse their liberal return policy, and if I do suspect that I might return, I very carefully open the package, make sure that whatever I return is in brand new condition, and I pack it exactly the same, with all components and accessories.

Not really about returns but how about the old “I did not receive my items yet” trick with Ali, BG etc.:smiley: You know how it goes. Received the items but maybe, just maybe I can get another one for free lol.
Another one is where you just msg them because you really did not get it and it’s taking longer than usual… Then the next couple of days it arrives. :money_mouth_face: Ahhh good times. :innocent:

Lol, but brand new is unopened and sealed in the original packaging, it also means unused/not turned on.

“As new” maybe

Remember that higher pricing is often due to taxes to import the product and Amazon fees, doesn’t often mean they’re making more money.

Costs 15% tax here in NZ and up to 10% in other website fees

Anyway, moving on :slight_smile:

Is this a cultural thing in the US? I often see comments online to the effect of ‘I’ll buy both and return the one I don’t like’ but I don’t think I could bring myself to do that even it was an option.

In Australia you have the right to a replacement, repair, or refund (generally at the discretion of the retailer) if the item is defective. Many retailers also allow you to return items for change of mind, but I think it’s often only for exchange or store credit. I think large, high-volume retailers tend to have more generous policies. Despite this, I think most people I know generally only return things occasionally - mostly items of clothing that don’t fit or gifts that don’t suit (e.g. a book that the recipient already has).

I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with taking advantage of generous return policies - I just think it’s an interesting cultural difference.

On CPF, there is a "New Posts" button, But.... once you read the post/thread, the thread disappears from the New Posts list, until another post is added. :(

On this forum, the post/thread does not disappear from the Recent Posts list after it is read. You can still easily find it, after you read it. :)

Kind of. People have gotten used to abusing Amazon’s return policy and now accept it as the norm. The fact that Amazon doesn’t really care or can’t audit the volume of returns they receive only exacerbates the problem.

I will only return items to any storefront if they are unused and unopened unless they are damaged or defective in some way. If I open and test/use the item and decide I don’t like or want it, that’s not the store’s fault and they shouldn’t be liable for the cost of return shipping, restocking, and reselling the item as used. If I don’t want it, I can resell it myself.

Then by your own definition, all the inventory you open, inspect, and test from your store don’t meet that criteria. Is it sold “as new?” The factory seals have been broken, and they’ve been handled and used after they’ve left the factory.

It’s not culture. It’s how business is conducted, and part of the cost of doing business, like shrinkage.

In most places, return policies are not actually compulsory by regulation, they’ve offered due to competition. Retailers don’t have to accept returns, or have liberal policies, and “all sales final” is perfectly legal under most conditions that don’t involve defects, or other circumstances. Competitive pressure is what motivates retailers to offer them.

Like all policies, they can be abused, and retailers take measures to discourage that, including tracking returns, and reserving the right to refuse them from abusive customers. But, most customers are honest. Retailers are less concerned about petty offenses, and more so about systemic, organized fraudulent activity, including from their own employees.

As for the OP’s question — lights likely won’t do jack. I’ve come across raccoons that didn’t flinch when hit with 3000+ Turbo lumens at close range, and only flinched at a strobe, before sauntering away on their own.

Yes, but as an authorized repair agent I’ve been given express permission from the brands to carry this out, so I’m considered just another factory worker who has better QC than most.

And yet, that still doesn’t not meet the definition of factory-sealed. There are categories of products where dealers and agents do in normal course perform configuration and final assembly and testing in their facilities, but they are few and far between, if not non-existent, for packaged consumer goods, flashlights included.

I believe most consumers, myself included, would not expect what you do to be considered normal practice, regardless of whatever value that may add for some customers. The expectation and full faith is in the factory to ship non-defective goods, and to only seek support if that does not occur.

I don’t know if that’s normal practice in NZ, but it’s certainly not the case here in the U.S., and I doubt there is much if any demand for it.

It’s needed when selling the cheaper brands like Sofirn, Wurkkos, and Convoy. Firefires isn’t cheap, but I had to stop being a dealer because of how poor the QC was. First order of 24 flashlights had 8-10 units with issues, the worst being a faulty head in a box without a body. I’m still owed two flashlights, but the only way I was going to get them was with my next purchase….umm, no thank you.

Sofirn - dirty contacts, wrong lube on un-anodized threads preventing connection (45pcs SD03 had to be cleaned and re-lubed), uneven shelf causing 6pcs SP70 LEDs to die, covering up scratches etc etc etc
Sofirn make Wurkkos models, so much the same
Convoy - everything has worked fine, but fingerprints on inside of glass, dusty reflectors, uneven shelf, LEDs off center, poor spring bypass. Had to install a 2nd spring on everything as it was quicker than redoing the bypass. Thankfully Convoy (Simon) now use a high current spring

For my hunting lights I assemble them all myself to make sure it’s done correctly with Convoy’s hosts…

The customer service is very good though, I don’t even need to prove a unit is faulty, I just tell them what I need or what the issue is and it gets sorted. It’s a very different story with Mateminco/Astrolux, I have to send a video proving it, even as a dealer. It’s very annoying.

I’m pretty extreme with my testing and it’s probably not amazing since it takes up a lot of my time. I also batch test every order of batteries and check voltage on all of them before shipping too.

I call it the Walmart effect. Unquestioned returns made everyone expect it everywhere.

quick follow-up as promised...

got both the cheap $20 spotlight and the SF47T charged them and took them out at night. unfortunately, we had a bit of fog/mist in the air so everything was fuzzy...

I have no idea what battery or LED in the cheap light, but I like it very much, nearly as bright as the SF47T, the beam is well focused, very sharp border, almost no spill. it is large, but lightweight, no idea as to the run time, but I won't need it for more than a few minutes every night.

amazon.com/gp/product/B07BQCNB16

and I do like the SF47T too. seems very well made, the beam has more spill which is not a bad thing as it makes the lighted area larger, the hot spot is smaller than the cheap one and a bit brighter, the strobe mode is better than the cheap one which is more fast blink than a strobe.

I am keeping them both...

A light alone wont scare them off. A noise will. :+1:

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Right. A thrower taped to a pellet gun offers three incentives for a critter to think twice: Bright light, noise, and pain. I know this thread is a few months old but it seems worth mentioning. Critters don’t come back for at least three months after said encounter.

Look at motion sensor noise maker at amazon. I have problen with coyotes in the area and old dog and cat going out worries me, say one 30 feet from back door last year. also motion sensor lights out near where I see a trail.

Spotlight to scare off wildlight at night?

… you’ll want one of these.

  • Excellent throw
  • Comes in single or double mounts
  • Offers protection against the most aggressive wildlife

:stuck_out_tongue: :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

How about a pocket green laser? Anything in the 1+ watt range should be sufficient

This is a different approach and may not work for you, but I have had good results in keeping critters out of my yard. I got mine from Amazon its the Orbit 62100 Yard Enforcer. It uses your water hose and motion detector to spray the critters if they come in range. It works pretty good and you can adjust range and frequency. Its like an impulse sprinkler. About $100

I don’t know if this would deter black bears mid summer. They may come back for more. :smiley: