Angelam Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 This might sound like a weird question, but.... I was talking to a friend of mine the other night who said that her mother had started making candles......well, actually not making them, but buying pillar candles from places like Walmart, and decorating them with beads, ribbon, etc. She mentioned that her mom wanted to start selling them, and maybe putting them in a little shop by their house. My question is this... since she didn't actually "make" the candle, does she have to have insurance? and if she did get them in a shop would the shop owner have to have some kind of insurance to cover her candles? I mentioned insurance to my friend and she said her mom wasn't worried about that. I don't want to burst her bubble, she is an elderly lady who is confined to a wheelchair, and this is obviously giving her something fun to do, but I just don't want her to get into any trouble either....thanks guys!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I am not sure about that. That sounds like a good question for an insurance agent. My question is why are they decorating candles with flammable material that if not removed before lighting the wick they would go up in a blaze of fire? That sounds like a liability issue. I would recommend decorating, dolls, bears or something else that most likely wouldn't catch fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelam Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share Posted August 1, 2007 Oh my gosh, I dont' know why I didn't think about that! duh!!! Maybe I'll make some friendly "suggestions" for her to do something else.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Night Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 I'm not sure about the legal answer but I'd be very careful about putting something that would catch on fire close to an open flame. Also, I don't think she would be covered because she is altering the original product and making it more dangerous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 I would also be unsure about the "reselling" of items that your buying from Walmart. Sometimes companies have clauses on their items that say "not for resale" (like candy you buy at a gas station). Just something to look into so they don't get sued if something were to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeriM Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 if something were to happen she sure would be drawn into a law suit - no doubt about it... and she is altering the product so she would be liable... what a lot of people don't think about is that your insurance covers legal fees if your named in a suit... whether you are liable or not... you have coverage..... legal fees aren't cheap !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelam Posted August 2, 2007 Author Share Posted August 2, 2007 Thanks everyone! That's what I was afraid of.... Could you guys tell her for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Can you print these responses out and give them a copy? That might work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted August 2, 2007 Share Posted August 2, 2007 Could you guys tell her for me? Instead of approaching it as an insurance issue, maybe it is easier to point out to her that these decorative touches, while pretty, could catch fire and cause danger to the user? Because I feel this is not so much about insurance, but rather these altered candles may not be safe to begin with. Whether or not you have insurance, it's not good to sell something that may not be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelam Posted August 3, 2007 Author Share Posted August 3, 2007 Thanks guys, and yes, sudsnwicks you make a very good point. I have to tell her one way or the other, to keep her out of trouble, and others out of fire hazard danger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazerina Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 Sooo....Have you broken the news? :tiptoe: If not, I was thinking along the same lines as Heavenscentu....Not that long ago there was a post here about a candle that had been recalled due to a fire hazard of a cinnamon stick wrapped up in the excess of the wick... if you can find it and other articles like that print them out and give them to her in a folder of 'Safety Tips' in the spirit of being helpful. (rather than a naysayer) Hopefully it will be enough. Orrrr... I don't know how much it would hold up to legalities but at the very least, make up some warning labels for her. ORRRR... LOL.. better yet, make some warning lables that state that this is for decorative purposes only. I know people will probably still burn them:rolleyes2 - but what can ya do if she/they insist? Just try to bring all these suggestions up to her to get the point across. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubs Posted August 5, 2007 Share Posted August 5, 2007 That is interesting...the reselling part. I was under the impression that when you buy an item intent for resell you must declare that at time of purchase and fill out a form indicating these intentions to resell and indicate if any alterations will be made to the item purchased prior to resale. I think that is required in order to eliminate the original company from liability issues. That was in Texas though with interior designers and goodness knows not everyone declared the intent to resell. *shrug* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnS Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 I can't put a bow on my candles.I have no way of knowing they will remove it before burning.That and that only is why I don't spruce up my candles with bows etc. I LOVE them though. Sounds like she is really decorating those candles. If she is not able to stand maybe she could make wreaths etc. for holidays. Also some places you can buy shelves just to stain or maybe stencil. That would be another idea. By the time she buys the Wal Mart candle and all the decorations she could do the other things as cheap if not cheaper. LynnS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelam Posted August 6, 2007 Author Share Posted August 6, 2007 NO, I have not broken the news to her yet. I am such a huge chicken. I keep rolling around in my head what she could do....I even wondered if she could remove the wick, would that make it okay? I don't know. Her daughter said she was putting stuff like ribbon, flowers, and beads on them. She also mentioned someting about stick pins if I remember right. (I pictured in my head those pins with little pearls or something at the end, which she would have to stick into the candle, causing even more problems) And no, she can't stand, she is confined to her wheel chair, so what she can do is limited. But I know there are tons of other things, I'm thinking she picked this because it was small and easy. I am going to call the daughter today and tell her I've done some "checking around" and kind of ease into the conversation from there!! yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.