[lubujackson]

Congrats to this business for forging ahead with someone no one else was daring to do. But I do have a bit of an ethical dilemma with the lean startup concept of setting up AdWords to sell something that doesn't yet exist. Especially something like a $25k installation in a restaurant that seems to have turned into a total trainwreck (spilled tank, "other minor problems," then ultimately abandoning jellyfish altogether).

I don't know what the solution should be. Is it on the restaurant to do their own due diligence here? Or should he be (and maybe he was!) upfront about the lack of expertise and do the initial install for minimal profit?

[lightup88]

I agree that actually taking the contract is problematic, but I love the idea of using AdWords as market research and validation. Maybe not revolutionary, but I've never seen such a cool example (a market that essentially didn't exist).

[biot]

This is a technique that goes back decades. Put an ad in the classifieds section of newspapers advertising a product for $X plus $Y shipping and handling. Send a check to P.O. Box 12345, New York, NY and wait 6 - 8 weeks for delivery. If the number of orders weren't sufficient, return all the checks saying "Sorry, we sold out." If there are sufficient orders, the 6 - 8 weeks gives you enough lead time to procure the product from suppliers and fulfill the orders.