It depends on how soon I need something, and how big a price difference it is. But if I'm buying enough parts for a PC, I'm going to be looking to save money. In your example, $30 is
definitely a deal breaker. If I'm not in a hurry, I'll go to Newegg if it's $2 cheaper that way versus buying local. And what do you do when people screw you over? Buy new card, swap with busted one at home, and return it to you. You get to eat that cost yourself, you don't have a big corporate bank account to fall back on.
Originally posted by: Rubycon
They'd have to be on islands. :laugh:
I've seen some shops in the Caribbean but one has to resort to the mainland for most stuff. Usually when I request something I get two of everything which always works out nice.
You should really buy yourself a helicopter so that you would be able to make a quick trip back to the mainland to pick up emergency technology supplies. Oh wait... Train a dolphin to fetch?
Originally posted by: Ns1
stock what people want
Do you have millions of dollars to stock inventory? Do you have millions of dollars to absorb the losses when they go obsolete?
keep overhead down.
Economies of scale. You lose.
they need advice
The internet = free
the kids that are 12 now will be so handy with computers that the DIY market will explode
You mean like the rest of us 9 years ago? Between newegg and fry's you will be owned.
those people are playing on computers computers that they will want to upgrade every 1.5 years, the chance to have repeat business is huge
Then they have 1.5 years to buy the product online for far less.
Look, your idea isn't original. It's 10 years too late. It's been discussed on ATOT at least once a year in some form ("thinking about starting a computer repair business, thoughts?") and have been torn apart by the members of ATOT.
You can't beat win on price. Period. You can win on service, but VERY few. Not enough to PAY YOUR SALARY. You can't win selling computers because Dell will own your ass.
Indeed. Doing this sort of thing was good - more than 10 years ago, when PCs were still fairly new things, when you couldn't get one for $300. Now they're just about disposable. Then there's the support aspect. You've got really stupid people buying computers. They don't know why they've buying one, but they do know that those people on CSI use computers to do all kinds of things, and the computer on Star Trek can make a cup of coffee in a few seconds. Meanwhile, their microwave still shows 12:00 because they can't figure out how to set the time on it. Now they want a computer. You can't spend time on the phone with them for 2hrs telling them the difference between a "computer" and a "monitor." But some guy in India making a nice salary of 25 cents an hour sure can, and Dell will be glad to pay him to do it.
If you want something technical, learn how to do appliance repair instead. Dishwashers and laundry driers will need service from time to time, and they use electrical components too. Despite having similar price points, such large things have one advantage over PCs when it comes to the consumer keeping them instead of discarding and buying new: large appliances can be a pain in the ass to replace. It's easier to let the huge thing sit there and be repaired, rather than hunt down a new one, remove the old one, and finally get the new one installed.