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Thread: Computer store What?

  1. #1

    Computer store What?

    I'm planning on opening a computer shop out of my house and I'm wondering what the average consumer wants out of a computer store? I'm making up a one page ad that looks like this so far. I'v never done anything like this so I could use some help. Hoping i can balance this with school.


    P auls C omputer Care

    - computer repairs, upgrades, and tune ups
    - New systems starting at $___?
    - Training sessions (How to use your computer efficiently)
    - Virus and spyware removal
    - Cheap, fast, and local
    - Experienced technicians

    Phone: --- - ----
    Web-site: www.donthaveoneyet.com



    This is just a rough sketch.
    Anything i should add or change?
    No place like 127.0.0.1

  2. #2
    Senior Member
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    Feb 2003
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    Memphis, TN
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    Sonds like you have it under control there. Just keep in mind, that if you build people computer systems you will be the one that they call when it goes down, so if your trying to balance this with school it might be a little tough.



    btw: computer starting from 350$ sounds like a good price. It can be done, just use integrated M/B, and AMD processors.

    Good luck with your buisness.
    =

  3. #3
    Dead Man Walking
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
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    810
    I would maybe suggest a breakdown of what area's you are offering training in. Just a suggestion take it or leave it. For example MS office, basic *nix, internet 101 ect ect.

    My $.02

  4. #4
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
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    9
    As Managing director of my own computer repair, installation and hardware company I have some little tips for you.

    Tip 1: try and build up a customer base within a local area so that you can get aftercare on systems you sell.

    Tip 2: Dont try and sell new systems, there is no profit. Instead sell old(ish) systems at low prices, because all the regular user wants them for is to go online etc... If they are a pro they will already know where to get a cheap and decent machine. Plus you have a better chance of getting aftercare from a regular user than a pro, as a pro will fix his own problems.

    I like the idea of your trojan and virus removal, simple quick and easy for us that know how but, for a regular user it renders the machine unusable.

    The training sessions im not s sure about, why bother when you could earn more doing an installation or something similar.

    I know of people that charge £100 to install XP on a system... just think, it takes about an hour and you can be doing something else in the mean time... you could just sit around a drink beer for an hour and its a good days pay for a 1 hour install!

    Anyhow, thats just my 2 cents... good luck, live long and.. repair pcs! =P
    _revelatory manifestation of a divine [digital] being.

  5. #5
    Ya, you do make a good point there code_rebirth. Dealing with a computer is alot easier then dealing with the public. Well for the new computer systems I know a great place www.atic.ca . They sell computers at great places. Thanks for the input guys.
    No place like 127.0.0.1

  6. #6
    Banned
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    I'd never shop at a place like that... their site looks like it's been built by a 5-year old with color-problems...

    If I were you, I'd start one by one: start with repairs/tune ups/...
    There's *no way* you can manage everything you want to by yourself... so you'll have to hire people... hiring people costs money...
    And you're still in school? Just go for the repair/tune up option as long as you're in school.... wouldn't it suck when you'd have to give up your school to go work at McDonald's at double shift to pay of your debts?

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
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    1,193
    Neg is right. Be careful not to offer more than you can deliver. Start slowly, build a client base. good luck.
    Trappedagainbyperfectlogic.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
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    3,915
    Hey Hey,

    A fellow Canadian who wants to do this....


    I've ran my own computer company for a while now, I have 2 partners. Between the three of us, we don't pocket enough cash to make it worthwhile so we're marking the comany as discontinued on this tax return. I can't say for your PST/RST returns, but for GST it's not that bad. You only have to register for GST if you do over $30,000 a year in sales. We registered and it was a waste of time. The only good thing is if you buy stuff for yourself and pay GST, they give you that back.. so you can pocket a little money. Also canadian wholesalers suck. There's BSC Technologies (www.bsctech.com) whom I deal with the most. They are the cheapest, but you get a lot of wrong orders and such and they still can't touch most places prices, to give someone a good price, you are making maybe 10-15 bux if you're lucky. There's EMJ.ca but they're not PCs just specialty stuff. Then there's microcad.on.ca but they're also over priced, and startech.com which is networking products. Repairs/Troubleshotting also isn't the greatest idea unless you get a second phoneline and only give out that number. If you run from your home and use your main line, people will call you at all hours of the day for help (I had phone calls at 2am, 7am, all sorts of hours). Also the £100 code_rebirth mentioned, will never happen. At least not around here. That's like 200-300dollars Canadian (can't remember the conversion). We were lucky if we could get 30 an install. If you are running on your own people have a big problem with set prices. They believe they can haggle and will refuse to pay. I've been burned for over $500 and the only thing I could do was go to court, but it would have cost me more money. We started it up in school, two of us are still in college. Trust me it's more headache than it's worth....

  9. #9
    Ahhh, you guys are so optimistic. Well, I'm going to be using my cell phone for business, so i dont piss anyone off at my house. I don't plan on sharing my profits with any partners though. As for getting ripped off, I'm only taking cash and debit for new computers (I wonder what it takes to get a debit machine). And for fixing computers, well if they dont pay me I dont give them their computer back. A question HTRegz. How'd you get ripped off for that much?
    No place like 127.0.0.1

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
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    3,915
    Doing repairs for people and then they refuse to pay. Selling computers (Most people refuse to pay cash before they have the system). Things like that....

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