Can Anyone give me any info on this? - PC/Parts sales.

[enigmatix]

I have already posted this in the General section but thought it would be appropriate here too.

Hi

I am looking to start a computer pc/peripheral business. I just have one big problem. I know what i want to sell :

PC's custom built
Hardrives
Motherboards
Memory
PowerSupplies
etc etc

But I do not know where to get them from? Do i goto each individual manufacturer to supply me these? I mean If i wanted to sell seagate,maxtor,Fuji hardrives - would i need to goto each individual company or who do i goto?

Im wondering if anyone in the forum has a business as this and can shed me any light. I cant seem to find the information i need at the moment.

I am posting this in the IT Section too.

Kind Regards - and any info will help - email me if you wish at enigmatixz@hotmail.com

[Rob Holmes]

I have already posted this in the General section but thought it would be appropriate here too.

No need to double post - people will read it here - I've removed it from the General section!

Hope you get some responses.

Rob

[chris1317]

You are prob best to go to a trade parts reseller like comp2000 or someone like that but are unlikely to get much cheaper that the likes of ebuyer unless you buy a large ammount.

Most of these trade firms will only sell if vat registered too

I would shop arround and check out prices as it is a very competitive market

Chris.

[enigmatix]

Hi - I am vat registered so thats a start. But my concern was if i got it from an intermediery firm.. i would get it cheap enough to sell on.

Furthermore where I am there are not many shops doing this kind of thing.

I will check out comp2000 but I am really looking to start online only at first.. so I dont hold stock. Im wondering if this sector does business this way where someone orders from me and ring up my supplier and get it delivered to them direct - rather then them supplying to me and then me wrapping it up and supplying it on.

[enigmatix]

sorry - have you got any more info on Comp2000

website? phone?

[chris1317]

The address is http://www.computer2000.co.uk/indexc2k.asp

There is someone on here that does dropshipping of laptops I think its Nemesis.

Chris.

[Stephen]

www.computer2000.co.uk
0870 060 0012 should be their sales line.

Also,
www.ideal.co.uk are good with certain stock lines (HP etc)
(Suggest Adam on 020 8286 5319).

They are generally very good, and should be able to ship directly to your clients if you wish (perhaps after building up a trading record with them).

However, I'd think pretty carefully about what you're getting into. As Chris said, it can be very difficult getting good prices, and generally you it can be incredibly difficult getting prices to beat what a customer of yours could buy from elsewhere.

You'll probably have to find something else to compete on - perhaps a customer that you can visit personally, credit lines (careful) etc.

Don't expect to make any margin selling to the wider public - there's way too much competition!

Hope this is useful.

[enigmatix]

Hi

Excellent stuff here. I will look into both of these. Although I want to offer peripheral/pc sales as part of the business - my main objective is to give support with it in terms Technical support/home visit support etc.

This will just help me further have the products if people wish to purchase etc too.

I will probably be back with more question but im wondering if going straight to the manufacturer would make it cheaper for me.. cant be that easy though..

[chris1317]

I think you will find that a lot of the time that you cann actualy get the stuff for cheaper from resellers than you can from the source themselves.

All to do with bulk buying and special deals for their big customers, not allways the best to cut out the middle man.

Chris.

[Stephen]

You won't get mainstream products (HP, Microsoft etc) cheaper from the manufacturers; forget it! If anything, you'll normally pay more! Distribution is the way to go. It also gives you a reasonable chance of obtaining credit lines.

If you can keep some loyalty, you may eventually be able to get rebates - that's about the only way of making a small profit on hardware. By which I mean you might be able to negotiate getting a percentage of purchases paid back to you at the end of each month.

[enigmatix]

intersting stuff.

So.. does anyone know how a website is made where ordering, purchasing, credit card checking and payment etc can all take place?

[SNS IT]

Try ingram micro , midwich

regards
Hemal
www.snsitltd.com

[enigmatix]

thanks SNS IT. This forum has been great in terms of knowledge and putting me into the right direction i really am grateful.

I find myself in a pickle however. Although i have VAT number etc..our current business is not a reseller of IT - its a post office/newsagent. But this is the path I want to take - selling IT hardware equipment/support etc.

Now many of these require me to be already selling IT equipment.. how is a new person trying to get IT products going to do this? If I dont get a reseller account.. then who else should i get products from?

I might be jumping the gun in that none of them have said I cant have one but I am not fully meeting there requirements as i dont sell IT products yet. So im wondering who to goto if i dont get the reseller account status.

[wilfredw]

Please take a look at this news item about computacenter and hardware margins:

http://hardware.silicon.com/servers/0,39024647,39145024,00.htm

Maybe selling refurbished products would give you better margins.

One way to get a semi-reseller status is to open a business account with pcworld using your existing business. You get discounts of up to 20% sometimes.

W.

[enigmatix]

refurbished pc's? hmmm

could do.. but i hope to offer support too. - home support/tech support etc. networking help for homes etc.

i will have to do market research i see

[APRogers]

i will have to do market research i see
I had a very interesting, and long, conversation last night about my own business, being along similar lines, with a public relations and marketing professional.

The most important piece of advice she gave me was 'know your market', geographical, demographical and competitors. Until you know this, don't start because you don't know where you're going. :shock:

This came from my comment that I was thinking of producing a flyer! :oops:

[enigmatix]

how is your business doing? I am on the site now..
how did you start?

im thinking of keep initial costs low... so working from our current address which is a postoffice/newsagent.

So mainly i will be working from home.

My market is really people that want to buy additional kit for there pc... and support. such as me.. every so oftern i want more memory, better sound/ graphics
maybe a new keyboard - also virus clean ups etc etc

[enigmatix]

of course i will have a website to make or get made.

Anyone have info on this? costs involved etc.

[Cagedweb]

if you need help with starting online or locally selling computers contact me I can help you from ground upwards, let you have trade suppliers details e.tc.

Chris

[daveashton]

VIP in Manchester and specialists i.e. noise, power supplies etc

PS I just sold a business doing a similar thing so good luck.

[MichaelG]

See what we have done for one of our partners - 80k+ products 100+ suppliers/manufacturers under one roof.

http://www.discountcomputerhardware.co.uk

[enigmatix]

Very nice site MichealG - I will contact you regarding this.

Any more out there with more advice and tips regarding this type of business? Are computer shows something i will have to goto to establish myself?? I hate getting up sunday mornings at 5am :(