FS: Minature Desktop Computer (3.8" High)
- Thread starter Gareth
- Start date
Ok. If you don't mind, I'd like to give you some helpful tips.
First of all, you have no reputation. There's no incentive to buy from you.. You're a fly-by-nighter, working out of your bedroom. There's no guarantee you'll be there in six months if I need warranty work or support. In fact, there's a better than average chance you won't be.
Your prices are too high, and your quality is inferior. Again, no incentive to buy. I can buy a far superior Computer from Dell or HP, from a company that's been around and will continue to be so long after you're gone, for less money.
Based on the parts you use, and certainly your input here as well as your hopeless ebay listings, you really are an amateur. I hope you don't take that offensively as I'm trying to be purely objective.
You're one of those guys that thinks throwing a couple of crappy parts together (Foxconn is crap for instance) and selling them for big bucks you're going to strike it rich. You're not. Sorry.
At LEAST be competitive. Even then, you'll be hard pressed. AMD is a perfect example. They've just been in the news again, suffering serious financial woes because they're getting their arses handed to them at every turn.
So. Up your quality, or seriously lower your price. Like, WAY down. The trouble is that then it's not worth selling on Ebay. Ebay as it is has a reputation for people selling crap... and the prices of computer items have been driven down as a result. Even worse that you have NO feedback for the last two and a half years.
So.. Get a bunch out at cost. Like, several dozen. Get a reputation for quality (and Foxconn/Athena and $20 cases aren't it). Build up a substantial feedback score. THEN start charging a premium.
And give it up on the Via thing.. They have a use, but only experience will help you know what it is. For instance.. One company that contracts me builds computerized distribution cabinets. The computer is the size of a shoebox and it has a Via CPU in it. The link as it's called is highly specialized, performing a very specific task set.
Unless you're using it to play multimedia on a TV, the Shuttle's are useless.. and at the price you're trying to get, people can buy a real good machine that is far superior in every way.
So. Learn your products first. Learn their applications. Build a reputation. Develop an online presence that's even half-way professional, don't brag about owning some POS AMD system... develop an identity..
THEN sell for a profit. Because really, people can buy garbage anywhere. They don't need to buy it from you working out of your bedroom. Dell would be more than happy to give them a $399 Dimension. Once you have a satisfactory business presence/reputation then you can start pitching service agreements. THAT's where Dell makes their money.
First of all, you have no reputation. There's no incentive to buy from you.. You're a fly-by-nighter, working out of your bedroom. There's no guarantee you'll be there in six months if I need warranty work or support. In fact, there's a better than average chance you won't be.
Your prices are too high, and your quality is inferior. Again, no incentive to buy. I can buy a far superior Computer from Dell or HP, from a company that's been around and will continue to be so long after you're gone, for less money.
Based on the parts you use, and certainly your input here as well as your hopeless ebay listings, you really are an amateur. I hope you don't take that offensively as I'm trying to be purely objective.
You're one of those guys that thinks throwing a couple of crappy parts together (Foxconn is crap for instance) and selling them for big bucks you're going to strike it rich. You're not. Sorry.
At LEAST be competitive. Even then, you'll be hard pressed. AMD is a perfect example. They've just been in the news again, suffering serious financial woes because they're getting their arses handed to them at every turn.
So. Up your quality, or seriously lower your price. Like, WAY down. The trouble is that then it's not worth selling on Ebay. Ebay as it is has a reputation for people selling crap... and the prices of computer items have been driven down as a result. Even worse that you have NO feedback for the last two and a half years.
So.. Get a bunch out at cost. Like, several dozen. Get a reputation for quality (and Foxconn/Athena and $20 cases aren't it). Build up a substantial feedback score. THEN start charging a premium.
And give it up on the Via thing.. They have a use, but only experience will help you know what it is. For instance.. One company that contracts me builds computerized distribution cabinets. The computer is the size of a shoebox and it has a Via CPU in it. The link as it's called is highly specialized, performing a very specific task set.
Unless you're using it to play multimedia on a TV, the Shuttle's are useless.. and at the price you're trying to get, people can buy a real good machine that is far superior in every way.
So. Learn your products first. Learn their applications. Build a reputation. Develop an online presence that's even half-way professional, don't brag about owning some POS AMD system... develop an identity..
THEN sell for a profit. Because really, people can buy garbage anywhere. They don't need to buy it from you working out of your bedroom. Dell would be more than happy to give them a $399 Dimension. Once you have a satisfactory business presence/reputation then you can start pitching service agreements. THAT's where Dell makes their money.
Actually, Dell incorporates the "lost leader" strategy. They offer a couple of base units below cost to get people in the door. Then they upsell like mad. The way they do it, actually, is rather ingenious and quite transparent. The average user has no idea what hit them until after they've hit the checkout. I'm impressed actually.
They also make huge money on their extended warranty plans. For the most part it's pure profit.
There's a lot I could share with you about marketting and what have you. The balance between quality and profits, etc.. There's a whole story behind the scenes. In fact, I was on the phone today with a representative from a muli-billion dollar worldwide electronics manufacturer... An amazing conversation, one that I wish never had to end.
If you have the time, there's a whole other world out there.
tlarkin
VIP Member
grammar nazi
Heh. Well, I'm unfamiliar with the "lost leader" business principle. I'm assuming it was misspelled, but, whatever.
tlarkin
VIP Member
Heh. Well, I'm unfamiliar with the "lost leader" business principle. I'm assuming it was misspelled, but, whatever.
If you watch the office, Michael Scott would be a lost leader, lol
Gareth
Active Member
I would not have said I would be there if I wouldn't be. I can confirm that I will be on line and around in 6 months time.
I would not say I was a pro, but I am most certainly not an amateur. For example, I will be taking my A+ certification test in a few weeks time, after successfully completing the A+ coursework
On the PC your on about, after the eBay fee's, I would have only made $20.00.
My last feedback was August 1st, 2007. Not 2 1/2 years ago. I should also be getting 3 more positive feedbacks, because I have just bought two things and sold a computer game.
I couldn't afford to do that at all.
$369 and $599 are very low in my opinion. I replaced the $899 model with a cheaper version and a wee bit bigger case after following advice.
If they want to buy garbage from Dell, or HP, then that is their choice, but I most certainly do not sell garbage, it may not be superior specs for the most part, the computers are completely fine in doing their jobs they're designed to do.
tlarkin
VIP Member
I've been in that biz before and I can tell you that your prices are way too high. For one, a company I used to work for, would custom build any system for parts + $100 labor. They could come in, pick out what they wanted or have us build it to spec and pick it up in a day, and it only cost them $100 on top of parts.
Your systems just plain are not worth it. I would recommend to anyone to buy from Dell over you. This is because I know they have a guaranteed warranty and if it breaks Dell can contract out someone locally to come out and fix it at their place.
I have said this a million times before, you don't make any money off of hardware sales. You make it all off of services and labor, and software sales.
If you really want to compete and make money you need to become a certified reseller of MS products as well as hardware companies, figure out a way to efficiently produce systems and sell them, and to top it all off offer some kind of warranty service.
What happens when someone buys a product from you and needs help to reinstall the OS, well they can't get online because they are crashed so chatting with you over the interwebs is not an option. I don't want them to call me and I recommended your product to them, and they have no way of calling you. I am going to say, just get a Dell and be done with it.
Just trying to give you perspective is all.
Your systems just plain are not worth it. I would recommend to anyone to buy from Dell over you. This is because I know they have a guaranteed warranty and if it breaks Dell can contract out someone locally to come out and fix it at their place.
I have said this a million times before, you don't make any money off of hardware sales. You make it all off of services and labor, and software sales.
If you really want to compete and make money you need to become a certified reseller of MS products as well as hardware companies, figure out a way to efficiently produce systems and sell them, and to top it all off offer some kind of warranty service.
What happens when someone buys a product from you and needs help to reinstall the OS, well they can't get online because they are crashed so chatting with you over the interwebs is not an option. I don't want them to call me and I recommended your product to them, and they have no way of calling you. I am going to say, just get a Dell and be done with it.
Just trying to give you perspective is all.
Kill Bill
Active Member
Your right. Dells the best in the world!! I know you would love dell
People hello your forgetting something.
Dells and HP Cases are huge and are tower size. He should be selling them more because a dell pc with the specs he has would be 369 - 450$ and that be a big ugly tower that is brandmarked with dell all over it whilst this guys one is pretty cheap as hes putting all the hardware into a small case so IMO hes doing brilliant
.Suggestions:
1. If your trying to do media centre dont give them mobos with indergrated graphics or intel ones. I seen a mobo that gives ATI x700 prebuilt in one. If you can get them type it would be alot better.
2. Sell matching big 20 - 30inch monitors (sell in diff listings) with them as your going media centre and everone wants big monitors to watch the season finale of lost or greys anathomy.
3. Dont give them windows. Give them linux or Kubuntu and if they want windows pre-installed charge them the price of what windows your going to buy and add 5% onto it. (This also means you give them the cd/dvd aswell as the key (you have to stick it onto the case)
Gareth
Active Member
Thank you for your support Kill Bill, it is much appreciated. I have added a video card to this model http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300214724766, I never thought about selling LCDs, that is a great idea! All of the PCs now except for 1 come with Linux Ubuntu, the reason behind the one coming with XP is because the TV Tuner doesn't work in Linux. I already do send the CDs and stick the product key to the case 
.
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Kill Bill
Active Member
Thank you for your support Kill Bill, it is much appreciated. I have added a video card to this model http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300214724766, I never thought about selling LCDs, that is a great idea! All of the PCs now except for 1 come with Linux Ubuntu, the reason behind the one coming with XP is because the TV Tuner doesn't work in Linux. I already do send the CDs and stick the product key to the case
I would love to buy that pc for my parents sitting room as she loves desperate housewives and that machine doesnt look powerhungry.
But by video cards I didn't mean a big 7spec one. A normal 6600GT/x800 is fine.
And for the LCD's sell them seperately and make insurance optional (Actually give insurance on all pcs) and sell the same pc's with another listing with the monitor included. (Once someone buys one of them get rid of the other )
Gareth
Active Member
I have changed the video card to a Fanless FX5200 for the same price as that 7200GS, I figured the fan would have been noisy on it. I also added a Creative Labs Sound Blaster sound card, so then the sound will be much better than on board. I will have a try selling one with a monitor, I am planning on putting a Pico-ATX PC on, which is only 1 inch tall!
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Kill Bill
Active Member
Fanless fx5200 in a small case = not pretty good.
you better put it back on the gpu and by monitors etc i mentpc 1
pc 2
pc 3
pc 1 with monitor
pc 2 with monitor
pc 3 with monitor
And if some buys pc 2 you have to cancell pc 2 with monitor unless you built more than one of them
Kill Bill
Active Member
Your going to sell a pc without a fan in it
nevermind what i said about buying one for my parents sitting room. I would want to have to buy a new big tv when it goes on fire