WHAT KIND OF COMPUTER WOULD THE AVERAGE JOE WANT?

[DDad]

Windogg-

I agree with giving them a choice- I'll build it if what they really want is a K6-2 with a 4.3 gb hd (don't laugh, sold one last week) One HUGE order I had customer insisted on P4's- OK, no problem.

I bet that %65 or so are the "basic" system- and I've gone to using the KM-133 chipset just because they can later add a Video card if they desire

 

[bigshooter]

I don't know where most computer shops get their stuff, but I doubt they go through a place like newegg. Although you probably could and still make a profit, you might want to find out what distributors other shops go through. I know a couple people on this board have their own shops, check for Russ in the distributed computing forums (if he's still around here).

 

[Windogg]

heh heh... nothing wrong with the K6-2 DDad. I've done a few P4s and even one with a i845 because it was the best solution for the situation at hand.

While value PCs sell in volume. The big profit makers are the heavy duty, high end custom systems. Be sure to have configs for special situations such as the kid that wants a kickass gaming rig. A fully loaded Athlon XP1900 + KT266A or P4 + i850 can be more profitable than a dozen lower end systems. Like others have said, put it into a nice case that the customer would be proud to show off. Land a few of these big spenders things will be a bit easier.

Windogg

 

[Shide1]

Once you get a tax id, you will probably want to get accounts with places like ASI, D and h, and Ingram Micro. Asi generally has the best prices and the best rma department. I am not sure which of these distributors will be located near you, but they all have nationwide branches.

 

[Jerboy]

<<

<< Integrated 8MB Trident Video >>



OMG, sell them something better than that as a favour to me.

-Ice >>



8MB is SUFFICIENT for average joe user using 15" or 17" monitor. Hello.

Integrated sucks though. I'd say Intel 8MB or ATI XPert98 8MB AGP videocard instead. They are both around $25.

 

[Jerboy]

<< Top of the line, non-SCSI computer (Athlon 1900+, 512 MB or more RAM, GF3Ti500, 100 GB HD, Logitech speakers, Audigy platinum,etc.) >>



"Ultimate drooling GAMING machine"
Athlon XP1900+, Asus KT266A chipset board, cheapest off brand CL2 512MB DDR RAM, economy 100GB 5400RPM Maxtor big drive, Lite-On CD-RW,generic DVD-ROM, Audigy Platinum, GF3Ti500 or Radeon8500 and cheapest functioning case.

"top of the line"
Intel Pentium III 1.13GHz Tualatin or P4 2GHz, Intel mobo, 512MB highest quality ECC memory, Adaptec U160 controller, Seagate Cheetah X15, 8MB Intel videocard, Teac 540E CD-ROM drive, any FDD, case that has been thoroughly tested aerodynamically. Commercial duty 350W PSU. Sound Blaster PCI128.




<< - Bang-for-the buck, AthlonXP ~1500+, 256 MB RAM, GF3 Ti200,40 GB hd, TB Santa Cruz >>



"bang for the buck"
AMD AthlonXP 1600+, 256MB DDR, Nvidia TNT64 16MB video, 40GB 7200RPM HDD, Yamaha YMF724 soundcard.




<< - El Cheapo, Duron @ 900 GHz or 1GHz, 256 MB RAM, GF2, 20 GB hd, onboard sound >>



"economy"

Intel Celeron 900MHz, Biostar M6VCF, 256MB generic PC133, ATI Xpert98 8MB, 20GB 5400RPM HDD, onboard audio, generic CD-ROM drive.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

Jerboi, IMO the bang-for-the-buck machine should have a better video card than that.

I agree that the "el cheapo" could go with the most basic vid card possible. But you're telling me the bang-for-the-buck should get a TNT64 !?!?! I say if push comes to shove, get a 5400 rpm hd and a semi-decent vid card than can play some games rather than the TNT64. It is a massive bottleneck in that system for anything other than using quicken, explorer, and word.

-Ice

 

[Atlantean]

Advertise systems that cost around $1000 - $1500 maybe somewhere inbetween, but make sure that the price includes everything (monitor, kb, mouse, etc.) because the average joe doesn't want to have to make more than one trip to the store. Oh and advertise some sort of a special for all those who think they are computer "elite", something like if you can answer a question of my choice about computers you will get all the parts you order that day at wholesale costs.

 

[Zepper]

If you are reselling, never buy from anyone that doesn't back the mfr's warranty for the full term. Newegg doesn't!--only 30 days. Any middleman that doesn't buffer you from the manufacturer isn't worth bothering with.
Many mfrs are almost impossible to deal with when it comes to returns. And even though the ideal is never have to return stuff, the reality is having to constantly deal with RMAs.
. BTW, you've picked a heck of a time to get into the confuser biz. The market's at a very low point. Is there no other store where you live?
.bh.

 

[Muadib]

I'll agree that you should have a small medium large format, but you must do it for both AMD and Intel. Intel is still what the average person wants, because it's what they know. Do you have computers shows in your area? Most of the vendors that go there have flyers of the systems they build. This should give you an idea of what people in your area want. Good luck man!

Oh yeah, will you be doing mail / internet orders?

 

[theplanb]

People used to like brag about the core clock speed of the CPU inside of their system.. but not as much now..I don't think.
If I was to start a business selling desktop systems, I would look for a niche market as the average joe market seems to be already saturated. Many buyers now only care about where they can get the lowest possible prices.. and sellers trying to find ways to cut corners because of that.

There just isn't much "usage" or usefulness for Average Joes..or.. they don't know it.
You need to tell them what kind of things their PC can do, so that they will buy them..

Just plane, vanilla system doesn't do much. And that's what Average Joes get.
This is why I said to have lots of gadgets with the good, reliable system.

The core system parts shouldn't cost a lot..and you can make up for it by providing necesssary things like..DVD rom, TV tuner, those things you can draw on.. (tablets?), digital camera/web cam, printer, CD writer, twin gamepad with racing game, tv-out videocard, and so on.

I know it would cost a fortune, but hey, it's better than spending over $500 on CPU+mobo alone.

They prolly don't know they can use all those on their system, and you can take advantage of your knowledge.

Anyways, I have no experience in selling computers.. I'm just stating what I feel in buyer's perspective.

 

[Jerboy]

<< Jerboi, IMO the bang-for-the-buck machine should have a better video card than that.

I agree that the "el cheapo" could go with the most basic vid card possible. But you're telling me the bang-for-the-buck should get a TNT64 !?!?! I say if push comes to shove, get a 5400 rpm hd and a semi-decent vid card than can play some games rather than the TNT64. It is a massive bottleneck in that system for anything other than using quicken, explorer, and word.

-Ice >>



If I was mainly interested in playing games and extremely cheap, I'd agree with you. I can't be sure, but I thought most people buy their computer for productivity purposes rather than use-it-as-a-gaming-machine

7200RPM means more than biggest baddest videocard when you're doing business database, surfing the net and general stuff.

TNT64 is not a massive bottleneck even with average home-level multimedia. It only present itself as a bottleneck when you get some gaming involved.

 

[Jerboy]

bump

 

[Alex]

lol get a mac!