Whats a reasonable profit to make on computers?

[aphex]

Just curious... Im still workin out my pricing structure for the computers i build and was wondering what a fair price to charge the customer over what i pay is? Any opinions are welcome...

 

[minendo]

really depends, most of the computers i build are for friends or family and i usually dont charge. however the times i have charged i would charge maybe 5-10% over the cost of each part

 

[b0mbrman]

Here's how you do it. Find out the minimum you're willing to receive and then find out the maximum they're willing to pay...then, get the amount in the middle of those two

 

[minendo]

usually i end up getting dinner or some beer out of the deal though. im not really concerned on making money cause i enjoy building the computers

 

[Hamburgerpimp]

IMPOSSIBLE to make any significant profit on computer hardware right now. If you're doing it for friends, that's another story. I wouldn't bother unless you really like building or you like your friends.

 

[narzy]

10% of total cost is what I go by. so if someone has me build a $20,000 computer, I charge $22,000 total but I have never built a 20,000 computer.

retail is a bit different. in the retail buisness its alot higher off of cost. usually anywhere from 40% to 300%

 

[gopunk]

Here's how you do it. Find out the minimum you're willing to receive and then find out the maximum they're willing to pay...then, get the amount in the middle of those two

why don't you just charge the maximum they're willing to pay?

 

[compuwiz1]

Parts cost + 10% and $40 per hour for labor. Mine generally bill out at 4-5 hours (with O/S & driver install), depending on system. While parts are cheap now, what they are paying you for is the time to get the components for them, get them exactly what they need, and then labor is time spent putting it together. Nobody should work for free, especially if that is what you do for a living. Also, it is not necessary to tell them you are making 10% on the parts. This is normal, and using the internet is probably going to turn up better deals than they have seen if they go looking around locally, anyway.

 

[aphex]

Well right now ive been buildin computers for friends at little to no profit... Basically what i leave that up to them... But im gonna be building a bunch of comps for some peeps my mom works with... Each will cost me about $395 to make (give or take $10)... And i was gonna charge $499 (they were willing to pay it)... Is that bad of me, or just businesslike?

 

[compuwiz1]

<< Is that bad of me, or just businesslike? >>



If you provide them exactly what they agreed and paid for, then it is business like. Profit is not a sin. It is what makes the world go around. Everything you look at was sold by someone for a profit. It's what makes our society so great.

 

[richardycc]

I hope you added the cost of getting OEM FULL version of the OS(which most likely they want win XP, no way in hell they would want to run linux), which will cost you another 100$ or...unless you plan on just installing warez.

richard

 

[aphex]

im giving it to them with no OS....

they can do what they want...

 

[aphex]

granted with most computers i wont do this though... this order is actually for my moms real estate office...

 

[b0mbrman]

Here's how you do it. Find out the minimum you're willing to receive and then find out the maximum they're willing to pay...then, get the amount in the middle of those two

why don't you just charge the maximum they're willing to pay?

Well, here's what I'm thinking. Say they know you're willing to accept as little as $4 and you know they're willing to pay as much as $10.

Their first offer will be $4 and your first will be $10. After months of arguing, you'll negotiate to $7. That's why I figure you just save the time and get to $7 at the start

 

[aphex]

haha... but if you just stuck to your guns at $10, they would pay it

 

[yakko]

Get as much as you can.

 

[Haribo]

-

 

[Brutuskend]

One thing most of you people aren't facturing in in TECH SUPPORT.
Are they gonna bug you evertime the least little thing goes wrong?

Then get the most you can.
In the long run, you'll still get shafted!

 

[aphex]

i do a 30 day tech support, not covering anything they add in or change. so far its worked just fine...