Anyone on here build and sell computers for a source if income?

[TheOtis]

Is it worth it? If you do, do you do it as a side job, or do you do it as your main source of income?

Where do you get your parts from? How much of a mark up on the computers do you have? Do you get your parts from Newegg.com or TigerDirectc.com? Any information would be helpful.

I'm trying to see if this would really be worth it or not. If it is I'll make a busines plan and take the plunge and do it, but if it's not, I don't want to bother.

 

[bobojuice]

Not worth it to build computers for a living really. The markup isnt worth the hastle of people calling you expecting to fix their computers for free. Ive built a bunch for people, but you always end up getting screwed somehow.

 

[Nikkon]

Only friends and family. The common consumer will expect some kind of warranty.

The only way this might possibly work is if you titled yourself as a computer consultant, and instead of selling the computers, you sell your services to help pick out parts (which ones and where to buy from).

 

[Ste]

I charge 50-100 to Build it. They buy everything. Only done it 4 times.
I tell they get one week of free over the phone tech and thats it. After that I don't Answer the Phone. I also tell them to throw out nothing. manuals, boxs etc etc.

 

[Oreo]

Is it worth it? If you do, do you do it as a side job, or do you do it as your main source of income?

Where do you get your parts from? How much of a mark up on the computers do you have? Do you get your parts from Newegg.com or TigerDirectc.com? Any information would be helpful.

I'm trying to see if this would really be worth it or not. If it is I'll make a busines plan and take the plunge and do it, but if it's not, I don't want to bother.

I was recently of selling a system ive just ordered for £500 for £550 so i could reorder a better pc. But then i saw this,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/XFS-Gaming-PC...19QQihZ004QQcategoryZ179QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem.

It seemed like at first a good deal at £560, it came across this way because of the small things like 16mb Hard Disk Buffer, 512MB X1600Pro, but then i realised how much worse it was than the pc i ordered for £500, so i added up the parts they were using on scan.co.uk, and it came to just £404 thats a profit of around £155 for them, so if they do sell them at this price, its certainly a good idea for a side income, for example selling 2-3 pc's a week each with a £150 profit would bring you £450.... Hello new PC LoL. However some how i see making £150 profit on each pc difficult, however it must be possible or the company i just linked you wouldnt be selling them .

P.s. TheOtis, i am also a keen Elisha Cuthbert Fan, and will back you up, because she is the hottest girl alive , Elisha fans start a union on TF !. Lol.

Thanks

 

[Harper]

Is it worth it? If you do, do you do it as a side job, or do you do it as your main source of income?

Where do you get your parts from? How much of a mark up on the computers do you have? Do you get your parts from Newegg.com or TigerDirectc.com? Any information would be helpful.

I'm trying to see if this would really be worth it or not. If it is I'll make a busines plan and take the plunge and do it, but if it's not, I don't want to bother.

I do.

In all honestly, there is better ways to make a living.

Industry is rather cut throat as the market is saturated. And there is always some one else that will do the same job cheaper.
There is only so low you can go.

When it comes down to computer servicing, with computers being as cheap as they are, there has been a lot of times where I have quoted people on how much to fix it, and they have turned around saying "You might be better off getting a new computer" and then they walk out thinking that you are trying to do the dirty on them.

When it comes down to building a new computer for some one. It takes me about a day to order in parts, build PC, install OS, run updates, burn in over night. Then I have put a warranty on it for at least 12 months. And at the end of the day, I am lucky to make $100.

Plus there is the life long learning. Like every few years, there is a new Operating System or some other new piece of technology to deal with.


Even though I have not told my boss about this yet, I am looking at making a career change to being an electrician towards the end of the year.

 

[jseber1982]

do this....
buy stuff on craigslist and sell it on ebay........

Buy stuff at yard sales and sell it on ebay.....

 

[Z3N]

Yup like everyone says, It's not really worth the hassle.
I build for friends only.
There are companies I know of here who make $60 profit on a $3000 computer.
You just can't compete with that.
If something goes wrong, (e.g. static zap) you could find yourself buying broken parts.
And from my experience wholesalers will only bother talking to you if your account spend tens of thousands.

It's seriously just not worth it.

 

[Crysalis]

I do. I love it. I ask em what they'll use it for, any specs they want, and I let them pick out a case. Then I order my parts, build it, install everything, update and charge $100. I offer tech support for 2 weeks... after that, they are on their own, or they pay me.

It may not sound "worth it", but think about it... putting something together that most of us mess with almost daily and getting paid a 100 bucks for it. Not only does it give me experience, but it also helps when I do my own stuff like what companies to stay away from, what products are good/bad.. etc

Easy $100

 

[Lord AnthraX]

I've built 6 PC's for my freinds.


I didn't charge em a dime, since they are my freinds, but one decided to give me his old pentium D 905 and 1GB 533 Ram which I sold on ebay.