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Resellers


Rick

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Not sure how Tris does it, but I simply replace a defective part with the same or better part. About the same as a manufacturer's warrenty.

The trick is to test it before you realease it and if there is a problem afterwards make it Top Priority.

Also, have at least one extra of everything in the inventory for replacement purposes.

Rarely, do I replace the whole PC, unless I have extra PCs on-hand.

Personal reputation and a good web site for contact purposes and updated drivers etc goes a long way towards customer satisfaction and repeat customer trade. A good example is IBM's Members Area.

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most of the parts come with 12 to 18 month manufacturers warranty as it is. also, some come with 3 years warranty (such as monitors)

things like cd drives arent worth worrying about as they are two a penny.

charge customers for collection if they call you out to collect a machine needlessly.

no single part in the machine is worth half of your profit, so its unlikley a bunch of parts will blow at once, unless:

1) you did a bad job building it and that motherboard is grounding out on the case (in which case get another line of work)

2) it was a lightening strike/ power surge/ flood. in which case you arent liable for any of the above.

:)

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I give a 1 yr. warranty on parts and labor on a new machine and 6 mos. on an upgrade for only the parts upgraded.I have been using one of my systems as a loaner for word processing purposes.I have loaned out an extra monitor when a new one was defective.My business is word of mouth so I don't have up to date parts only some video,sound and modem cards for testing.I buy as I need and a custom system takes 1 to two weeks from order to delivery.Does anyone have a resellers license,and if you do what's the benefeit and how do you get one?MSNwar do you offer a choice for your parts or do you have just one kind?Just wondering since you said you keep one of everything for replacement puposes.

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The firt step in acquiring a resellers license is to become a legal business. In my case I have a Sole Proprietorship License. As a sole proprietor, you only need to obtain a business license from the county and/or municipality in which you operate. All state/county web siteshave the necessary information and forms to get started. I am out of Tennessee and here is a link to their web site Click Here it is very good at explaining the advantages and disadvantages of all the business models.

After you have your license, go to the Microsoft OEM site and sign-up, it is free and you will become a Microsoft OEM System Builder. There you will find a list of authorized Microsoft Distributors to do business with. This is your Microsoft Reseller Membership link Click Here

Visit all the manufacturer's web sites to join their reseller programs. Some manufacturers require a Reseller Certificate before they will do business with you because some (not all) states require the certificate. You use your business license id or tax payer id in conjunction with the application. Takes about a day and runs you $10.00 - $15.00 for each certificate.

The advantage is taxes. You will be exempt from state taxes on purchases. However, you will be required to charge taxes on your sales, but this depends on which state you register your business. Your local Chamber of Commerce has all the details. Another advantage is in the event you do run into a defective part your source usually will send/deliver a replacement to you immediately. Often before you send them the defective part.

Okay, here is a excellent wholeseller, my tip to you MA LABS

When I build PCs I buy most of the parts from the above source to include the OEM software. My account rep and I have an agreement. I simply email a list of the extra parts I need with the original order and hold them for 30 - 45 days in case I need it to replace something. Then if I do not use them I return them in the original condition. Sometimes my rep allows me to keep them free of charge. Sometimes! lol. But I have been doing business with MA LABS for years and they know me.

Sometimes I offer a choice of parts but only when I take advance orders. Usually, 3-4 weeks out. Normally, I build systems with the same motherboard, cpu, ram, drives, etc. Of course when you buy 12 of everything you get discounts that puts money in your pocket. I do not include mice and keyboards and at times modems. The later are more of a personal choice. For example, I have ADSL hardware and do not need a 56K modem. Without the cost of the 56K modem that saves your customers a few bucks. Some customers already have web cams, keyboards, monitors (I do not sell) and they just want a power house they can add their accessories to and be up and running within an hour or less.

Lets talk if you need help getting started. Becoming part of a small network is essential in the long run.

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yep it did tim :)

also guys, ive found AMD's resseler program more helpfull and usefull than intels. but intel have a much longer list of distributors, (which is their only good point for ressellers on the site anyway)

in the UK theres no license crap to setup a business :D

i need to get VAT regsitered in the new year tho... helps getting wholesale acounts and i can get stuff even cheaper then too.

i havent signed up at the MS site.. doh, cheers for the tip MSNwar :rolleyes:

you might find these guys good for RAM.. long list of dealers world wide and they sell seriously FAST memory:

http://www.geilusa.com/dealers.asp

i also have dealt with crucial.com over the phone before (they rang me) very helpfull and informative, if you purchase more than 20 - 25 units per week from them (i think thats just DDR) then you qualify for larger discounts, so it might be worth building up stocks of RAM from them when the prices are low and then selling it on to other companies at a lower price than crucials site does, or team up with another retailer you know and trust and buy your RAM from crucial together to qualify for larger discounts.

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I realize it went off topic, but I love this stuff :)

Tris, thats the key, teaming up with other small businesses. Build a network of trusted individuals and the results can be unbelievable. Example. Before SD-RAM started falling in price I received a heads-up from an associate in Taiwan. That was just one day before I was going to place a large order. Few days later the bottom dropped out and I would have been out of a lot of money! Another example. I needed to build 12 PCs and the price break on 12 is not all that much. Another small time builder wanted to do exactly the same thing and was in the same situation. Together, we bought 24 mobos and saved a fortune to include buying a better model. OEM CPUs such as the Athlon 2 G are real hot right now. 12 for EURO 55.00 each.

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Are you in germany permanently MSNwar?

be good to swap contacts or something, theres some good dealers in germany too.. one company i know of sells chieftec cases by the pallate load but thats about ATX 14 cases.. too much for me. They retail at what.. about £85 each, but most of my customers arent bothered about having a leet case.. they just want their first pc.. and want it to be fast and cheaper than companies like PC world, comet, Dixons etc

- - - and not be full of OEM crap like those companies put in, its something i make customers aware of when they ask what i can do for them, showing them a Packard hell PC's internals compared to one of my own machines.. even a novice can tell the quality difference, and with pointers see which is best value for money long term.

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Sorry Sed,this is really good stuff though.I've had the Packard Bell's,the Gateway's,HP's,for upgrades,but the most frustrating are the mom and pop's they have around here.They get alot of business as there are many colleges in the area and they build cheap systems for big bucks.For example;Just in,a P3 866,creative ct4810 sound card,S4 savage vid,motorola modem, and a 145 watt power supply,one ide cable for hd and cdrom.Came with a cheap monitor(Aquaview)Windows 98,for $800.Customer complaining of system freezing up and wants an upgrade to win2k pro.The sound and modem are not compatible so I replace them with USR controller modem,and a Live 5.1 sound but the power supply blows out.The weakest link saved the day.Installed an Antec 300w and put the cdrom and hd on seperate channels.Happy,Happy customer.I had another with a power supply problem a while ago.I like to put quality in from the beginning,I use Enlight cases for a start.

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Tris, I doubt I will be in Germany forever. Looks like we might be moving to the US in the October 2003 timeframe. As long as I am here I can explore good contacts for you. Here is one of my associates web sites,

http://www.ukonline.de, his name is Uwe, and speaks english as well as German of course. His load for the moment is wireless hardware. Cases, I use ChiefTech, when I build high-end PCs, as they are common in Germany. Keep in mind we are all small time. Some of best sources are on eBay.de and participate in a huge computer flee market every Saturday in Mannheim. I guess about 500 - 800 people from all over Germany visit every Saturday. When I see something I want I pull the reseller off to the side and make a deal. For example, I need 3 or 4 cases, I check my source for a price quote, then I go to the market and obtain additional quotes, I simply take the best offer. Might save only EURO 50.00 for the cases, but with everything else it adds up to a nice sum, and my customers get quality hardware.

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[*]Jeff: Where in the USA?

Don't know for sure yet Pia. Someplace close to a military base probably. I know that is not saying a lot but in my line of work I just never know for sure till I get there. Basicly, I just tell the company to find me a new home and after a few weeks negotiating I fly.

By the way. Resellers is spelled "Handsome Devils" w00t

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Man! I get all excited when I read about stuff like this...I didn't know it was so simple to become a reseller and everything. I guess you do need a little bit for a startup cost but what company does not? Come May when I graduate from school, I think I will definetely be looking into this as a side deal.

Rick

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