Starting a Computer Building Business

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l1nkown

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I have a large audience (700k+) on my PC gaming based Youtube channel. I receive messages everyday asking whether or not such and such alienware computer can run the games that I am running, or what parts are in my computer.

I want to help them and tell them that Alienware computer's cost way too much for what you're getting and that they should make one themselves, but some people are daunted by the idea of putting a computer together by themselves.

So I was thinking of starting a business where i'd buy the parts in cheap when they are on sale, assemble them and sell them for a profit.

Do you guys have any ideas on how I can get the ball rolling on starting this up? I have an audience, I just need some ideas to start it up easily.
 
Solution
tiny voices
There is basically no way to do that successfully. You will never be able to compete with the prebuilt companies like Cyberpower or ibuypower.

These ventures never work.

Sorry, it is just the truth.
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tiny voices

tiny voices

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Honestly I doubt you will be able to sell for any profit. You have no business deals with manufacturers/distributors to get cheaper parts.

You will never be able to come close to competing with the other companies I listed and make any profit or even break even.

Sorry. Isn't going to happen.
 
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JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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Realize that unless you are buying parts in the 1,000s, you can't buy at the prices the big boys do. If you are building gaming boxes for the typical youtube audience, you could estimate that by the time that you talk to them about all their component selections, cover advertising, business insurance and other costs, after sale support, building, installing OS, etc, you'd make less than minimum wage.
 
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l1nkown

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This a build that I just put together from parts on newegg. This is a gtx 970 w/ an i5, 8gb ram, 1tb HD, a total of 880. Lets say shipping is $50. That's 930. I can't find anything at cyberpower or ibuypower for that price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487088&cm_re=gtx_970-_-14-487-088-_-Product
350
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811139038&ignorebbr=1
55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116991&cm_re=intel_i5-_-19-116-991-_-Product
200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236339
55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157547
65
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231428
60
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H09BB16/ref=s9_al_bw_g65_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-3&pf_rd_r=0QSVKGHAY1171FFXM4F5&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=2058553682&pf_rd_i=1286119011
95
 
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tiny voices

tiny voices

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Missing PSU in that build so add in another $65 for a quality one.

PLUS shipping to the buyer, which for an object this size will be $100+ easily. I have mailed MANY computers before. Plus when stuff breaks in shipping you will have ship out new parts(lose money) or tell people they are SOL. Neither are good options.

 
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l1nkown

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That raises it to 995, and the closest one i've found on those sites you listed is this one: https://www.cyberpowerpc.com/system/Mega_Special_II, which is 1105 and its a gtx 960
 
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l1nkown

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According to everyone else on the internet shipping is about $50, and I included that in my price. So shipping is free as well. Also these are parts that I literally just came up with. I can probably get them on sale much cheaper. Plus, i'm not competing with the bigger companies. I'm selling them to people who stumble upon my videos, see how great the graphics are and want to buy a cheap PC, that's it.
 
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tiny voices

tiny voices

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You REALLY do not want to build PCs for random people. Your inbox will become a slew of people who bought your computers and now need help, and you have no dedicated phone service or online help center. People will get mad fast, and you will get upset that you can't fix all their issues. You have no warranty to offer either, which is a BIG issue.

Anyway you paint it, you will not make any more or even get close to breaking even. Your build costs $995 and the build I posted which has better motherboard and keyboard + mouse AND 3 year warranty and support only costs $55 more. Don;t expect sales to make any difference. Mainstream parts rarely go on any real sales. They will not impact the price of the PC.

Sorry, this isn't going to work.


Also, $1000 is by NO means a "cheap PC" at all. Cyberpower has VERY good deals "business class" desktops around the $650 range with i3's/fx6300s and gtx750ti level GPUs. These machines are even more aggressively priced and you would have an even tougher time competing in this market of "cheap gaming computers". It is very unlikely you could even get the same price on the parts alone in this bracket, not even counting the extras like mouse/keyboard, warranty, etc.
 
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JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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Put it this way .... back in the 90s I knew many small system builders, some lasted past Y2k.... none are left. It's just to easy, the only small shops still in existence are those who primarily sell service (phone / onsite) . If you are retired on a fixed income and do word of mouth builds as a hobby, are not going to register as a business and ya manage to pick up some beer money great.... but over the life of the product, you will spend at least 5 or 6 hours in each build.... i/3 of that just installing Windows, drivers and Windows updates
 
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