New website to build custom PC's

Would I need to provide tech support?

[BigAl]

Hi I am considering starting up a new site that lets people custom build PC's. It will be out of my home on a limmited budget. I am wondering if I have a site do I need to provide my new customers with tech support for the computers I build? How would I accomplish this being a one-man operation? Also would I need to provide 1,2,3 year warrenties on the computers I build?

Ant suggestions on ways of going about this for a small opperation?

[treeline]

So, I've never met you but you want me to buy a computer from you that you built by hand yourself.

Your question is: "If it doesn't work, whose problem should it be?"

Hmmm. If there's no tech support, and no warranty, I'm just out my money if it never works. Oh, unless I use a chargeback from the credit card. Then I've got a useless computer and you've got no money.

I'd imagine that referrals and repeat customers would be important to your business, like most. Treating people the way you'd like to be treated in a similar situation usually works well.

While you may not need to answer questions on why Windows is so poorly designed, I think you need to plan to resolve problems with the computers. If a wire comes loose in shipping, an extra disk drive was forgotten during building, or whatever, how will it get resolved?

Most people buy from a vendor because of either low price, expected good service, convenient location, or they know them. The last 2 probably won't apply online, so you'll need a combo of low price and/or good service. There are already some pretty low prices out there with good service....

[cputek2k]

In a nutshell.. YES! There are lots of "helpdesk" software packages out there some for free. Or you could sign up for the instant messanger services and let them IM you....

But.. yes to answer your question..

[oddsod]

It's a very competitive sector and the aggro from customers can be quite a lot. The bank may not be very excited about offering you facilities to take credit cards (as they perceive this is a high risk/high fraud business). And why should I buy a PC from you rather than Dell who can build it so much cheaper and who have an army of tech people who have a combined knowledge considerably greater than your own? Six months from now if I run into a problem you haven't seen before and you aren't able to resolve.... I'm stuck.

[BigAl]

Thanks for the comments. I was only considering the posibilities of what it would take to run a custom built pc shop. Of course I would offer a warranty but what kind of warranty. 30 day, 1 year, 3 years? Also in terms of tech support. How would I provide tech support to customers? Would I need 800 phone support or could I use Email support only?

Is there 3rd party services I could partner with to provide these services for my company?

FYI, There are only 1-2 companies I found online doing what I'm considering. And its not desktop PC's. I was also considering selling them though ebay. If someone sells their pc though ebay thay do not have to provide support or warranty. Which is what brought up my question.

[oddsod]

>> If someone sells their pc though ebay thay do not have to provide support or warranty

Whatever makes you think that? If you are selling as a trader - which is what you will be - you have several legal issues to consider and I doubt you can sell "without a warranty". Not in the US or UK anyway.

If you provide a bit more detail on what PCs you are looking to sell then perhaps our advice could be more targeted.

[twist]

May I suggest creating a website on how to build your computers step by step. Spread it out over many pages and then plaster adsense or other ads everywhere to cover your cost. Then work through a distributor and sell all the parts needed to build your computer. You no longer need to support the PC, let them call the parts manufacturers if they have a problem with the parts. Let them email if they have a problem getting it together. This will help you find where people are having the most problems and then help you write better instructions.

That doesn't sound like a bad idea, hmmmm.

[pathak]

PC or PC parts sell is not a small business in online world. On getting order you have to send that part by post, which will cost you a good amount because of the weight it has. And if you are working as a retailer for Branded products then about all branded products has regional branches, therefore you have give them something special. This special will be price. But as i think it will not be possible to you to provide the same product in less price.

If you have good technical knowledge of computer then you can get good number of customers from your city only because there are still few computer engineers with good computer knowledge and they are very expensive.