| Note
that most of these vendors are NOT the typical warehouse
mega-everything PC vendors you generally find online.
These companies have stayed
with their core business for many years, which has
been good, quality components for the PC user/business/hobbyist/techie
-- all at a lower cost than the mega-guys.
Most of their prices are actually
LOWER than some of the mega-wholesale outfits! Just
proves the point that the word "wholesale"
has different meanings, based on what you consider
"a deal".
Granted, whenever the mega's
have a sale/rebate on an item, you may find an item
at a lower cost. But that is the exception, not
the rule.
Even though I spend more of
my time working as a programmer these days, I still
have occasion to purchase a system or do an upgrade
for friends and family. And when I do, these are
the companies I turn to.
There are many other great
companies that provide systems and components, in
addition to those listed. However, without a Sales
Tax number, you can't do business with them.
Still in the works is a special
VAR manual/book, which will REALLY explain the "in's
and out's" of starting your own PC service
business.
Most of the books available
on the subject are well and good -- as far as they
go. But from personal experience, I found that there
was a ton of info that they didn't cover.
Starting a PC business AND
getting all of the necessary suppliers lined up
is not the easiest thing in the world.
For instance, do a search
of the words "wholesale", "PC"
and "distributor". The listings you get
back will not have all of the best companies in
it. It took us over three years to amass our current
database of true wholesalers. And many are just
resellers - so that anyone can buy from them, at
a lower cost than if they had gone to one of the
major distributors!
I know. I signed on with Tech
Data. I had been told they were one of the best
distributors to use for buying systems and components.
Well, oddly enough it turned out that I could purchase
parts from other resellers & distributors at
a much lower cost than through Tech Data! And some
of them purchased their parts from Tech Data!
This in turn allowed me to
offer lower prices to my customers. And afford to
give them better service. The PC industry in many
ways, is a "closed society". No one really
wants to give you the inside scoop when you are
starting out. Some of this is due largely to the
certain fact that YOU will become the competition!
And competition is fierce.
But, if you've got idea's
on how to do a better job than the companies that
are already out there, maybe that's what you should
do.
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