Profit Per System

[brandon184]

For the system builders out there... What sort of profit do you usually find yourself making on the average PC build?

[jmebonner]

Depends on the buyer for me. If it's someone who knows a good bit, i.e. someone I won't have to go over to their house or be on the phone all the time with them, I make a pittance, from $50 to 75. If it's someone who has no clue, I've charged close to $300. And I've spent probably 6 hours on the phone and been to their house twice- for their mistakes. Still not bad considering I will warranty the parts (not software!) for 1 year. You can usually tell how much they know by what questions they ask ;D

[DanU]

The local stores around here charge about $50 to assemble a PC and install the OS.

[John Prophet]

you have pm brandon

[implexant]

Originally posted by brandon184
For the system builders out there... What sort of profit do you usually find yourself making on the average PC build?

When building a system I generally only get $75 off of it. But if I purchase a computer from a manufacturer, I always make $100 +. Especially if I find a good deal.

-Chris

[PeterGriffin]

$50-$75?

Wow, that sounds kinda cheap!
Humm, I would think with the time it takes to build the system and install the OS folks would charge for more than that amount. You figure to put together a complete system like that you may spend 2-3 hours worth of labor, not to mention the time spent shopping for the parts.

[Sixpac_XP]

Well, its not usually worth building and selling a system to someone while competing with the big guys... plus all the stupid phone calls and when "they' do something wrong they think they have the right to call you up in the middle of the night to tell you their printer is out of ink and how to fix it!

arughhhhhh...

been there.. done it... NOT WORTH IT....

I don't even do it for friends anymore... they just kept calling and calling and calling for free tech support.

(like I have nothing better to do with my life)

[bailey]

thats where you make the money.
you build the computer for what you can get and then sell them tech support for a fee, and that is where you will make more money than you could get by building .

[DanU]

Unfortunately you can't charge your mom, dad, sister, brother, etc for tech support calls.

Well I guess you could but that probably wouldn't go over too well...

MOM: Hi son, my mouse doesn't work. And the "cupholder" doesn't open up any more.

You: Sorry Mom, I'm going to have to charge you for tech support.

MOM: WHAT! Why I spent 9 months carrying you in my belly and 18 years supporting you and this is how you treat me!

LOL!

[butch81385]

i just gave my brother step by step instructions over the phone on how to install a new harddrive, transfer some stuff, and format the old one. i couldnt get rid of windows on the old one though, but im not gonna worry about it because im not getting paid to worry about it