ans Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 My initial post was only “semi-literate” as you put it as I had had a long day and I didn’t think that I would come across people anal enough to pick my grammar/spelling to pieces on a public forum. Welcome to the Internet. Enjoy your stay. If you want to make a post in a professional capacity (which yours was), you should take the time to think about how it makes you look. First impressions count in life and I will forever associate you and your proposed business with that lack of professionalism. Whether that is right or wrong, it's how I see it. I can tell you right now that I know of at least two people over here that have extensively investigated the potential for a dedicated LAN/gaming cafe over here and both people have come to the conclusion that it is not a profitable venture. You're right that there's probably an opportunity for a customer driven PC repair shop, but you'd have to ask yourself firstly why you'd need to consider a main shopping street location for that and secondly what you'd be able to offer different to any of the multiple people doing the same thing in the local paper, especially as I'd guess some of them are operating with no overheads and perhaps aren't declaring everything they earn to the taxman. I'm still standing by my theory that you're just some kid who's thought 'Hey! Wouldn't this be cool' but that's up to you to prove me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarbunny Posted March 26, 2006 Author Share Posted March 26, 2006 If you'd read my post properly then you would have realized that I am not looking to set up a dedicated LAN/Gaming cafe or a basic PC repair shop, it would be both as well as a place for Nerds/Geeks/Computer Enthusiasts can get the components not available else where with out paying for normally over inflated postage costs. Do you know if there is a shop on the island where I could by say a ThemalTake Kandalf case, a Vaporchill water-cooling system, a Zalman Resirator passive water cooling system?? The high end components along with what I hope is a vast knowledge of PC components, my history of supplying good customer service in a variety of roles Internet, LAN and gaming facilities, along with regular and structured events, league tables, and eventually prize money. The LAN events that I have seen advertised on this forum seem to be erratic and require a lot of time and effort to set up as the participants are required to bring their own systems, which excludes anyone who does not have transportation. By offering a regular stationary event that provides all equipment that is required it will allow more and more people to attend. Of cause if people insist on using their own peripherals then of cause they would be accommodated. As far as my initial post is concerted it was not a professional post it was merely a basic way of gauging the interest from a section of the islands population that would be most interested i.e. internet users who take the time to post in a forum dedicated to gaming. The need for a central location is not a necessity but the ability to capture passing trade would defiantly be advantageous, don’t you agree? I understand that if people are interested in the service I provide they would be willing to travel out of town but, obviously, location is paramount to capturing the everyday user who only wants a replacement ink cartridge. I would need to sit and do the figures properly but I feel that with the proper management it could a profitable venture, and to see whether the extra expenditure for location is offset by the increase in business from passing trade. Scar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alias Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 If you'd read my post properly then you would have realized that I am not looking to set up a dedicated LAN/Gaming cafe or a basic PC repair shop, it would be both as well as a place for Nerds/Geeks/Computer Enthusiasts can get the components not available else where with out paying for normally over inflated postage costs. Do you know if there is a shop on the island where I could by say a ThemalTake Kandalf case, a Vaporchill water-cooling system, a Zalman Resirator passive water cooling system?? No offence, but if you're stocking them then you're not going to do very well. I severely doubt your offerings would be cheaper than any internet retailer, and if you're not stocking then the very limited interested buyers have no benefit over buying straight from the afore mentioned net sites. Have you looked into this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tris Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 I swear there are two different posters under that name I bought a Dell computer in January, got free delivery and am extremely impressed with it. I replaced the graphics card as they didn’t offer what I wanted but that was no big deal as I only paid £800 in the sale. It would rival an alienware computer at half the price. As Ans stated, the only way you could rival online stores is through a build to order system. You will not get enough custom on the island for you to build them and move them in a short period of time, some would sit there in some cases so long that f you bolted them to the ground you could place them as an asset the next year! That’s why Dell are so damn good, they have a great system and don’t waste money through owning shops, wasting funds on building computers to show and so on. Don’t get me wrong, I wish you the best of luck but I don’t know how anyone can match online ordering unless you have a withstanding and proven record with existing loyal customers. Computer systems aside take ink cartridges and other peripherals. What do you look for when considering these products? They are pretty low involvement products and most do the same thing. You could not match the likes of printerinks on price which is what a lot of people will look for. Flexibility wise, sure you may be in driving distance away, but people get warnings when they are low on ink for ages, and that website in particular can deliver next day if you order early enough, straight to my doorstep without me leaving the house. I just dont think there is the market for it over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ean Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 The need for a central location is not a necessity but the ability to capture passing trade would defiantly be advantageous, don’t you agree? No. Your proposal's main basis is the sale of specialised machines, a central location is not particularly beneficial to this (as you have suggested) so your main reasoning behind the central location is for goods that would be considered FMCG's for the IT world such as ink cartridges, paper etc. The cost of rental or purchase of store space in town will far outweigh the additional profit you may make from passing customers, especially when places like WH Smiths sell ink cartridges etc and would presumably be in close vicinity of your proposed store. They will also have the benefits of economies of scale and unless you can get into some sort of consortium/association where you will benefit from economies of scale whilst still remaining independent (e.g. Officepoint) then you would be unlikely to compete on price in this area. A central location may be advantageous for the LAN idea of the business as it would enable easy travel to and from the site, those without transport will have good transport links to the site...but you seem to be dismissing this side of your business or at least pushing it to one side in favour of the sale of specialised equipment. In all honesty i think you will struggle to beat the cost of the goods you aim to sell in comparison to the internet sites that offer them. I currently live in the midlands and my nearest city is Stoke, i can't think of any shop there that specialises in this kind of product, the internet sites seem to have this niche market sewn up. However if you look at the figures and decide that you can make it work then I wish you the best of luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mission Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Personally, I think you'd struggle to make it pay over here, with the existing competition already in place. Unless you have some serious £££ as start up capital, you'll be lucky to get anywhere in the Strand Street / Victoria Street area of Douglas as the rents and rates are astronomical! When you also take into account the value of your stockholding plus all of the hardware for the LAN events, you're looking at serious money to offer anything decent to your punters. In theory, your idea is sound but I just don't think it will pay on the island. I know what the margins are like on this sort of kit and unless you can shift a serious amount of stock, you're going to find it impossible to make it pay if you intend to have a central retail location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shill Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 I was one of the prople Ans was talking about regarding the setting up a local internet cafe. I investigated the potential and drew up a business plan. I was looking at doing corporate LAN events plus basic windows, e-mail and office tutorials as well as a photocopying and logo design. Even with that array of business ideas I came to the conclusion it would be extremely risky with the capital I would have had to have invested. That said, if you do get your venture up and running I wish you luck and success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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