Cheapest Place To Purchase PC Parts?

I'm looking to get into some system building soon and I was wondering whats the best place to buy PC parts at rock bottom prices?

I've checked NewEgg.com and their prices are OK on somethings, but I really need to keep the cost down as much as possible on the build side of things to make it a profitable venture.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

This won't be the answer you want to hear:-D But system building is not worth bothering with as a profitable venture,if you ask many on here who've built systems for people you'll probably hear the same story that in the end the computer you can build using decent retail parts ends up costing more than a similar spec'd pre built computer at the lower end of the market.

The only way to make enough money to make it worth doing is to completely screw over the person in either quality or price. I've been there,most people want extremely cheap computers in which you make no money and those that want the super high end machines come along once in a blue moon. And then there's the earache from that point onwards,everything that goes wrong with the computer is your fault or something you must fix for free.

All my humble opinion though, see what other peoples advice and experience of system building is, maybe some people have done well.

Its better if you post your location so people can give examples of places in your locale,new egg is pretty cheap when you can find decent offers,also check Amazon and the price matching list on Amazon,if you live in the UK check scan.co.uk on the today only page its updated every day,look at bundles also CPU,MOBO,MEM and CASE,PSU,OPTI DRIVE,choose OEM parts where possible.

In my experience its hard to beat these big companies on price due to the huge volume of product they buy and shift and that's the best way to buy parts is in bulk,that's how pro system builders make money but then you move into starting a fully fledged PC business and all the paper work that entails.

Good luck

 

This is not meant to be a business, just a side venture. I'm already at around $50-$100 profit per PC, but I'd like to maximize that. Newegg is good but not great, as I said.

So getting back to the original intent, there must be a place for wholesale PC parts that can undercut Newegg, correct?

 

The only place I can suggest is Tiger Direct and look at their bare-bones kits. You'll need to buy an operating system as well.

 

CPU's are loss leaders at Micro Center. For an i7 2600K it's $315 at newegg whereas at Micro it's $280 and lots of other good deals too. However, you have to go to the store, no shipping last I heard.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354587

 

3btech.net It's not precisely cutting edge, though there's a lot of high-end stuff there. Some of the stuff is cheaper at NewEgg, and a couple at Tiger, but there's no additional shipping unless you have it expedited from 3btech. I've found I'm doing more business there than at NewEgg any more.

 

Believe it or not, it's looking like my local Micro Center is doing pretty good so far. I pulled some parts from their site just to get the prices, and I can build a pretty nice mid-range desktop for a little less then previously thought. So, if I can figure out how to ship it without costing me an arm and a leg, it might work out.

Now, you folks don't happen to know any trade secretes about shipping a desktop through mail do you?

I know the conventional wisdom is to remove all the cards first, but since this is going to a costumer, obviously that's not an option.

I'm thinking I need to pack the box with the built case INSIDE another box, surrounded by Styrofoam.

Any thoughts on this?

 

Well, that's usually how they come shipped - so yes, that would be the way to go.

 

I've only found peanuts at the office store. I'm assuming this would be dangerous and should find large pieces somewhere.

 

Im gonna throw this out there, but something to keep in mind if you start doing any volume of business, and have many vendors, thats gonna add confusion to you, Also if you end up have to rma stuff, the more different vendors you buy from adds complications as well, ie which vendor did i order this form, which vendor did i order this from.

 

Wrap it in bubble wrap,you can get massive rolls of it from Ebay and gardening supply stores.

 

Sounds like it would be a inexpensive way of packing, but I'm wondering if bubble wrap would be enough to fill the empty space of the box keeping it from sliding around in shipping?

Also, I wish there was a way I could ship it while knowing it wouldn't be shoved around (IE: shipped "This End Up" all the time and handled VERY carefully).

 

Depending on the shipping method, you should be able to have it marked just like that for UPS or FedEx shipping.

Alternatively, you could ship it open case, with bubble wrap between the cards. That'll keep them from moving, but might prompt static. If you stick it in the anti-static envelopes the cards come in, that should solve the problem. (Cardboard would also work.)

 

I get 90% of my stuff from www.directron.com

 

Unless you're building a PC for yourself, and you have specific needs that you must address, an off-the-shelf PC is far more economical and all the R & D as to parts that work well together has already been done for you.

I built PC's for almost 30 years, before I retired. I'm still running the last one I put together, but I relied heavily on the tech at the computer store to suggest the parts that would work the best together. That is something that the nube would never know and a mistake there can get real expensive and complicated real quick.
As a result of getting some very good advice, my PC runs lightning fast and runs XP, Vista, Win-7 and even Win-8 very nicely.
When recently I loaded it up with Windows 8, Developementers version, I didn't even have to load any drivers. Everything in my system just came up running, even my Epson Workforce 500 AIO printer.

Had I installed some 'off the wall' device, that may not have come out so good.

I may someday upgrade my system, but I'll never build another one.

Just google any part and you'll find all the places that sell them. That's what I do when I'm looking for something.

I've ordered several things from "ComputerGeeks.com" (Oceanside, Ca.) and I've been very happy with the parts and the prices and the shipping rates. Some companies might sell you a part for $5 and then charge you $10 shipping. That can take the gloss out of the deal, real quick.
Tiger Direct is great for Internet Purchases, but they also own "Comp USA" stores where you generally won't get such good deals.

For the latest and greatest GOOD Deals, sign up for the daily ad sheet from Tiger Direct and ComputerGeeks.com and any other places you might find on the net.

If you don't already know what companies produce good, reliable parts and which ones produce JUNK, you're doomed before you even start. I won't tell you the junk vendors, in an open forum. Sorry! But, there's one motherboard maker, one HD maker and one RAM maker that puts out some real CRAP! So, buyer beware!

Good Luck,
The Shadow (retired computer builder)