If you wish to start your business
as a computer dealer, why not take a stand at one of the many
computer fairs held around the country each week. To trace the
organisers of these computer fairs, look in the lists of computer
trade sources and suppliers, as well as your local newspapers
and the computer magazine "Micro Mart".
Stands at computer fairs are often
at a very reasonable rate, but do first check out the fair in
question to guage wether such participation will be profitable
for you. Discovery if the fair is a regular event and how long
it has been running. See what is being sold and what the competition
is offering, and at what prices. Often one-off events or new venues
can turn out to be a big disappointment unless they have been
organised properly. Many empty stalls with a shortage of customers
can be very disheartening.
At computer fairs you can sell anything
that is related to computers: second hand systems and shareware,
peripherals, are particularly popular. Do remember that people
who visit these fairs come in search of a bargain and will not
be interested in expensive or top price goods. Dealers specialising
in selling memory or hard disks often find they can shift a lot
of stock in a small period of time.
Bearing in mind that many items
of computer related stock are of a small nature and usually of
a high price at the same time eg memory Ram, so be security minded
or any profit to be made from a stall can vanish as quickly as
those small valuable items you may have for sale on your stall!
Most of your turnover is likely
to be in cash, so look out for forged banknotes. Buy an ultra
violet pen which will show up any forged notes that may be tended.
Larger computer shows such as the
Computer Shopper Show, sponsored by the magazine "Computer
Shopper", and indeed any large computer fair or exhibition
may initially be out of your reach due to the high cost of a stand,
but if you can get your act together with the right type of products
at the right price, situated at the right venue, you could shift
a lot of goods from just a small stand.
CAN I RUN MY OWN COMPUTER FAIR?
You will need to find a suitable
venue such as a local hall, college or hotel with conference space.
So often these venues are available at quite a reasonable rent,
but do be careful: passing trade and good advertising can make
or break your new enterprise.
Contact local dealers in your area
and offer them a stand: you may have to offer a very low stall
rent or no rent at all until you have established your computer
fair on a regular basis. Instant profits are not very likely in
this type of venture until you can show your local dealers that
you can bring in a suitable crowd.
Covering your costs and perhapes
showing a profit can be obtained by charging a fee at the door:
£1 to £1.50 will boost your takings and sort out serious
buyers from those just passing by to get out of the rain. You
can also use stalls to sell your own goods. You will need at least
one person on the stall plus another collecting door charges and
giving out leaflets promoting your next venues and special offers.
Make sure that your venue has enough
stalls/tables, each bearing the name of the dealer for identification
when the dealers first arrive. Make sure that dealers have set
up and are ready before the doors open. Do stress to each dealer
that you are not liable for any loos or damage that they may suffer,
putting such terms printed on a booking form and signed by each
dealer when they book stalls with you.
