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What You Count & What You Don't?

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EmTSea19

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2002
Location
Northeast U.S.A.
I am curious about what people count towards the total building price of a computer, and what they don't? Besides the price of the actual parts of course.

Do you add the shipping to the final cost?
Do you add the price of shipping a returned item back?
Do you add the restocking fee for returned items?
Do you add the price of a part you bought, but decided not to use?
 
When I cost stuff, I count parts only, and provide a list of the parts. I only deal with friends of family, so I just tell them of my fee for putting it together. Then, when they decide, I draw up another cost of the same stuff (or if they modified it), and give them a bottom line, with parts, tax and fee. They pay me, and I go out and get it. Most of the time, they usually get a little money back (which I'm usually told to keep :D), but there has been atleast one time where i've been short kuz of a price hike.

Since everyone is just friends of family, they're usually around, so shipping is negligable. I don't return items, and I use everything I purchase for them (they paid for it..). As for restocking, they have until I begin purchasing parts to stop the process. Once I start buying stuff, it's usually about a 3 hour turnaround from travel, to parts to finished computer.
 
Thanks su root. I was thinking more about when you build a computer for yourself. Not for resale or anything. A newbie builder like myself can sometimes have an RMA, a return, or have some extra parts. If someone asked how much it cost, I am not sure what I would include or not.
 
RMAs can't be helped, and usually they don't cost anything. Most places where I shop for computer parts are in-person, so I can physically return any defective parts. I may pay a few bucks more to buy it in a store, but I can bring it back, or talk to someone there. For a newbie, I would avoid buying stuff online, because you can't see it before you buy it. Take the example where you buy a motherboard where the manufacturer says it has onboard sound, but the dealer/retailer has the one w/o onboard sound.

When someone asks me "how much did your rig cost?" I always tell them the price before tax. After a while, components get shifted in and out of it so much, that i don't really know the price of it anymore. Chances are, I'd end up saying something like "$1200 CDN when I bought it, but that doesn't include everything I've added since"
 
I gaveup on counting long ago. dozens of parts traded in and out become hard to keep track of which are current.

when I did I tended to include shipping costs or tax in it.
 
i look at parts first then once i decide te cheapest stuff i check shipping then i make sure i ihave the money, if i do then i get it... i dont count on having to return stuff and RMAs are almost free... you just need to pay shipping... and my local postnet charged the computer stores FedEx shipping account last time (for the RMA)... lolz free:D
 
To be honest, I typically just count the price of things. When I used to shop by buying each part from a different reseller using Pricewatch, I never even figured in shipping.

I learned VERY quickly those many years ago that going to 50 resellers to save 2 bucks on each part didn't help...shipping usually killed me.

Even now I tend to order things from at most 2 or three places. I get all that I can from each place, even something that might be a tad pricey just to avoid another shipping fee elsewhere. I also try to keep places with decent shipping rates in mind.

Still, I never tend to count shipping until I get there. If you're doing a system (minus monitor) it's a safe bet to add up to 100 bucks for shipping, especially if you're getting 2-day. Thats probably as bad as it'll get, but still you'll wanna think between 50 and 100 bucks.

It's tough to do becuase shipping can change. Usually you have to fake build the orders and have shipping calculated. Then you can rethink things and buy later.

As for reselling, when I build things for friends or at work, I first price out the parts and then an estimate for shipping. Then when it's ok'ed I just do it, and give them the final price. If it's for a friend or relative, I will call them or show them the final price before execuitng the orders. (I don't charge build fees for family or friends)

For work, I just order things and let them figure it out later. I give them a ballpark figure, thats good enough. Sometimes I have to pay more for next day or second day shipping if its needed fast. It's understanded by them.

Also, when I do the final ordering, I somtimes find parts either out of stock or with prices changed. Then it's time to substitue...if you're careful you can get as good or better parts for only a few bucks more.
 
If I could buy items locally, believe me I would! :eek:

I almost have all my parts, and I've bought everything so far from the same online retailer. The prices at local stores are MUCH higher than online with shipping. I've paid extra for fast shipping too. Still, it's much cheaper.

I have every price written down, parts, shipping, return shipping, 15% restocking fee, extra parts, but I don't know how I'll tally it at the end, *lol*.
 
You only get charged the restocking fee if you return an item. There should be no need for that, and it shouldn't be figured into your calculations. You also don't need the return shipping. That's not stuff I would price out when looking to buy a computer. I just look for parts, and, if it applies, shipping.

Personally, I'm surprised at how many low prices I can find just travelling around a large city. I live about 100km outside of Toronto, and I have a few favorite places that I look into when I buy computers. Some of them are tiny stores, some of them are big stores, but what I can't find for a decent price at one place, another place will have it for cheap. It is 100km away, but it's worth the travel and time IMO.
 
theres nowhere around me that I know of with good prices, so im used to ordering stuff online.
Since i generally order from newegg or googlegear, shipping is not as much of a concern, because newegg has free shipping and googlegear has $1 or 50 cent shipping on most items.
But when i add everything up i include any shipping.
 
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