Machine Recycling Discussion and Moderated Newsgroup > Separate Parts
> Knobs and Handles
> South
> New
> Company 4 sale-computer/laptop sales via liquidations
Company 4 sale-computer/laptop sales via liquidations
LIQUIDATION SALE BASED COMPUTER BUSINESS
(A computer sales business that you take on the road to liquidation shows where the promoter does all the advertising and brings the clients directly to your booth)
THIS SALE INCLUDES THE ENTIRE BUSINESS MODEL: The sellable inventory, the support inventory, all the fixtures, a 29' RV, a 1999 Mercury Mountaineer, a 19' Flatbed Trailer, and a 5x10 Flatbed Trailer. But most importantly, it provides you with an immediate means of making the business work by giving up my spot in the circuit to whomever purchases this business.
A little history behind the business
I had a computer company in South Bend, IN for 8 years. As the recession hit, people ran out of money in my area and I was forced to either close the business or figure out a new way to reach my clientele. All the sudden I heard on the radio that a liquidation sale was coming to town. You know the type - car stereos for $10, laptops for $99, jewelry 80% off and so forth so forth. I called the promoter and asked if I could sell my computers in his show and he said that he would be happy to have me. I had about 75 used computers on hand and rented tables from the promoter to set them up. On my first day, I sold 35 computers. As a matter of fact, the other guy who was selling computers saw how cheap I was selling my computers for and he packed up and left. By the end of the show, I had sold everything I could come up with to sell. I was amazed at how, in a time when I could barely pay my bills, that people were coming to me and handing over so much cash for my computers.
More Changes that Gave the Business Eye Appeal
As time went by, I purchased shelves, various tables, rolling bin racks, and other displays that I used for displaying the merchandise. The promoters always charge $10 per table each weekend, so by purchasing my own, I saved a lot of money in the long run. I even found some nice tablecloths and skirts that made the tables look nice once I had them in place. In the beginning, I would hand write the price tags for each computer. But over time I purchased a nice HP Color LaserJet printer that really made my signs pop out! At one fixture store, I found some real nice 4' high stands that were great for inserting a printout of the price and specs for each machine. All these changes made a difference like you wouldn t believe!
Expanding and Adding More Vehicles
The business was good, but it was a means to an out for me. I needed the money to get out of debt and it did just that. The traveling was fun and I still have thousands of pictures to post on Facebook yet, but I am moving on to something different - go back in the military as an officer. I served 6 years in the Air Force when I was younger but now that I have my degree, I'd like to try it again as an officer. But I'm not getting any younger and I have till the end of this year to join or I miss the age cutoff. So that's why I'm selling the business.
Here is a list of the support inventory that I'm including:
There are 2 rolling carts that have bins in them. I've numbered them just for the sake of ease:
1. Pens and markers for making signs
2. Tape (scotch, masking, and duct)
3. Blank Media (blank CDs/DVDs)
5. Laptop internal WiFi cards and other laptop parts
6. Small form factor video cards
9. Specialized video cards including dual head cards
10. Video adapters (DVI to VGA)
11. Other specialized video splitter cables
12. Misc internal computer cards (modems, ethernet, sound, USB...)
13. Hard Drives - 10-15GB (used mainly as cloning masters)
19. Hard Drives - New and SATA
20. Misc hard drives (overflow from the other bins)
24. Small form factor CD-ROM drives
25. Inside computer parts (CPU cooling fans, heat syncs, batteries, CPU clips...)
26. Outside computer parts (pieces that snap on to the outside of the case)
27. Internal wires (ribbon cables, SATA cables, power splitters, SATA power converters, DC/DVD audio cables...)
29. Misc power cords (international cords...)
30. USB Cables (mini, standard, and other)
35. Promotional material (pre-printed price and spec signs, labels, ...)
Then there are the filing cabinets. The filing cabinets are 2-drawer, half height units that are used for both storage and as bases to put the wood on for making tables (which later get covered and skirted). There are 12 units for a total of 24 drawers. Some of them are labeled and have the same thing in them all the time and others are unlabeled. I will call them misc in the list below. I use those drawers to put various things in as I begin to pack up the show. The goal in this setup was to have as few boxes as possible - to have most everything in some permanent spot.
1. Table cloths / back drop curtains
5. Computer power supplies (non-SATA)
6. Computer power supplies (SATA)
11. Large shopping bags (for wrapping computers)
12. Medium shopping bags (for wrapping screens) and small shopping bags for the rest
17. Power strips (for hooking up computers)
Sellable Inventory (Computers):
I think I have maybe 3 computers left. I can order more if you want them. Inside the drawers, however, are all kinds of miscellaneous things for sale that are part of this deal as well. All of that is in the drawers that are labeled misc.
Then there are the boxed items:
5. Black computer power cables
6. White computer power cables
These are the supporting items that are behind the counter:
1. HP Color LaserJet printer (for printing signs and such)
2. Dell black and white personal laser printer (for printing fliers)
4. RAM bin (24 drawers of PC100/PC133/PC2100/PC2700/PC3200/DDR2/Laptop RAM/RAMBUS...)
2. Numerous 3.5' tall price signs
5. Plastic cart for taking computers to the elderly or handicap's cars
6. Large 7 ft high baker's rack for storing LCD (or whatever)
7. 4 pieces of wood to cover the cabinets to make counter tops
1. WHO COULD DO THIS KIND OF WORK? It takes at least 2 people who love to travel and are not afraid to meet new people. It's best if you know something about computers because, after all, that's what you would be selling.
2. WHERE ARE THE SHOWS NORMALLY HELD? Well, we traveled from the southern part of Texas to as far north as Buffalo, NY, and from the Atlantic all the way out to Kansas. For the most part, you could say the Midwest. There are 5 main promoters doing these shows, and each promoter has from just one to as many as 5 different shows (all in different cities). You tend to find a promoter that you like and stick with him.
6. DO I NEED TO STICK WITH SELLING COMPUTERS? No. The bulk of the value in this business is in the vehicles, the trailers, the shelves, and all the other fixtures used to display the merchandise the basic business model. There are other vendors who sell things like purses, jewelry, perfume, sunglasses, t-shirts, stickers, Sham-Wows, food processors, tools, knives, bb guns, car stereos, GPS units, MP3 players, video games, and tons more. I prefer computers because of how much profit I can earn.
7. WHAT EXPENSES WILL I INCUR AT EACH SHOW? First you have to pay the promoter rent for your space. This amount is different with each promoter as they may charge a flat rate or a per-head charge (so many cents for each person that walks in the door). It runs around $1200 per show during the busy season to around half that in the off-season (however some of the larger shows could cost considerably more but they yield a greater return as well). Most promoters also charge a $25 security charge and $50 for your electricity (again, this would be more in the larger shows). If the promoter (and building manager) allows you to park on the premises, you will save a lot of money by not having to pay for an RV site. However, if you do have to find a park, they usually run between $25 and $40 a night (still cheaper that a hotel and they usually have showers so that not everyone has to shower in the RV).
8. HOW IS THE RV IN THE WINTER? The RV has 2 heaters - one is gas and one is electric. You will always have plenty of heat - don't worry about that. If it is below freezing, don't count on showering in the RV. Plan on finding a place that has showers. If you stick with the southern circuit (which I highly suggest), you should be fine as far as the weather goes.
9. HOW DOES THE RV HANDLE IN THE SNOW? Like a charm. The RV is heavy and has dual tires on the rear (2 per side). The front tires (those used for steering) are BRAND NEW and will cut right through any rain or snow with ease. The drive tires very rarely lose traction because of all the weight on the rear.
12. DO I NEED HELP SETTING THIS UP? The first thing you do is get on Craigslist a few days out and post an ad asking for some laborers. I found people are willing to work for around $8 to $10 per hour. I give anyone who is doing manual lifting $10 and anyone who is helping with non-lifting jobs $8.
13. HOW DO I SET ALL THIS UP? The first thing you want to decide on is a booth layout. This is very important. There are some layouts that will attract people and others that will deter people from even coming in. I will share this with you in person. Once you have decided on a layout, put the filing cabinets in place then cover them with the wooden pieces. Then put on the tablecloths and skirts. Then find a place to store your support mechanism (your wire racks and other storage). Then start putting inventory on the tables. Then run electricity, and after that it's all about making it look good. Place your price signs out, evenly space the computers, and make sure that you give people a reason to come see your display.
16. CAN I ELIMINATE THE COMPETITION AND BE THE ONLY COMPUTER VENDOR THERE? YES!!! This is the best way to do it obviously but it will cost you more. This is something I will help you with because it is something you have to negotiate with each promoter. I've done this with 2 different promoters and can get you set up with ease.
17. WHAT TYPE OF MAINTENANCE DOES THE RV TAKE? Like any vehicle, change the oil and stay ahead of the game as far as preventative maintenance on the engine and drive train go. As for the coach, there is a light that will tell you when your tanks are getting full. Most rest stops on the interstate offer complimentary dump stations that allow RVs to pull up and empty their tanks. And most KOAs will do it for $10. The grey water tank will hold about 6-8 showers worth of water. The black water tank will last for a couple of weeks. Be sure to put the proper chemicals in the black water tank or else it will start to smell. In the winter, you need to winterize the tanks to prevent freezing of your lines and pump. Complete instructions are available in the owners manual (included) or online. The propane tank needs to be filled periodically and also has a light on the master control panel that will let you know when you are close.
18. DO YOU HAVE ANY LITERATURE ON THE RV? Yes. I have a stack of original books that tell you everything you would ever want t know about the RV.
19. HOW DO I KNOW YOU ARE NOT JUST A CON TRYING TO SELL A BUNCH OF CRAP? Well, if you took the time to read this far, you probably have the sense that I know what I'm talking about. Once you see it, you'll believe it and once you meet me, you will see what kind of person I am. I also have plenty of professional references.
Here is a bit about the vehicles
1. 1999 Mercury Mountaineer - this is an all-wheel-drive sport utility vehicle that has really been taken care of. It has the 5.0-liter V8 and pulls the 5x10 trailer with ease. The engine runs great, the transmission runs great, the AC is cold, the glass is good, and the tires still have a year left on them. There are no tears in the leather either. It's just in great shape. The mileage is low for the year - 113,759. I bought it about a year ago and have never had problems.
2. 5x10 trailer - this trailer is only a couple of years old. When I bought it, I specifically looked for one with the 3500-pound axel. Most trailers of this size have a lower rating axel, which means you can't carry as much. I burned out the axel on my first trailer from overloading it with computers. The last thing I wanted to do was burn out another, so I paid the extra money and bought a better trailer.
3. 19' flatbed trailer - this is a dual axel trailer that is originally intended to haul cars. I custom ordered this so that it did not have any rails on the side (most have that 2 inch angel iron ridge). I wanted it this way so that I could use a forklift to load and unload pallets (some shows have forklifts). With the 7000-pound load rating and the dual axels, you can haul more than typical trailers its size. It also has its own brakes so that you can tie them into the towing vehicle using a brake box. This means that when you apply the brakes in the towing vehicle, the brakes on the trailer apply as well.
4. 1986 29 Coachmen RV. This RV is built on a Ford E350 chassis. It has the massive 7.5-liter V8 so power is never an issue. Just know that it's a thirsty little booger. Like any vehicle its size, it gets about 9 mpg without the trailer and 6-7 with it. It will go 80+ MPH but just know that the faster you go, the worse off your gas mileage is. The preferred speed when it loaded is about 60-65 MPH (actually 55 MPH but I feel so slow at that speed). It has a 3 speed automatic transmission that was just tuned up by Midas. The brakes were also just changed by Midas. I have done a lot to this because I feel that a healthy engine makes for a less stressful trip. Inside the RV you have:
Full kitchen (oven, stove, refrigerator, freezer, sink, dining room table for 4, and storage cabinets)
Full bathroom (shower, toilet, sink, medicine cabinet, closet, fan)
Living room (couch, 2 armchairs, LCD TV, cabinet)
3 beds (queen size above the cab, couch that turns into a double, and a dining room table that converts to a double)
Gas heater and electric heater, gas water heater, AC, (all working)
Fresh water pump and a fresh water tank so that you can have water pressure for the sink, shower, or toilet when you re not connected to commercial water
2 tanks for gray and black water (grey is your sink and shower water and black is the poopy tank).
Wired for cable or satellite
Storage - there are cabinets all throughout, storage outside, and also on top. There is even a ladder that goes up the back of the RV to the rooftop.
Brand New generator that will power the entire unit while you are stationary or even while you are driving
Privacy - all of the windows have blinds and curtains so that when you pull over, you can close off everything for complete privacy.
Maintenance: The first thing I did when I bought it (since it was older) was to do a lot pr preventative maintenance.
New plugs, wires, and distributor cap
Cooling system overhaul (new heavy duty radiator, thermostat, and fan clutch)
2 new front tires (the back ones are good)
A new propane regulator and a cleaning of the bleeder valve
Had Stanley Steamer come out and steam clean all the carpet and upholstery
Put in a new stereo in the front cab that has built-in GPS, 7" pop out screen, and DVD player (powers the speakers throughout the RV)
Replace the microwave with a brand new one
Replaced the main electrical cord to the RV
Call me at (***) 229-3333 if you have any questions at all.
