In 1987 I
started a small buy-sell-trade computer business, I realized some
people just did not have the budget to buy a new computer so I created
a computer store which emphasized low budget pricing. I worked out
of my small barn behind my house (with
Paco my Macaw greeting my few devoted
customers). Business was ok, nothing really exciting though. One
day I picked up an Auto trader magazine and I had this idea about
creating the Computer Trader Magazine
(CT). I would go out and take pictures of computers and computer related
items in the CT and distribute the magazine all over central Florida,
I proceeded to do this hoping I can be a big magazine publisher
(a far fetched dream). I published my first 4 page magazine and
distributed about 1,000 copies in convenient store, hospitals and
business parks. I did this for about 2 years and the magazine grew
to 40 pages and distribution ballooned to 15,000 copies per month.
I came up with this marketing idea.... I'll put a display ad of
Micro-Star on the front cover,
and low and behold the phone was ringing off the wall. My little
barn just couldn't handle it (and Paco was getting a little uneasy
with so many people coming in our little barn). Me and Paco had
to get a bigger place to do business. I found a small upstairs apartment
on South Dale Mabry, I lived in the back of this 3 bedroom apartment
and worked out of it's large living room area, I soon outgrew the
living room and took over half the building downstairs, within 4
months I had the entire building all to myself, meanwhile the CT
was becoming much bigger than me and my small publishing staff could
handle and I really liked getting more than 3 hours per night of sleep
at the end of every month. I sold the magazine after its 4th year
of production because Micro-Star had achieved the goal I set for
it in 1987 (The largest independent used computer store in Florida).
I have a great deal of loyal customers that shop with us exclusively,
I also carry a great number of "Unique
Items" which people acquire and have no use for so
they sell them to me. Many customers drive as far as 50 miles away
to my South Dale Marry store (which
has been described is a 5,000 square foot "toy store" to many computer
buffs) to buy items not easily found elsewhere.
Then came Internet,
4 years ago we did about 5% of our business over the net, now we
do about 80%. When doing business with companies over the Internet
you want to be sure your dealing with a reputable dealer, which
stands behind their products, and service which is what I want the
Micro-Star name to be known for. I answer each and every e-mail
personally. If you send me an email looking to buy or sell an item,
I place you on a list and each month I review the "Wanting to Buy"
and "Have to Sell" databases and try to find matches.
Who would think
in this day and age with Pentium-4 computers and 100 gig hard drives
available that my best selling items are 2 gig hard drives, 16 speed
cd-rom's, 32mb 72 pin simm and Pentium-200 systems, I can never
keep these items in stock, I believe one of the reasons is we're
moving into the 2,3 and even 4 computer households. Why not purchase
a low budget computer for the kids so you can actually have some
time with the mega system you just purchased, If you think about
it how many TV's are in the average household? Computers will be
no different in the 21st century.
Our large quantity
buyers and importers have the advantage of dealing with an experienced
computer store that will test
everything prior to shipping and not be just a broker or leasing
agent, we know computers and we know them well, I have one of the
best staff of technicians around (and I'm proud of the work they
do).
I hope telling
you about my company and myself will instill some trust when doing
business with Micro-Star Computers over the internet and knowing
your dealing with an actual person and not a department or salesman.
Thank you for taking the time to read
this,
Ray
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