Name for my Hobby Business

[Zando_]

 I'm thinking about making a small hobby business where I build computers and sell them on Craigslist and eventually EBay, at a little more than cost. Like I said, it's a hobby, so I only need to make enough to build the next computer, which I then sell and build the next one, etc. What should I call my business? I'm looking at websites from Wix, but I need a name so I can make my domain. I really want to go for a nice, clean look. probs my favorite site is Apple's and Linus's site is really nice as well. So for a name, I need something that lets people know I work on computers, but isn't nerdy or over the top. What should I go for? My real name starts with J, so you can start from there. Or I can just keep Zando, but that might confuse people since it's a weird name.

[Guest]

www.FuckedByListingFeesAndFuckedWhenTheTaxManComesKnocking.com 

 

Sorry had to. 

 

IMO, there's not enough in it. Unless you're buying in bulk at OEM prices, you'll struggle to make ends meet with the amount of time it takes to get rid of them and your profit margin on them.  

[Zando_]

3 minutes ago, AUniqueName said:

IMO, there's not enough in it. Unless you're buying in bulk at OEM prices, you'll struggle to make ends meet with the amount of time it takes to get rid of them and your profit margin on them.  

I don't really care whether I make money or not. It's really just and excuse to get more PC hardware and mess with it, without eventually having to buy a warehouse to keep it all in. And since I don't have to build a bunch really fast, I can keep my eyes out for good deals and take advantage of those. 

[21rkosta]

@AUniqueName well its a hobby business so if it takes a long time to sell that sucks but its not an income source so it doesnt matter. also tax man wont come knocking unless he makes about 21000 which is very unlikely since hes expressed that he does not see any profit coming in this business and hes just doing it for fun

[jeffmeyer5295]

The way I do it is I have an ad out there that I build pc's, I don't charge to build them though unless they are over the top(crazy water cooling or 6+ gpu mining rigs), I do however keep the money from rebates(some computers make a good bit of money). No real profit but you get to build a ton of computers(because you are cheaper than anyone else).

 

I make enough to keep my computer relatively up to date at no cost to me.

 

 

[Zando_]

1 minute ago, 21rkosta said:

@AUniqueName well its a hobby business so if it takes a long time to sell that sucks but its not an income source so it doesnt matter. also tax man wont come knocking unless he makes about 21000 which is very unlikely since hes expressed that he does not see any profit coming in this business and hes just doing it for fun

Yup. Like my Mum used to make soaps and then sell them. Only she didn't use the money to buy more soaps, she gave it to some missions organization, I forget which one. So basically her contribution was to make the soap, and then all the money she made was for missions. She got to do what she loved and help people at the same time. SO I'll get to do what I love, build computers, and help people who don't know how or aren't able to build their own, saving them the price of a comparable prebuilt. 

[21rkosta]

zandydandypcs.com

Buildsbyzand.com

cheapopcs.com

(insertlastnamehere)pcs.com

(various collection of greek letters but spelled out).com

(some alternative activity you like to do) and pcs.com

(insert last name here)builders.com

zandobuilders.com

beautifulpcs.com

 

 

i got more if you need them

[Zando_]

2 minutes ago, jeffmeyer5295 said:

The way I do it is I have an ad out there that I build pc's, I don't charge to build them though unless they are over the top(crazy water cooling or 6+ gpu mining rigs), I do however keep the money from rebates(some computers make a good bit of money). No real profit but you get to build a ton of computers(because you are cheaper than anyone else).

 

I make enough to keep my computer relatively up to date at no cost to me

That's what I was thinking. I set a base price, then if I find a component on sale or something, I get to keep the extra money I didn't spend, to work on my own PC or my other hobbies. 

[21rkosta]

also id reccomend using squarespace instead of wix, that way you can really build it beautiful, you can use offer code LTT (it will give you something but i forget what)

[Zando_]

1 minute ago, 21rkosta said:

zandydandypcs.com

I love that one! it fits in with my not too clunky, easy going, fun ideals. 

[Zando_]

1 minute ago, 21rkosta said:

also id reccomend using squarespace instead of wix, that way you can really build it beautiful, you can use offer code LTT (it will give you something but i forget what)

Aha! I forgot what the one his Majesty Linus recommended. I'll take a look. 

[21rkosta]

I do like @jeffmeyer5295 idea to also offer pcs built to the specification of the buyer for part price and then keeping rebates

[Zando_]

Just now, 21rkosta said:

I do like @jeffmeyer5295 idea to also offer pcs built to the specification of the buyer for part price and then keeping rebates

I'll probs get into that later on, but at first I want to start with no deadlines and such, so if I mess up a build or break a component, I don't have an angry customer. Once I get to the level where I can easily build a beautiful PC in a couple hours, then I'll start doing custom work. And I'll experiment with watercooling my own build until I get comfortable enough to pay myself to do it. 

[Guest]

is Zando Bob an option? 

[Zando_]

Just now, deXxterlab97 said:

is Zando Bob an option? 

Could be. It's pretty much my whole online identity (everywhere except Gmail, FB, and Insta), so I suppose I could go with that. 

[SPARTAN VI]

Can't comment on any cool names without giving away some I may want to use...

 

But I can offer some advice to tread carefully with ebay... Yes, you get exposure to many more customers, but ebay and Paypal will take you to town on fees. Then there's always the ever present risk of ebay disputes: dishonest buyers can easily foot you with the bill if a delivery is mysteriously lost. ebay is notorious for almost always siding with their buyers. If you truly plan on selling near cost, then it would only take 1 scammer to nuke several builds worth of profits.

 

Would be profitable to setup your own channels with your own website (I see you're already considering wix/square space); you get less exposure, but you retain nearly all of your profits (overhead costs such as website maintenance\subscription, shipping, and packing materials still chip away at that). 

[Zando_]

Just now, spartanvi said:

Can't comment on any cool names without giving away some I may want to use...

 

But I can offer some advice to tread carefully with ebay... Yes, you get exposure to many more customers, but ebay and Paypal will take you to town on fees. Then there's always the ever present risk of ebay disputes: dishonest buyers can easily foot you with the bill if a delivery is mysteriously lost. ebay is notorious for almost always siding with their buyers. If you truly plan on selling near cost, then it would only take 1 scammer to nuke several builds worth of profits.

 

Would be profitable to setup your own channels with your own website (I see you're already considering wix/square space); you get less exposure, but you retain nearly all of your profits (overhead costs such as website maintenance\subscription, shipping, and packing materials still chip away at that). 

Good point. And eBay is pretty much a maybe, since I wouldn't know how to ship a PC without it breaking, my builds will get lost among the other thousands of listings, and then it is notorious for scamming. At least on CL there's no money exchanged until I see an actual person. 

[21rkosta]

CL and local yard sale facebook groups is where i would start personally, you can transfer the product personally and show them in person that it works, if they have any problems with it they can easily contact you and you can easily come and fix it, And especially on yard sale websites their is a lot more trust coming from recieving a product from an actual guy that you meet and make contact with versus a shady ebay seller. Also if you want to try making a kind of name on those sorts of platforms than id reccomend buying cheap i5 and i3 laptops on newegg sales (theirs a particular dell that is often for sale on newegg for 150 that i often see for sale on craigslist and yard sale websites for 200 selling very well on those platforms). Anyway i hope your hobby business goes well and in the future i can recommend my friends get a zandydandypc 

[GER_T4IGA]

6 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Good point. And eBay is pretty much a maybe, since I wouldn't know how to ship a PC without it breaking, my builds will get lost among the other thousands of listings, and then it is notorious for scamming. At least on CL there's no money exchanged until I see an actual person. 

If I may intervene: Ship in the case bix. If it is not utter shit it will hold up for another time with some more weight in. Have something in there to prevent he gpu from being flexed to much. Unless you mount a really huge cooler for the CPU that is fine aswell (when the whole mounting pressure debate came on PCGH dropped a running pc in its shiiping container with an effected cooler tightened down intentionally hard but nothing happenend excpet the display cable came off   Upon dissasembly they could see the CPUs pcb really wasn't flat anymore but that thing was still working so ... seems hard to destroy that part of a PC. Also secure your drives really good ;-)

[Zando_]

Just now, 21rkosta said:

CL and local yard sale facebook groups is where i would start personally, you can transfer the product personally and show them in person that it works, if they have any problems with it they can easily contact you and you can easily come and fix it, And especially on yard sale websites their is a lot more trust coming from recieving a product from an actual guy that you meet and make contact with versus a shady ebay seller. Also if you want to try making a kind of name on those sorts of platforms than id reccomend buying cheap i5 and i3 laptops on newegg sales (theirs a particular dell that is often for sale on newegg for 150 that i often see for sale on craigslist and yard sale websites for 200 selling very well on those platforms). Anyway i hope your hobby business goes well and in the future i can recommend my friends get a zandydandypc 

I'm defo going to keep my eyes on deals. And now I'm stuck between zandydandy and zandobob as far as names go. 

[21rkosta]

@Zando Bob well id go zandydandy so their isnt any direct links to your profiles, not saying your profiles are bad but you really dont want any personal profile associated with any kind of business, hobby or otherwise

[Zando_]

Just now, 21rkosta said:

@Zando Bob well id go zandydandy so their isnt any direct links to your profiles, not saying your profiles are bad but you really dont want any personal profile associated with any kind of business, hobby or otherwise

Good point. Boy, this forum is awesome! It's great to have other peeps to notice things you didn't. Zandy Dandy it is!

[jeffmeyer5295]

10 minutes ago, Zando Bob said:

Good point. And eBay is pretty much a maybe, since I wouldn't know how to ship a PC without it breaking, my builds will get lost among the other thousands of listings, and then it is notorious for scamming. At least on CL there's no money exchanged until I see an actual person. 

Yeah I don't deal with Ebay. I do ship pc's(rarely) and I use paypal invoices with very very strict terms. essentially states no refunds even if there is no product received. If a buyer is not cool with that they don't get a pc, keep tracking numbers, and every piece of conversation you can, paypal is good about honoring their invoice terms. People are scum and I don't trust a single one with a dollar. Never had any issues. I ship in the same box the Case came in, with something that wont create static holding the card in place if it is a larger card.

[21rkosta]

@jeffmeyer5295 when you do ship do you get shipping insurance through usps/fedex/ups so if something breaks during shipping neither party is at risk

[21rkosta]

@Zando Bob no problem happy to help