Dumpster Computer

[MrRiplEy[H]]

It's not one or two customers, all of them elderly blue collar men, who look at me cleaning a polluted rig for an hour or so and start over and over asking if it were time to dump the rig and get a new one. And I always answer, that a new computer doesn't cure the main culprit situated between the back rest and the keyboard.

Your kindness is hindering your business. You should answer with a straight face: Absolutely! How many zeros would you want to be in the purchase price? 

[Bizman]

Your kindness is hindering your business. You should answer with a straight face: Absolutely! How many zeros would you want to be in the purchase price? 

Kind? I don't sell stuff. The contribution margin in computer stuff is so... marginal. I get my pay from endless housecall repairs of dumpster computers. 

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Kind? I don't sell stuff. The contribution margin in computer stuff is so... marginal. I get my pay from endless housecall repairs of dumpster computers. 

If the customer is dumb enough to think his problems will be solved by a new computer he should be ready to pay overprice too

But you're right. Computer hardware sales is a craptastic way to do business. At least as long as you remain in the phase of 'going all out customer service to establish a steady client base'. After you go 'viral' and start a blooming internet sales things get different.

[ink]

If the customer is dumb enough to think his problems will be solved by a new computer he should be ready to pay overprice too

But you're right. Computer hardware sales is a craptastic way to do business. At least as long as you remain in the phase of 'going all out customer service to establish a steady client base'. After you go 'viral' and start a blooming internet sales things get different.

I see your "actions" as ripping off the customer...its also the typical way most businesses work now a days.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I see your "actions" as ripping off the customer...its also the typical way most businesses work now a days.

The definition of doing business is ripping off the customer. You're not going to make a buck by being fair and doing favors. The art of doing business is knowing how much you can rip the customer off and still leave him satisfied for the money.

[ACE]

I see your "actions" as ripping off the customer...its also the typical way most businesses work now a days.

Ripley has a point.  Think of it like this.  EX: McDonald's pays about 10 cents for each coke they make.  They charge you a dollar.  Big profit considering how many they sell. 

My statement may not be exactly right about how much they pay for coke.  You get the point though.

[ink]

I know the workings of businesses....and I absolutely hate it....the bigger the business the bigger the thief's are that run it.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

I know the workings of businesses....and I absolutely hate it....the bigger the business the bigger the thief's are that run it.

The true thiefs are the corporate heads who have 'golden handshake' deals meaning they can drive the company to bankrupcy, fire all the 15 bucks/hour workers and get rewarded 2 million+ when finally getting the boot from the company. That's thievery.

Business is not thievery. You sell someone an apple. You can charge him 10c for it. But when you sell him a healthy way of life you can charge 100 bucks for that apple.

[ACE]

You should have worded what you said a tiny bit better.  I wouldn't say Ripley is ripping people off, just making profit.

[BaldEagl]

I wouldn't say Ripley is ripping people off, just making profit.

That's not what he said.

The definition of doing business is ripping off the customer.

Sorry but I have to disagree.

One person wants/needs something (using profit from their own endeavors) and another has the means to provide it (at a profit).  Both win and no one needs to be ripped off.

You comment speaks to your own distorted view of the world.  Those who work toward mutually rewarding exchanges are more successful for longer periods than those who blatantly rip people off.

[Copprhed]

The problem with our society AND our economy is that people now believe that they should make the absolute maximum profit that they can get. This principle is what has devastated the housing market, the stock market(multiple times) and worst of all the health care system. People now expect that a house that they buy should double or more in value much more quickly than ever before. What ever happened to selling more of something at a reasonable price? Whatever happened to ethics? Greed is listed as one of the 7 Deadly Sins for a reason.....

[bmwgs]

The definition of doing business is ripping off the customer. You're not going to make a buck by being fair and doing favors. The art of doing business is knowing how much you can rip the customer off and still leave him satisfied for the money.

Doing business is providing a service and/or product for a profitable fee.  There is no reason why a business can not provide their service and/or product for a fair profit and not rip a person off because of their ignorance.  Doing so is nothing short of unethical and greedy.  As for favors, it depends on what you define as a favor, but your perception towards business is the reason why I always get everything in writing, then do a search through the BBB and internet to see what kind of business I am dealing with.  I liked the good old days when all you needed was a handshake.

And yes, I have owned a business, and I did not rip anyone off.

My Opinion

Fred

[MrRiplEy[H]]

That's not what he said.

Sorry but I have to disagree.

One person wants/needs something (using profit from their own endeavors) and another has the means to provide it (at a profit).  Both win and no one needs to be ripped off.

You comment speaks to your own distorted view of the world.  Those who work toward mutually rewarding exchanges are more successful for longer periods than those who blatantly rip people off.

This just shows you don't understand business. Doing something for a 'mutually rewarding' profit is something that a paid worker does for a company. The company on the other hand has one and only one goal: To maximise the profit to the stock owners. Look at Apple. They're ripping their customers off like no tomorrow. But their product design together with marketing has made the products so desireable that the company sells little but gets record profit year after year. The customers are left wanting more even though they know that 400 dollars of their 600 dollar iPad is pure profit.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

And yes, I have owned a business, and I did not rip anyone off.

My Opinion

Fred

No offense but 'I used to own a business' and 'did not rip anyone off' fulfill eachothers pretty well. Well, unless you sold your business for a rip-off price afterwards that is! 

[BaldEagl]

This just shows you don't understand business.

And that's why I was in the executive ranks of hundreds of million to multi-billion dollar businesses for over 20 years and now work with a fortune 200 company?  OK.

How far has ripping people off gotten you?