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 magazineafter 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 Mabry 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.http://www.floridastamp.com
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Ray
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