...I'm still interested in some tech-arbitrage ie if another trusted member of the team can be bother to buy and send me a couple of cards (eg 8800s or 9800s) from the US, new or used i would get them up and running over here.
This may be best applied to used parts or certain very selected new items.
The reason behind this is that GPUs here have cost me between £55 and 75.00 here (or $85 -110) which is loads higher than the US from what I understand.
Often what looks like a good deal here, in the United States, depends on several other factors.
- Free shipping from the organization selling the item
- Rebates - these cause a price to appear much lower than common, but rebates require some effort on the part of the purchaser and usually weeks, if not months of waiting. Often the rebate company must be prodded by phone calls (this is time consuming). Records must be kept, else one forgets that a rebate is due them. Strict rules are applied, sometimes a rebate is voided for a seemingly small technical rule.
- Taxes -
State sales taxes vary from state-to-state, also depend on whether one purchases in-state or out-of-state.
- Local Sales tax - Cities, counties or municipalities often add a tax that is
combined with the state sales tax at purchase. Again, these local taxes may depends on whether purchasing in-state or out-of-state.
These combined taxes, if levied, apply to the full price (not the price after rebate).
Given the above factors, seems like it would be difficult (not impossible) to find what might be a good deal after additional shipping cost and effort (overseas).
I'd be interested to here on 2nd hand or new cards, strip off all the box, packaging and crap and it shouldn't cost too much to send. Of course I'd pay before anyone sent anything to me by paypal or some other means.
Probably, this is the best bet.
The limitation may be the availability of used equipment.
Maybe as equipment becomes available, folders can post a list of their excess inventory.
Alternatively maybe Imminst could take a intermediary role so everyone feels like they are dealing through a trusted party...
It might be good if ImmInst tried to develop an active
Folding Parts-Trading & Hot Deals section.
Such a subforum might also attract outsiders looking for a deal, this could help promote the Meme.
If such a section became very active, it could involve lots of transactions involving money and listings of commercial sites offering "Hot Deals".
For the preceding reasons, Mind and ImmInst directors probably should give this a nod of approval.
Then, anyone with "wants" or "for-sale items" or "Hot Deals", could start listing.
Edited by dnamechanic, 06 March 2009 - 02:43 AM.