Seeking Advice for Growth

[WellsTech&Repair]

Hello, anyone that reads

I'm Eli and I have my own repair and resell business that I'm ready to work on full time and quit my 9-5 (also in tech). I have 2 main questions that I'd like everyone's opinion on.

1) I'm currently advertising my repair services through word-of-mouth, Facebook, and Craigslist. I'm only getting maybe 3 inquiries a week when I post an ad for repairs and likely only one will actually end up having a repair done. I only make about 3 post on one day about once a week on both platforms as I'm unsure if I'll get banned for aggressively advertising my business. What I'm thinking about doing is going to Thumbtack and paying a percentage for leads and I want to know if anyone has any note-worthy opinion on using their platform and any platforms I need to know about to advertise my services.

2) Currently I'm acquiring my devices I resell from 2 sources (a electronics warehouse and a man that goes to a warehouse and won't tell me the source) usually I get about 10 devices a time from the warehouse for about double my money on some of the time and the ones I end up selling for parts I end up getting maybe $30 profit on. The devices from the man are a mix but usually older and I scrap about 50%-70% for motherboards and peripheral boards to Boardsort and sell the rest with XP or as-is. These devices usually sell alot slower and sometimes I may only get $100 profit from 25-30 laptops. Lastly, I find devices from Facebook that I can resell but that's a hunt that I'm loosing time for. I want to know better sources that any of you have.

 

[Porthos]

and quit my 9-5 (also in tech).

Don't give that up. Unfourtantly the break-fix market is not the best to pay the bills.

I'm only getting maybe 3 inquiries a week when I post an ad for repairs and likely only one will actually end up having a repair done.

This is why I stated the above. Your area must suck basically. A few here are actually "making" it doing this. Most have moved on to managed services. Fewer and fewer normal users are fixing the devices now, many will go to Walmart and buy another junk computer. Malware issues have been reduced unless the clients are doing things that they should not do. Most issues are now just social engineered tech support scams that users fall for or Phishing scams.
Now with MS making computers that are older than 3 years old unsupported due to the requirements of windows 11 it is making it harder for us to keep going. An honest tech would not sell a computer today that is not at least officially compatible with Windows 11.
You should invest in the tools/software to transfer data to a replacement computer as that will be a big need for users who do not know how to do it themselves. I do more new computer setups/data transfers than anything else now. That is the time to develop a managed service plan so you can have recurring income on those new computers.

What I'm thinking about doing is going to Thumbtack

I would not suggest them or services like that.

sell the rest with XP

I would never sell a computer to someone with an unsupported OS.

 

[phaZed]

Getting started is the hardest part and you are taking a similar path to the one I took over a decade ago. It works, but it's slow. I would re-focus your efforts and drop the low-hanging fruits of "crates of parts and laptops".

Fortunately or unfortunately, much of "our" traffic is going to come from google, people are going to find you on Google (or not!).
The best thing I ever did was run Google Ads for about 5-6 months - it was $500-$600/mo (if you were to keep it running the whole month) in my area, for my business type. Once I stopped, the benefits of the Ads didn't. I'm not sure how long it takes, but advertising automatically ranked my page higher - even after I stopped advertising. It brought in traffic, built a client-base and provided a relatively "new website" some stats and demographics for standard natural google search. I haven't advertised for over a decade now.

A. Continue on with your word of mouth, Facebook (marketplace and business page). Grab all of "the things" - account for Twitter, Linkedin, instagram, etc, etc. You want those backlinks. Make sure Links exist on your site to those places... google will start lending your business "credence" when it can "confirm" you're not a one-off place. You do not need to actively "fill" those other things with info, but do insert some initial information about your business and what you do.

B. Drop Craigslist. It's desperate, generates the worst clients and the worst payout. It's just not worth it monetarily, nor your time. Trust me, I know. Dropping CL has been great.

C. DO NOT DO THUMBTACK! I did thumbtack a few times sometime back.. never again. They do bring in some business, but the clients are pretty low-end in general. There are exceptions.. but I was not impressed. They charge you for a lead, but if the lead doesn't pan out then you can find yourself in a bidding war to the bottom on price... then pay Thumbtack. Eh. It was a losing battle to make any serious money there and became more of a headache than a help.

D. Do you have a website? If not, I would be making that priority #1. You can make your own, but it has to be somewhat professional looking, should have a decent amount of information about the services you provide and the things you do "everyday". Advertise niche offerings as a secondary.

E. Get into recurring revenue. Managed services, AV, SEO, warranties, whatever.. the world has moved this direction and clients are primed for services. One of the best things I have ever done... and the word of mouth from happy, ongoing customers to other businesses.. it's been not only profitable, but a boon to my ability to "shift" my business into new areas.

F. Get a plan together. Get a system to manage your clients and money/sales. Get your disclaimers, signed forms, limited liabilities and warranties(or none!) defined in writing. Get some Business insurance from Hiscox or similar - It's cheap! Start covering your ass like a business should and does. You don't want to buy a client a new laptop out of pocket. if something goes wrong.

As for sales of laptops/computers - I find you don't need a great selection, just something better than what your client had before (The goal being to sell the laptop).
Ebay(Buy) your laptops. BOLO for large dumps of systems (like when companies upgrade whole sets of leased computers). Check on sales on Slickdeals.net, Amazon, Newegg, etc... Heck, grab a Costco membership for $100/yr and buy their laptops at often $200-$500 off.
Yes. It is a larger investment up front for you (but not necessarily) - but you can make more margin and offer a better product (New-5 years old).

So, I would recommend:

1. Website (if it sucks, make it halfway decent - if it doesn't exist, stop now and re-tool).
2. Google Ads. At least setup the account and tie it in with your property. You will often get $200-$300 in free adwords cash to spend - no strings attached. If you don't get it right away - wait a week or two, Google will email it to entice you.
I'm not asking you to spend $500-600/mo, but I would say spend *something* - $100? $200? Something you can afford at first. This doesn't need to last for a long time, but this WILL generate clients if your SEO and website permit.. and at the very least will get you into a "searchable status" with Google.
3. Drop the Craigslist and similar low-hanging fruit. If you're busting your ass for $30 here and there after real work.. just drop it, it's not worth it. As much as seeing any money can be a reprieve - it's not worth it. Ween yourself off this and your "next, real client base" is right around the corner... the "real world" that goes to best buy and $200-a-pop outfits. What sounds better? Make $200/week from 15 clients or $200/wk from one client?
4. Get biz system in place. Recurring revenue and automatic billing systems need to be decided on and implemented. Paperwork, signing, insurance, etc.. get this straight NOW. No exceptions. This will make the days/months/years ahead, that much easier. (I started with PCRT but have since moved onto Syncro)

 

[WellsTech&Repair]

Getting started is the hardest part and you are taking a similar path to the one I took over a decade ago. It works, but it's slow. I would re-focus your efforts and drop the low-hanging fruits of "crates of parts and laptops".

Fortunately or unfortunately, much of "our" traffic is going to come from google, people are going to find you on Google (or not!).
The best thing I ever did was run Google Ads for about 5-6 months - it was $500-$600/mo (if you were to keep it running the whole month) in my area, for my business type. Once I stopped, the benefits of the Ads didn't. I'm not sure how long it takes, but advertising automatically ranked my page higher - even after I stopped advertising. It brought in traffic, built a client-base and provided a relatively "new website" some stats and demographics for standard natural google search. I haven't advertised for over a decade now.

A. Continue on with your word of mouth, Facebook (marketplace and business page). Grab all of "the things" - account for Twitter, Linkedin, instagram, etc, etc. You want those backlinks. Make sure Links exist on your site to those places... google will start lending your business "credence" when it can "confirm" you're not a one-off place. You do not need to actively "fill" those other things with info, but do insert some initial information about your business and what you do.

B. Drop Craigslist. It's desperate, generates the worst clients and the worst payout. It's just not worth it monetarily, nor your time. Trust me, I know. Dropping CL has been great.

C. DO NOT DO THUMBTACK! I did thumbtack a few times sometime back.. never again. They do bring in some business, but the clients are pretty low-end in general. There are exceptions.. but I was not impressed. They charge you for a lead, but if the lead doesn't pan out then you can find yourself in a bidding war to the bottom on price... then pay Thumbtack. Eh. It was a losing battle to make any serious money there and became more of a headache than a help.

D. Do you have a website? If not, I would be making that priority #1. You can make your own, but it has to be somewhat professional looking, should have a decent amount of information about the services you provide and the things you do "everyday". Advertise niche offerings as a secondary.

E. Get into recurring revenue. Managed services, AV, SEO, warranties, whatever.. the world has moved this direction and clients are primed for services. One of the best things I have ever done... and the word of mouth from happy, ongoing customers to other businesses.. it's been not only profitable, but a boon to my ability to "shift" my business into new areas.

F. Get a plan together. Get a system to manage your clients and money/sales. Get your disclaimers, signed forms, limited liabilities and warranties(or none!) defined in writing. Get some Business insurance from Hiscox or similar - It's cheap! Start covering your ass like a business should and does. You don't want to buy a client a new laptop out of pocket. if something goes wrong.

As for sales of laptops/computers - I find you don't need a great selection, just something better than what your client had before (The goal being to sell the laptop).
Ebay(Buy) your laptops. BOLO for large dumps of systems (like when companies upgrade whole sets of leased computers). Check on sales on Slickdeals.net, Amazon, Newegg, etc... Heck, grab a Costco membership for $100/yr and buy their laptops at often $200-$500 off.
Yes. It is a larger investment up front for you (but not necessarily) - but you can make more margin and offer a better product (New-5 years old).

So, I would recommend:

1. Website (if it sucks, make it halfway decent - if it doesn't exist, stop now and re-tool).
2. Google Ads. At least setup the account and tie it in with your property. You will often get $200-$300 in free adwords cash to spend - no strings attached. If you don't get it right away - wait a week or two, Google will email it to entice you.
I'm not asking you to spend $500-600/mo, but I would say spend *something* - $100? $200? Something you can afford at first. This doesn't need to last for a long time, but this WILL generate clients if your SEO and website permit.. and at the very least will get you into a "searchable status" with Google.
3. Drop the Craigslist and similar low-hanging fruit. If you're busting your ass for $30 here and there after real work.. just drop it, it's not worth it. As much as seeing any money can be a reprieve - it's not worth it. Ween yourself off this and your "next, real client base" is right around the corner... the "real world" that goes to best buy and $200-a-pop outfits. What sounds better? Make $200/week from 15 clients or $200/wk from one client?
4. Get biz system in place. Recurring revenue and automatic billing systems need to be decided on and implemented. Paperwork, signing, insurance, etc.. get this straight NOW. No exceptions. This will make the days/months/years ahead, that much easier. (I started with PCRT but have since moved onto Syncro)

I appreciate the energy you put into this. How would you recommend me getting a site up and running ASAP?

 

[Markverhyden]

Have you made a business plan? People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan. Unlike many places you may find this doesn't need to be a massive undertaking. @Your PCMD whipped up a template you can use. As I said this doesn't have to be a major work. Just pull things that you feel are relevant. Make sure to go back to it periodically to make sure it's relevant and your activities are. As mentioned breakfix is not what it used to be. The revenue and profits are in recurring services, like backups, M365, MSP, etc, etc.

Business Plan

There's been a number of posts about what you should do prior to opening your own computer shop here on TN. Many forum members have given advice for others to follow. Admittedly, some good, some not so good. But this is how we all learn from one another and help one another. The best advice...

www.technibble.com

 

[sapphirescales]

An honest tech would not sell a computer today that is not at least officially compatible with Windows 11.

That's not true at all. Windows 10 is still fully supported for another 3 years. So long as you let the client know that the computer will only receive updates for 3 more years, there's nothing wrong with that. It's better to buy an old 4th gen business class machine with an SSD and Windows 10 than a $299 Walmart machine that will become e-waste in 6 months. The old refurb will last 6x longer.

Google Ads.

Google no longer allows computer repair businesses to advertise. You can get around this by putting a WooCommerce store on your website and advertising computers for SALE while also offering a link for repair on your website, but advertising computer repair is 100% banned on Google nowadays.

I need to know about to advertise my services.

I use two things - Google Maps and Craigslist. Learn how to rank in Google Maps using local SEO. I wish you could still advertise with Google Ads but you can't so your only option is to rank in Google organically or through local SEO. Craigslist is hit or miss. It works for me in my current state but didn't work in another state. It depends on your local market. I've found advertising on Facebook or other places where people aren't actually looking for my services to be a complete waste of time and money. The chances of you finding some random person who's looking at funny cat photos on Facebook who also needs your services is abysmally low.

DO NOT DO THUMBTACK!

I second this. Stay away from any of these BS companies who charge to refer customers to you. The customers they refer to you are cheapwads that expect on-site service for like $89.

I want to know better sources that any of you have.

It's not about sources, it's about relationships. Find a company that resells off lease business computers and build a relationship with them. Over time they'll off you better deals and freebies like extra warranties. The company I buy from offers a 1 year warranty that starts when I sell the computer to my customer. That way I'm never on the hook if one of the computers they sell is a lemon.

 

[WellsTech&Repair]

Have you made a business plan? People don't plan to fail, they fail to plan. Unlike many places you may find this doesn't need to be a massive undertaking. @Your PCMD whipped up a template you can use. As I said this doesn't have to be a major work. Just pull things that you feel are relevant. Make sure to go back to it periodically to make sure it's relevant and your activities are. As mentioned breakfix is not what it used to be. The revenue and profits are in recurring services, like backups, M365, MSP, etc, etc.

Business Plan

There's been a number of posts about what you should do prior to opening your own computer shop here on TN. Many forum members have given advice for others to follow. Admittedly, some good, some not so good. But this is how we all learn from one another and help one another. The best advice...

www.technibble.com

I have and in a summary I need to focus on doing more repairs than sales for the sake of my time. I currently do more sales but the value of my labor/hour between acquiring, posting, and packaging is usually lower compared to a $65 service charge for a LCD/screen assembly replacement that takes 1 hour with travel included. So I plan on doing $3,000 in revenue a month before I leave my job and I'm only averaging about $1,500 but on weekends I've done up to $300 a day off Facebook find and flips but acquiring legitimate customers has always been more difficult to grasp but I haven't put much creative energy into it.

 

[WellsTech&Repair]

That's not true at all. Windows 10 is still fully supported for another 3 years. So long as you let the client know that the computer will only receive updates for 3 more years, there's nothing wrong with that. It's better to buy an old 4th gen business class machine with an SSD and Windows 10 than a $299 Walmart machine that will become e-waste in 6 months. The old refurb will last 6x longer.


Google no longer allows computer repair businesses to advertise. You can get around this by putting a WooCommerce store on your website and advertising computers for SALE while also offering a link for repair on your website, but advertising computer repair is 100% banned on Google nowadays.


I use two things - Google Maps and Craigslist. Learn how to rank in Google Maps using local SEO. I wish you could still advertise with Google Ads but you can't so your only option is to rank in Google organically or through local SEO. Craigslist is hit or miss. It works for me in my current state but didn't work in another state. It depends on your local market. I've found advertising on Facebook or other places where people aren't actually looking for my services to be a complete waste of time and money. The chances of you finding some random person who's looking at funny cat photos on Facebook who also needs your services is abysmally low.


I second this. Stay away from any of these BS companies who charge to refer customers to you. The customers they refer to you are cheapwads that expect on-site service for like $89.


It's not about sources, it's about relationships. Find a company that resells off lease business computers and build a relationship with them. Over time they'll off you better deals and freebies like extra warranties. The company I buy from offers a 1 year warranty that starts when I sell the computer to my customer. That way I'm never on the hook if one of the computers they sell is a lemon.

Appreciate the response. I'll look into WooCommerce as I've never been curious about them before and as far as selling older XP laptops they can sell from $55 to $150 and the people who need them are in need of the OS for legacy equipment. And how would I find such a company? My first thought is hunting on Facebook but I'd like your advice to know if there's a better way.

 

[Porthos]

people who need them are in need of the OS for legacy equipment.

That is acceptable of course but not mom and pop or students.

So I plan on doing $3,000 in revenue a month before I leave my job

After taxes, insurance, and fuel costs.

Windows 10 is still fully supported for another 3 years.

That will be here in a flash in reliability.

So long as you let the client know that the computer will only receive updates for 3 more years

Users do not care about the importance of security updates. That is our job as providers of computers and services.

$299 Walmart machine that will become e-waste in 6 months.

And "officially" an unsupported computer will also become unsupported e-waste in 3 years. I personally won't sell a computer that only has support from MS for 3 years.

 

[sapphirescales]

as far as selling older XP laptops they can sell from $55 to $150 and the people who need them are in need of the OS for legacy equipment.

I also sell old legacy computers but I focus on the higher end market. I'll build brand new systems capable of running XP or older operating systems, but I charge $1,000+ for this. I also sell older refurbs capable of XP or older, but I replace the power supplies and put in an SSD and typically charge $500+ for systems like these. I really don't want to sell something of that age due to reliability issues but if I can at least replace the power supply and put in an SSD I'll feel better about it. I don't sell old laptops like that. Too much can go wrong with them and lack of replacement parts is a major problem.

And how would I find such a company?

Google. It's not difficult. Just search for off lease computers and see who's selling them. I recommend avoiding recycling centers unless they're reputable. Most recycling centers hire druggies and morons who don't give a crap about the computers and just throw them around like garbage. They'll get all scratched up and damaged and they usually don't have competent technicians to diagnose and fix stuff because they're paying $9/hour.

You can also use eBay. I wouldn't recommend buying through eBay because you're paying extra because these companies have to pay for eBay fees and the shipping fees for individual computers, but use eBay to find reputable sellers and find out who they really are off of eBay and contact them directly.

An honest tech would not sell a computer today that is not at least officially compatible with Windows 11.

I wanted to add to my previous reply that there are examples of this that are not ethical. There's a tech around me who sells 1st gen Ryzen systems for $1,000+. Yeah, technically the computers are brand new, but they don't support Windows 11 so they shouldn't be sold for anywhere near that amount of money. You can get a 1st gen Ryzen 5 for like $80 now so I know that's why they're doing it, but just pony up the $150 for a Ryzen 5 5600G and sell a modern system.

I personally won't sell a computer that only has support from MS for 3 years.

That makes no sense. At $299, that's only $100/year. Look at computers as cost per year, not just the initial cost. Most people would take that deal. $100/year is an excellent deal. $1,000+ for 3 years is $333/year, which is a total ripoff.

 

[WellsTech&Repair]

I also sell old legacy computers but I focus on the higher end market. I'll build brand new systems capable of running XP or older operating systems, but I charge $1,000+ for this. I also sell older refurbs capable of XP or older, but I replace the power supplies and put in an SSD and typically charge $500+ for systems like these. I really don't want to sell something of that age due to reliability issues but if I can at least replace the power supply and put in an SSD I'll feel better about it. I don't sell old laptops like that. Too much can go wrong with them and lack of replacement parts is a major problem.

What XP systems do you usually sell for such prices and do you get them ready on an as-needed basis or keep them in stock? And do you have an active site that you sell on or would you recommend a platform?

 

[sapphirescales]

What XP systems do you usually sell for such prices and do you get them ready on an as-needed basis or keep them in stock?

I usually keep a few in stock. I have a few high end clients that need older systems and if they fail they need a replacement ASAP. One of my clients is a major university who uses them in their labs so if one of them goes down it's an emergency. Another client of mine is a huge shopping center that uses an old MS-DOS program to control the phone systems. Again, if it goes down, it's an emergency. I have a few doctors/dentists who need XP to run their ancient x-ray machines so it's pretty important for them to be up again ASAP. Not connected to the internet, obviously. I have other clients where it's not an emergency if their old computer goes down. I'm talking stuff like embroidery machines and such.

And do you have an active site that you sell on or would you recommend a platform?

It's futile to try and compete online. There's always a dumbass willing to sell below your/his cost and everyone is looking for the cheapest price. Your best bet is to structure your website where you try to sell your company/service, not just the product itself. I sell on my website but I've disabled the ability to actually pay through the website. The customer fills out the form just like they would if they were buying a regular product online, then afterwards I call them and talk to them and make sure they know what the hell they just "bought" and what their needs are. 9 times out of 10 they needed something else and I can upsell them on other things. Though I really push the "call for a free consultation" bit so most people call before making an order. Your goal is to get them on the phone so you can sell them on your service, whether that's fixing their existing computer or your "service" of helping them choose the right computer to buy.

 

[Porthos]

That makes no sense. At $299, that's only $100/year. Look at computers as cost per year, not just the initial cost. Most people would take that deal. $100/year is an excellent deal. $1,000+ for 3 years is $333/year, which is a total ripoff.

I would never sell or recommend junk computers. Walmart is not on my radar.
People who buy those cheap computers would probably not want to pay for the services we offer anyway.

 

[lan101]

That's not true at all. Windows 10 is still fully supported for another 3 years. So long as you let the client know that the computer will only receive updates for 3 more years, there's nothing wrong with that. It's better to buy an old 4th gen business class machine with an SSD and Windows 10 than a $299 Walmart machine that will become e-waste in 6 months. The old refurb will last 6x longer.

I've seen some Lenevo P50 laptops for around $300-$350 in good condition on ebay lately. A client of mine who is rough as hell on his laptops needs a replacement. He's had good luck with his current p50 until the screen started flickering etc. We decided just to get a refurb instead of messing around with it. But yeah I'd take one of these tanks any day over any crap at wally world. Hell I still got an old Lenevo T420 model from like 2011 that I use for on the road etc.

Technically the P50 doesn't support windows 11 but I suppose you could do the workaround for it and run it. I wouldn't want "businesses" doing that I don't think but regular home users it'd prolly be fine.

No point in 11 for 99% of people anyways.

 

[phaZed]

One thing is... is you found Technibble, @WellsTech&Repair ! That's a huge step in the right direction. We have a huge community here, in both numbers and in real-world experience and useful discussion... there's really no place like TN.

The most interesting thing for me is there's all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds and niches here. Each seems to find their own way and find demand for their services in their own ways - lots of things work! Treat your customers right and it will pay dividends. Also, don't cut yourself short (charge too little) - it's easy to do. Ask Technibble for help.

Your new business will take a lot of determination and you will need to give it a huge effort, but it can become a profitable endeavor. Be quick to change - the industry does and will change, and you will need to be, "with it".

@sapphirescales is right, I forgot about the Google Ads stuff not allowing computer repairs. And he points out the workaround "laptop sales" is not "repair" - I'm sure other subtle examples work as well. "Computer Consulting" "Network Cabling" and "network troubleshooting" - whatever your thing is. I see, "Managed Service Provider" is just fine.... The point will be to simply get your site listed in organics.

 

[Porthos]

Technically the P50 doesn't support windows 11 but I suppose you could do the workaround for it and run it. I wouldn't want "businesses" doing that I don't think but regular home users it'd prolly be fine.

No point in 11 for 99% of people anyways.

I would not use the workaround on my computer much less on a client. MS said the workaround might leave an unsupported computer without updateds as well.

The point is not win 11 but to have a supported os no matter what comes next and MS has proven there will be future versions of Windows.

 

[callthatgirl]

There is no better platform than you doing your own marketing. I called it "hand and foot" get out there on the streets, go to events, do the virtual events, join the Chamber, give free workshops in person and online, update your website to Wordpress and do your own SEO with organic blogs, join LinkedIn and participate, put a logo and information on your vehicle, print up brochures and hand out to local businesses, talk to your local TV and radio stations about your business; offer to write a column or ask for an executive review of your "new business", find other repair businesses in your town and find out what their niche is (reason? they might not do some repairs you do well and vice versa), partnering is your best option for good referrals. This will take a year or more to do but remember that advertising is short game, marketing is long game and I'm still getting referrals from marketing I did in 2008.

 

[sapphirescales]

I would never sell or recommend junk computers. Walmart is not on my radar.

Of course not. The problem is, some people only have a $300 budget. Those people would do better with an older refurb that only supports Windows 10 than a new Celeron piece of crap from Walmart that runs Windows 11 on a 64GB eMMC.

People who buy those cheap computers would probably not want to pay for the services we offer anyway.

No, definitely not. I'm talking about the guy who comes in off the street to buy a computer with a $300 budget. I'm usually able to convince them to bump it up to at least $500 so they can get into something newer that fully supports Windows 11 but sometimes it's a hard budget because they literally don't have any more. These people are much better off going with an older Windows 10 refurb than taking that $300 to Walmart and buying a piece of junk.

I think some of us forget that there are a lot of people who are struggling financially. Things are getting worse, not better, so expect to see more of this. If you mainly service business clients you won't see this very much but for those of us who serve mainly residential it comes up more frequently.

No point in 11 for 99% of people anyways.

No argument there but I'm not comfortable selling systems with Windows 11 that aren't officially supported. 8th gen is already almost 5 years old and by the time Windows 10 loses support they'll be almost 8 years old. At that point they really should be retired.

 

[britechguy]

No argument there but I'm not comfortable selling systems with Windows 11 that aren't officially supported. 8th gen is already almost 5 years old and by the time Windows 10 loses support they'll be almost 8 years old. At that point they really should be retired.

I agree with what you've written other than agreeing that there's, "No point in Windows 11 . . ." You just gave the exact point in Windows 11, and there will be more as time, and the OS itself, marches on.

Computers are not perpetual, and we're certainly not doing any service to our clients by selling or recommending machines that aren't Windows 11 compatible at this point if they can afford them.

2025 is really not all that far away, and if you're running Windows, at any point in time, it's the supported version(s) only.

 

[lan101]

I would not use the workaround on my computer much less on a client. MS said the workaround might leave an unsupported computer without updateds as well.

The point is not win 11 but to have a supported os no matter what comes next and MS has proven there will be future versions of Windows.

Yeah I wouldn't either. If a client asked me to do it I would decline it. I might tell them what to google if they want to try on their own lol. Most would probably opt out. Like I said most have nothing to gain right now going from 10 to 11. Also for anyone that argues security reasons...for business I can buy that...but for Joe home owner...they are their own worst enemy when it comes to security lol. But then again I've seen plenty of small businesses fall for stupid scams as well. The nut behind the wheel is always the weakest link.