Nice looking, but that is a tough market. What sort of support do you offer? You don't show the digital output. Is there one? Most important, what is your business plan? What do you offer that the uncounted number of suppliers in China don't offer? What will your niche be?

I am just one man in an garage with basic tools to be able produce singled-sided PCBs. I am running decade old PC software to create designs. QuaekXPress. Photoshop 5. Protel. Word 2000. Acrobat 4. I have no real business skills. I have stock inventory of about USD 5K in parts. I have about 1K of cash in the bank. I have an AUD 10K sports car and not much else. So as you can see I am limited to what I can do in business.

My only niche for this linear power supply is 1. made in Australia. 2. very original looks. 3. Handmade. There is no digital output (see pic of internal PCB below is all analogue)

 

Nice looking, but that is a tough market. What sort of support do you offer? You don't show the digital output. Is there one? Most important, what is your business plan? What do you offer that the uncounted number of suppliers in China don't offer? What will your niche be?

I suspect you have heard of SparkFun. It might be valuable for you to look at its history and business model. Here in Ohio, we have another start up, TinyCircuits (https://tiny-circuits.com/ ). I don't know how successful it is, but it is still around. I am not a stake holder in either of those businesses.

Good luck.

John

I've teamed up with the chinese actually, first researching their diversification and business model, then buy in bulk from them, in recent months, buying directly from Shenzen.

Also I'm sourcing from Germany, Poland, UK, and USA- shipping cost is much lower inside Europe + no VAT charges when importing.

 

I am just one man in an garage with basic tools to be able produce singled-sided PCBs. I am running decade old PC software to create designs. QuaekXPress. Photoshop 5. Protel. Word 2000. Acrobat 4. I have no real business skills. I have stock inventory of about USD 5K in parts. I have about 1K of cash in the bank. I have an AUD 10K sports car and not much else. So as you can see I am limited to what I can do in business.

My only niche for this linear power supply is 1. made in Australia. 2. very original looks. 3. Handmade. There is no digital output (see pic of internal PCB below is all analogue)

I could help to produce PCBs at low cost, and fast shipping, about two weeks from files to receiving package.
A double side PCB with silk screen, could be in the 2.50 area at smaller quantities.
That doesnt include shipping or possible customs charges, they may occur for larger packages or when using certain carriers, to a degree they put a fictional value + charge you for doorstep delivery too. One time I had my stuff processing a week, when shipping took 3 days from scan to our airport.

Well when you export again, the VAT tax (sales tax) is zero, actually.

As a small scale business not fully professional and commercial (for instance charge full hourly engineers rate), you dont have to declare your sales for VAT here. Just when you reach a threshold of 40,000 Euro domestic sales.

 

Did you try just to sell the parts kit, no case or transformer? I think it would sell easier.

I haven't given up yet. I may revise the project and get back on eBay and try again.

 

I could help to produce PCBs at low cost, and fast shipping, about two weeks from files to receiving package.
A double side PCB with silk screen, could be in the 2.50 area at smaller quantities.
That doesnt include shipping or possible customs charges, they may occur for larger packages or when using certain carriers, to a degree they put a fictional value + charge you for doorstep delivery too. One time I had my stuff processing a week, when shipping took 3 days from scan to our airport.

Well when you export again, the VAT tax (sales tax) is zero, actually.

As a small scale business not fully professional and commercial (for instance charge full hourly engineers rate), you dont have to declare your sales for VAT here. Just when you reach a threshold of 40,000 Euro domestic sales.

No tax to pay on petty imports in Australia. I have had recent thoughts of abandoning the Internet and opening an 'real world' electronics shop. If I find a place to rent that is cheap and I can also live in -- I might be crazy enough to do it.

I would still of course use the net for purchasing goods and services however, though...

 

No tax to pay on petty imports in Australia. I have had recent thoughts of abandoning the Internet and opening an 'real world' electronics shop. If I find a place to rent that is cheap and I can also live in -- I might be crazy enough to do it.

I would still of course use the net for purchasing goods and services however, though...

Well sure but its two fold, first the charge when importing, isnt always enforced, then also when you pass a threshold domestic sales, you have to register for VAT number + declare your sales as well.
Then income tax, social security tax, at some stage you need liability insurance as well insurance when visitors come to your premises, not to speak of rent and office supplies as well tools.

And finally, a profit.

Higher prices arent always unreasonable but depend on the local business structure and the business model as well size. I have looked into all this already.

So when Sparkfun charges you premium for parts which cost much less directly, they paid countless charges, and they documentate their items too. At first I wasnt so happy about them + their prices, reused a source from them, it was just there some day, changed my mind.

Of course its heineous when you pay nearly $2 for a single piece small part, which may cost one or two cents. Different people, different budget and requirements.

 

Of course its heineous when you pay nearly $2 for a single piece small part, which may cost one or two cents. Different people, different budget and requirements.

Yes. For example a crystal that sells on the Internet for say 4-cents is retailed for around $4 in Australia. We have what is called the GST (Government Sales Tax) -- here in Australia. This tax is 10%. But there is no tax to pay if you are earning less than 50K a year. I feel I would be doing well to bring in say 20K a year profit from an small establishment in an rough and cheap neighbourhood. I do have an disability support pension to go on top of this though. I have schizophrenia and consequently get an pension.

 

Yes. For example a crystal that sells on the Internet for say 4-cents is retailed for around $4 in Australia. We have what is called the GST (Government Sales Tax) -- here in Australia. This tax is 10%. But there is no tax to pay if you are earning less than 50K a year. I feel I would be doing well to bring in say 20K a year profit from an small establishment in an rough and cheap neighbourhood. I do have an disability support pension to go on top of this though. I have schizophrenia and consequently get an pension.

We all may have it to some degree, if you cant tell your ideas from whats actually happening u need help.
If you can, u normally just ditch most crazy ideas.
I've seen youths here shoved into mental diagnosis who just didnt bow to some authority beck&call, doctors will give you smt. after 20 minutes bla bla bla.

 

Yes. For example a crystal that sells on the Internet for say 4-cents is retailed for around $4 in Australia. We have what is called the GST (Government Sales Tax) -- here in Australia. This tax is 10%. But there is no tax to pay if you are earning less than 50K a year. I feel I would be doing well to bring in say 20K a year profit from an small establishment in an rough and cheap neighbourhood. I do have an disability support pension to go on top of this though. I have schizophrenia and consequently get an pension.

Let's be careful and not let this devolve into a political discussion, okay guys?

 

We all may have it to some degree, if you cant tell your ideas from whats actually happening u need help.
If you can, u normally just ditch most crazy ideas.
I've seen youths here shoved into mental diagnosis who just didnt bow to some authority beck&call, doctors will give you smt. after 20 minutes bla bla bla.

I don't have crazy ideas. I am an very practical person. I am prone to psychosis though, and I subsequently take a drug called Invega everyday, or one injection per month (going onto tablets soon) I have had an rough life, and I have had drug and alcohol problems in the past. I have heard voices in my head (sometimes I still do) I often feel unwell and paranoid (usually without the medication)

There is a fine line between someone who is very smart and who is very sick. I have a great doctor who I trust and highly respect. He gets Xmas cards and gifts from me and my family on the side

 

Let's be careful and not let this devolve into a political discussion, okay guys?

It is quite straight forward really. No politics. A dozen doctors are saying that I have schizophrenia, and I feel better on medication for it.

 

It is quite straight forward really. No politics. A dozen doctors are saying that I have schizophrenia, and I feel better on medication for it.

That's not the part I'm referring to. Comments about taxation and government policies often devolve into political discussions which spiral rapidly out of control -- I've been guilty of either starting the process or feeding it myself on several occasions.

 

It is quite straight forward really. No politics. A dozen doctors are saying that I have schizophrenia, and I feel better on medication for it.

Well man that sounds cool, when you cooperate, take your meds relieably, and get relief, can participate in social life and online life, without causing attention. I hope you can manage, hmm well, old man, I hope you do well.

 

Kindof weird old man syndrome, and when taking the meds, feel OK?

You've taken a great step to accept support from the doc.

 

Kindof weird old man syndrome, and when taking the meds, feel OK?

You've taken a great step to accept support from the doc.

I feel old and tired yes. Sometimes a bit of loud music and hit of morphine perks me up though. I can manage my condition without my medication, but I feel better on it even though I lose say a few IQ points.

I have the option, my doctor is telling me that I can now take tablets and or even come off my medication if I want. I do have an terminally ill mother on my hands though. Now may not be the time to change anything. We have an hospital bed in our lounge room to prove it. She has stage 3 cancer. Only 69-years-old too! Tough times ahead of what is now left of my family.

 

That's not the part I'm referring to. Comments about taxation and government policies often devolve into political discussions which spiral rapidly out of control -- I've been guilty of either starting the process or feeding it myself on several occasions.

Oh I see. Thought you were referring about doctors chasing many of us around and forcing medication on us. Pretty easy to get locked up in an mental hospital in Australia for a short stay while doctors medicate and study you. I too have pondered with political notions and consequently I am banned from eBay. I no longer dwell on politics. Do not read the newspaper anymore. No attention (no real attention) -- to the news on the TV either.

I give up man.

 

I haven't given up yet. I may revise the project and get back on eBay and try again.

If you want to earn something, you must offer some original device, full of know-how, protected enough that nobody can copy it, and where competition is much more expensive or not existing at all. With minimum producing cost. For example your 120 x 65 board can be at least half in size with existing elements on it. Only limitation, what you or anybody else can do in business, is related to brain, and not poor garage tools.

 

You can buy a pic kit 3 clone with ZIF programming board on ebay.

 

I just use ICSP, and if for any reason I don’t want the hassle or a switch on the used pins,
make up a socketed board as I need one. The eight pin one is for EEPROMs.

 

I just use ICSP, and if for any reason I don’t want the hassle or a switch on the used pins,
make up a socketed board as I need one. The eight pin one is for EEPROMs.

I just ditch the pins used for ICSP mostly, can reuse for serial IO.
There is no real-world need to deal with *small* controller ICs in preference of lets say 14 or 20pin.

The smallest I use have 14 pin, need more, take another IC.