Hardware Quotes and Ordering

Hardware Quotes and Ordering

Creating Equipment Quotes

Usually a technician will choose workstation and server hardware for customer purchases at the request of the office admin. (Senior IT specialist chooses server hardware; other technicians assist with  workstation hardware.)

For the full workflow for creating quotes, see: Workflow: Quote for a Customer

In general, for small inexpensive items we can send customer a link to order directly. For larger items or a larger quantity, we usually offer to provide a quote. Make sure the item will ship blind.

Here is a guide to markups. 

  1. 30% minimum markup for very inexpensive items such as WiFi adaptors and video cables;
  2. 15% - 25% for more expensive items such as workstations and servers.

When you’re including smaller items as part of a larger order (such as monitor cables, etc.) the markup should be at the higher end. If anything, cheap items should be marked up even more than 30%, but certainly no less. It takes time to order items and we need to cover that time whether the item costs us $10 or $1000.

  1. Use AT Quote tool.
  2. In the item description, in addition to specs, it may be appropriate to note special features and benefits in the description, For example, a 3-year warranty with advance replacement or a backlit keyboard. 
  3. Be careful when setting the quote expiration date. Hardware and availability change quickly. Confirm with the distributor how long the pricing will be available. Some distributors will let us lock in a price for a set period of time.  



Best Specs for a business end computer.


Some things to confirm when purchasing hardware for resale: 

  1. Once the client accepts the quote, all hardware must be pre-paid before we order. 
  2. Merchandise is never delivered to GGIT. Items must be delivered with client signature only. 
  3. Re-check details: Confirm vendor pricing has not changed before ordering. Check Qty of item that should be ordered and all other details. 
  4. If not using a wholesaler/distributor, make sure receipts will not be included in the packaging.
  5. When possible, add a purchase order number consisting of the ticket #.
  6. Double-check address.
  7. Double-check shipping date.
  8. Check box for tax exempt status. We collect sales tax as a NJ / NY reseller. 

Vendors

Here are some of the vendors we regularly use: 

  • Desktops and Laptops: Carbon systems. If this is a Carbon System-built machine, add link to customer's RMM agent and desired host name in comments when ordering. They will perform this part of setup before shipping. Customer Verbiage about Carbon. login is saved in office Keeper which was transferred to Roberta. (Need to transfer these logins to next office admin.) This is a preferred vendor. Excellent personal service. 

  • B and H. They will drop ship/blind ship items. There is a salesperson we can speak with to get quotes and hold them. We tend to order Asus laptops with 3-year warranty / 1-year accident protection. Login is saved in office Keeper which was transferred to Roberta. (Need to transfer these logins to next office admin.)
  • Lenovo. We have a partner account. Login is saved in Keeper.  Our Lenovo rep is Camali: cmorny@lenovo.com (919) 874-3300
  • Amazon. See “Amazon for Business ordering instructions.” This is not a preferred vendor because we cannot ship directly to the customer (because the customer will see the receipt). However, they often have good pricing, fast shipping and large availability. 
  • Dell. We were told in early 2025 that we must order via a distributor such as Ingram Micro. However, since that time we have been able to order via our Delel Premier portal. The inconsistencies and constant rule changes make dealing with Dell challenging and unwieldy. Not recommended but some customers strongly prefer Dell computers. It's possible we may have to tell them to order direct from Dell, because it's too time-consuming for us to deal with the constant changes. Please discuss with Roberta for now. 


Important Considerations for Workstation Quotes

  1. Some customers prefer to have the same brand of computer for all users, and even, when possible, the same model. Models change frequently so this is not always realistic, and sometimes a better vendor is worth switching to. EG, Carbon Systems provides 3-year warranty with advance replacement. This is a great selling point.
  2. If the user will be keeping the same monitor(s), check that the connections are compatible with the new workstation. If necessary, include cables/adaptors in the quote.  


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