yes, true, but trust me, I know how business's work, that's my job man.
Computer businesses are so low because theirs friends or family that can normaly fix the problems
Also, pc shops are getting beaten up by big advertised company's who are dominating people, all familys want is a pc, they ring up dell and they have it really cheap.
True, most local shops in my area have closed down. They just aren't cheap enough, compared to online shops to have any good deals going on with any parts. Plus, with places like Micro Direct 15 minutes away by car from me, it goes to show really how one big business can ruin smaller ones.
I'm sure there is a way in which local shops could have won though. You just have to think differently to the big places. Offering something they don't to bring customers in.
I have thought about setting up a small business of buying and then putting together parts based on specs given by the customer, but in the end, I think it'd be too difficult.
The shop I used to work for had an access database with some forms to enter customer information. We had a lot of traffic and volume, I don't think we could have done it on paper, it would have been a mess.