Possibly Selling Clamshell Models Soon

[Xumbi]

Ok here's the scoop:

A very good friend of mine might be (he's about 99% sure) heading off to work in Japan for a year or two within a month.  I have been talking to him about possibly running a small Zaurus importing operation while he is over there.  This would be primarily for people in the U.S., but I'm open to the idea of shipping to other countries.  I would like to hear feedback from folks here about these questions I have:

1. Is it worth it?  Obviously this would have to be financially beneficial to myself, my friend, and the buyer.  I was checking some prices of Zaurii in Japan compared to conics.net and dynamism.com, and at least for the C1000 and C860, it seems like it would be worth it.  The C3000 still looks very expensive even in Japan.

2. Would people be interested in configuration services?  Obviously I would be able to convert them to english, but are people interested in other configuration services?  For example, I could flash them to a different rom image (pdaXrom, cacko, open zaurus, etc.).  I could also install software, scripts, or anything else that someone might want, and after I could do a NAND backup to a CF or SD card if provided.

3. Would selling on ebay be a good idea?  I notice that ebay doesn't have a lot of clamshell models.  Is this because there isn't a demand for them?

4. Are there legal issues that I should be worried about?

I'm a strong believer in Zaurii, and I would like to help others obtain them, and hopefully make a little extra income in the process.  

[romulus]

2. Would people be interested in configuration services?  Obviously I would be able to convert them to english, but are people interested in other configuration services?  For example, I could flash them to a different rom image (pdaXrom, cacko, open zaurus, etc.).  I could also install software, scripts, or anything else that someone might want, and after I could do a NAND backup to a CF or SD card if provided.
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Personally I would say that having the unit come preconfigured would not be a bonus.  Configuration, flashing, etc is half the fun of these units.  iT gives you a chance to learn something and allows you to make the zaurus fully yours by customizing it yourself.

[B_Lizzard]

It all depends on how much the price difference is...Conics offers a 12 Month Warranty, a English Translation, Localised Power Adaptor and a USB host cable thingie.Meaning, they offer support, If only in a small scale.Can you beat that?

[Xumbi]

2. Would people be interested in configuration services?  Obviously I would be able to convert them to english, but are people interested in other configuration services?  For example, I could flash them to a different rom image (pdaXrom, cacko, open zaurus, etc.).  I could also install software, scripts, or anything else that someone might want, and after I could do a NAND backup to a CF or SD card if provided.
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Personally I would say that having the unit come preconfigured would not be a bonus.  Configuration, flashing, etc is half the fun of these units.  iT gives you a chance to learn something and allows you to make the zaurus fully yours by customizing it yourself.
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I agree with you.  I wouldn't want one to come preconfigured either, but I didn't know if others would be interested.

It all depends on how much the price difference is...Conics offers a 12 Month Warranty, a English Translation, Localised Power Adaptor and a USB host cable thingie.Meaning, they offer support, If only in a small scale.Can you beat that?
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Conics is great, I couldn't compete with the level of support they offer.  I could offer email support, and shipping to and from Japan for service if needed (buyer would have to pay shipping).  Clearly the price would have to be less than conics to be worth it.

[chromodoris]

Hi folks - I'm new here, having just picked up an SL-C3000 from Japan about a month ago for just under USD600

Changing the device to English was simple enough, I think most people who would consider purchasing one of these could manage it quite easily (I know next to nothing about Linux but instruction was quite easily found on the internet).

Can you afford (time and energy for a start) to try and match the services currently offered by the parallel importers?  I think there is a market for cheaper no frills units (like no international AC adaptor, and "on your own" customer service), afterall, tinkering with it is part of the fun... I got a feeling that people who'd like the unit fully flashed before buying it is probably looking at the wrong toy anyway.

What I would love to lay my hands on though, is an English manual, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to pay the price difference in the US/Europe just for that (and as I'm not based in the US, so the extra customer service wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to me).

[jh]

Funny you should bring this up...

I've got my C1000 on the way from PriceJapan.  I had originally placed an "order" (no payment was involved) with conics.net but they never responded to me.  I waited a couple days, sent a couple emails, got nothing.  Their price was $539 and it included a 2nd AC adapter, a USB host cable adapter, and modification to make it English.

PriceJapan has the C1000 for around $465 (+3% if credit card).  No extras included, but I placed my order with them on Wednesday and it should be here on Monday.  I'm tracking it with DHL and they pretty much sent it out the day they got my order.  I believe they'll be your warranty contact, too, if something should go wrong.  A lot of shipping back and forth, but hopefully I won't need it.

I'd say it's going to be pretty hard to beat PriceJapan, but I still would have paid the extra $$ from conics just because of the extras they offered.  I'm sure the pricing works out where I can get those extras for the same price, it was just nice to have it all bundled to arrive together at the same time.

jason

[mtnkill]

What I would love to lay my hands on though, is an English manual, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to pay the price difference in the US/Europe just for that (and as I'm not based in the US, so the extra customer service wouldn't make a blind bit of difference to me).

Streamline/TriSoft have an English version of the manual available for download.

[chromodoris]

Streamline/TriSoft have an English version of the manual available for download.
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You're a treasure!  Thanks buddy!

[TRIsoft]

Xumbi,
think it's time for a few hints from a competitor  

Making Zauris available in the US/EU market is not
only importing them and make a good price.
Beyond service/localisation/manual/accessories
and getting millions of documents for customs and
forwarders there are two important points most
people forget:

First: You need a reliable contact for repairs. The
warranty in Japan is 12 months, but we have to
cover 24 months in the EU. It's impossible to send
a unit from EU/US to SHARP Japan and get it back.
You always need a contact person located in Japan.

Second: For commercial importers there're tons
of regulations. Most important is CE for the EU and
FCC for the US market. Expect the expenses for
testing with about $3000 per model. Also for the EU
there's a new recycling regulation coming at the
end of this year.

Getting one Zaurus for private use from PriceJapan
is total different from getting 100 units through
customs  

It's no wonder that the prices at all professional
vendors are in the same range. If you try to work
legal and official, you will be wondering about the
end price need to cover your expenses.

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

[Xumbi]

Xumbi,
think it's time for a few hints from a competitor   

Making Zauris available in the US/EU market is not
only importing them and make a good price.
Beyond service/localisation/manual/accessories
and getting millions of documents for customs and
forwarders there are two important points most
people forget:

First: You need a reliable contact for repairs. The
warranty in Japan is 12 months, but we have to
cover 24 months in the EU. It's impossible to send
a unit from EU/US to SHARP Japan and get it back.
You always need a contact person located in Japan.

Second: For commercial importers there're tons
of regulations. Most important is CE for the EU and
FCC for the US market. Expect the expenses for
testing with about $3000 per model. Also for the EU
there's a new recycling regulation coming at the
end of this year.

Getting one Zaurus for private use from PriceJapan
is total different from getting 100 units through
customs   

It's no wonder that the prices at all professional
vendors are in the same range. If you try to work
legal and official, you will be wondering about the
end price need to cover your expenses.

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan
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Yikes!  Now you've got me terrified...

Well, I never intended on this being a huge operation, maybe a Zaurus or two a month, nothing like what your company has going.  It sounds like there would be limited interest in what I was going to do anyway, so I'm thinking it might not work out.

[TRIsoft]

Yikes!  Now you've got me terrified...
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*LOL*
Sorry, that wasn't my intention.
Speaking for TRIsoft we haven't a problem with
people importing devices for self use or for friends.
Every Zaurus that hits the market outside Japan
makes us happy (because we can sell lots of
accessories   ).
You just have a lot to think about if it changes
from importing for "friends" to "customers"  

///TRIsoft

Marc Stephan

[davidmcnaught16]

Most important is CE for the EU and
FCC for the US market. Expect the expenses for
testing with about $3000 per model

If one importer has already got CE approval for say, a C3000, do other importers also need to get approval for the same model from the same manufacturer, or is the product now approved for any importer?