Target Components Custom PCs

Target Components is pitching itself as more than a box-mover for parts, using branded custom-PC showcase posts to steer resellers toward fully assembled systems and white-label builds. (targetcomponents.co.uk) The Yorkshire distributor says its Target PC Build Services unit can hand-build and test systems in-house, and can also produce reseller-branded machines with Windows and other software preinstalled. The company says the offer includes off-the-shelf systems, bespoke tender builds, and original equipment manufacturer services for partners that want their own badge on the case. (targetcomponents.co.uk) Target is tying that assembly pitch to software it already sells to the channel. Its Custom PC Builder lets partners design systems with compatibility checks at each step, and its In-Store PC Builder adds a reseller’s own branding, pricing and web link for customer-facing sales. (targetcomponents.co.uk) The company has been building toward this for more than two years. Target said it officially unveiled Target PC Build Services at its September 29, 2023 Open Day in Leeds, combining the Custom PC Builder, the In-Store PC Builder and Quick PC Builder under one department. (targetcomponents.co.uk) That move fits the way many distributors have been trying to protect margins in a hardware market where plain component sales are easy to compare on price. Managing director Michael Lawrence said Target’s “sweet spot” is value-added services for independent retailers, including a bespoke custom-PC builder that helps customers sell build services online. (itchanneloxygen.com) Target says the configurator now supports 309 trillion possible combinations, and says resellers using the In-Store PC Builder see a 20% increase on average selling price because monitors and accessories can be added to the same order. Those figures come from the company’s own marketing, and it did not publish the methodology alongside the claims. (targetcomponents.co.uk) The assembled-systems push also broadens what Target sells to its account base. On its corporate site, the company describes itself as an employee-owned national information technology distributor serving more than 2,000 information technology businesses and carrying more than 2,000 products across components, peripherals and enterprise gear. (targetcomponents.co.uk) Custom-PC assembly is already a crowded market, with specialists and retailers including PCSpecialist, Newegg and Micro Center offering built-to-order systems or assembly services. Target’s angle is that it sells those capabilities through resellers, not just direct to end users. (pcspecialist.co.uk, newegg.com, microcenter.com) For resellers that do not want to run their own workshop, the message in Target’s recent posts is straightforward: keep the custom badge, keep the customer relationship, and let the distributor handle the build bench. (targetcomponents.co.uk)