How do I check the parts and stock when buying a computer store?

Parts and stock in a computer store can go out of date. A shelf of components that sold well last year may be hard to move once newer models arrive. A shelf can also hold items that are not the store’s at all. A physical count with the seller, written down and signed, is a practical way to know what you are taking over.

Counting at closing

Agree before closing how and when the count will happen, who will do it and what record will be used. Count by item, not by shelf, and compare the result with the stock list the seller gave you. Walk the back room, the service area and any off-site storage. Ask your accountant how the count ties to the books, and write the method into the purchase agreement.

Aged and superseded parts

Ask for the oldest items on the shelf and the date each was bought. Ask which parts are discontinued, which have been replaced by newer models and which are still easy to sell. Some buyers agree to take only current stock at a stated price, and leave the rest with the seller. That choice is for you and your advisers, not a rule.

Returns, consignment and vendor stock

Ask for every open return and replacement claim with distributors, and for the paperwork on each. Find out whether any stock is on consignment, on loan for display or owned by a vendor under a program. Used and refurbished units need their own line in the count, with a record of where each came from and what warranty goes with it.

Customer devices are not stock

Laptops, desktops and drives waiting for repair belong to customers. Keep them out of the count, list them separately and agree how each will be returned or finished. Ask how the store tracks them.