NewEgg.com hatches growth with tech-savvy customers.

Much like Home Depot cornered the do-it-yourself market for the home, NewEgg.com Inc. has a hold on the do-it-yourself market for home computers.

And electronics. And video game consoles. And digital cameras.

In just five years, the City of Industry-based e-taller has vaulted to the No. 2 spot on the Business Journal's list of largest minority-owned businesses with 2005 revenues of about $1.3 billion, up 30 percent from the year before. (The list begins on page 45.)

Launched in 2000, in the midst of a tech bust and the online e-commerce meltdown, NewEgg.com founders managed to hit the sweet spot with their core customer base--the do-it-yourself computer geek.

"Our demographic is a very young, very tech savvy person," said Howard Tong, vice president of NewEgg.com. "Our Web site may be great for a techie, but it's not going to be great for a soccer mom."

While some businesses strive for the mass market, NewEgg.com is comfortable with its cult-geek status.

This so-called limited customer base maintains an average order size of $250, buys 25,000 items per day, and has fueled the company's exponential revenue growth of almost 300 percent over the past five years.

NewEgg.com does a brisk business in components that let users upgrade their computer systems--from high-speed micro processors to monitors to motherboards. It's the largest seller of graphics cards in the country.

About two years ago, the company branched out into digital lifestyle consumer electronics, selling flat screen TVs, digital cameras and mp3 players. But 70 percent of its business still comes from computer components. NewEgg is a distributor for brands like Intel, AMD, Western Digital and others.

"Companies like Dell and H-P would love to sell those items themselves, since the margins are fairly good. But that's where a company like NewEgg does extremely well," said Shaw Wu, an analyst with American Technology Research who covers computer manufacturers.

NewEgg was founded by Fred Chang, a tech industry executive from Taiwan; Ken Lam, a programmer from Hong Kong; and Howard Tong, an engineer born in the U.S. It sprung out of an idea from Chang's old company.

The majority shareholder of NewEgg, Chang ran a custom computer builder called ABS Computers. ABS manufactured and assembled built-to-order systems, similar to Dell Inc., but mostly for garners and high-end users. The company was inundated with special requests from customers who didn't want to order a whole new system, just certain components.

But the business wasn't set up to sell separate pieces, only completed computer setups. With $100,000 in seed money, Chang and his partners decided to launch a new company in 2000 that specialized in components.

The site takes pains to distinguish itself from clearinghouses that offer great deals on overstock items or last generation products. Its raison d'etre is finding the latest and greatest, the cutting edge. "We're not the cheapest price, but we're competitive," Tong said.

NewEgg.com, ranked Best Place to Buy Online by Computer Shopper Magazine for the past three years, keeps a laser focus on its core customer. The Web site is maintained by younger employees. Customer reviews are featured above manufacturer's recommendations for products. The site has a mailing fist of more than 500,000 subscribers, many of whom actively participate in online forums and advice sessions.

Even the customer service is tailored: In addition to 200 reps manning the toll-free phone lines, NewEgg offers live-chat help. A team of 20 customer service agents are available by instant-messenger to work through tech crises in real time.

Company advertising also looks inwards. "We want to make sure our ad campaigns speak to existing customers," Tong said.

That means ads are more focused on making current customers feel good about being "NewEggheads" than on drawing new customers to the site. And with good reason--nearly 80 percent of sales are repeat orders, and most new customers come by word-of-mouth referrals. "We want to continue to stir that up," he added.

Another key to NewEgg's success is in the humdrum field of logistics. Typical manufacturers are set up to ship 500 pieces of the same item to one customer, but NewEgg has 500 individual customers who each want just one of the same item.

The company had to reconfigure its warehouses for quick packing of thousands of boxes and easy restocking of popular items. "We're very proud of our systems," Tong boasted. "Whether you're ordering one item or 30 items, we can have it on your doorstep tomorrow."