What to look out for when buying refurbished
Investing in new or replacement IT equipment can feel like a daunting task. As businesses grow and evolve, there is an ever-increasing requirement to have reliable, high-quality IT such as laptops, monitors, base units and accessories. The cost can be prohibitive, especially when you factor in the cost of depreciation on new technology, leading you to make a trade-off between what you need and what you want.
There is an alternative though, and it’s one that gives you top-quality performance at a fraction of the price. Importantly, you get this with no greater risk than purchasing new. The answer is to buy refurbished. By partnering with a good quality remanufacturer you can save thousands of pounds in capital expenditure whilst benefitting from similar or even higher tech specifications than you would normally expect.
Your buyer checklist
If you’re considering purchasing high-quality, refurbished kit to support your business, here are the key things to be aware of:
1. Understand the difference between ‘refurbished’ and ‘used’ – whilst the former can be expected to be as new, it’s likely that with a used piece of kit you are buying as seen with no guarantee of performance or lifespan.
2. Be curious about your supplier choice – with such a significant investment, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask about where equipment is sourced from and about queries such as customer service and tech support available once you’ve made a purchase.
3. Check the warranty information – whether buying new or refurbished, sometimes things can go wrong so make sure you’re clear about what is covered and for how long.
4. Be clear about quantity – because a reseller has to work with the stock available to them, make sure you’re upfront about the quantity of individual pieces of equipment you need as this may impact what’s readily available versus items that may require a longer lead time.
5. Keep an open mind –a refurbished piece of technology may not present itself as the latest model but thanks to a detailed upgrade and refresh, could easily out-perform and out-last equipment you could buy direct from a manufacturer; it’s best to know what you want and be open about how you get there.
There’s a lot to think about when looking at IT equipment, but it really comes down to a few important things – budget, performance and availability. With the focus on these elements, the brand, model number or year of release become much less significant as you explore affordable kit that will truly meet your business needs for today and the future.
Business and budget friendly options
A good reseller can work with you to assess your business requirements and help you identify a range of options that will meet your budget as well as your business needs. As a bonus, you may find your new kit already has upgraded hardware or premium specification as part of the refurbishment process.
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