Purchase second-hand equipment for your business
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Whether you're just starting out in business or need to upgrade your
office facilities - finding the right equipment at the right price can be
difficult. If cash flow is tight, it is unlikely that you will be able to
afford brand-new, top of the range office furniture, computers, copiers or
telephone systems. One option is to buy second-hand equipment. Prices will usually be a
lot lower than buying new equipment, however, cheaper goods can be a trade-off
with reliability. There are a number of questions to consider before purchasing
second-hand equipment: How does it look? If you are buying office
furniture, such as chairs, desks or filing cabinets, check for flaws,
scratches, tears or discolouration. Don't choose furniture that is dark and
drab - it is hardly going to inspire creativity and boost motivation. Similarly, if you are looking to buy PCs, printers or copiers, make
sure that you carefully check the equipment for any signs of dents or damage. A
dent could indicate that the machine has been dropped, and could lower its
product life expectancy. Does it work? This may sound obvious, but can
often be overlooked in the 'excitement' of finding a bargain. You need to
methodically test every piece of equipment you are buying - from the adjustment
levers on the chairs to the quality of type on the printer. Is it easy to fix? Ideally your second-hand
equipment will still be under warranty and, at least in the short term, you
won't have to worry about maintenance costs. Of course, this is not always the case when buying second hand, so
you need to make sure that the equipment is not obsolete (therefore making
parts and repair near impossible), that spare parts are easily obtained,
replaced and are not charged at exorbitant prices. Is it too cheap? Be wary of very low prices -
if you know what the second-hand value should be then don't go too far below
that level. It's not much of a bargain if its downtime is longer than its
uptime! Buying from auctions Bankruptcy auctions are
one of the best sources of inexpensive office equipment and furnishings. If
you've never been to an auction before, drag along a friend who knows the
procedures and bid away. You may be surprised by the high quality goods on
offer, all at a price considerably lower than that of second-hand shops.
Online auctions are also a great place to land new and second-hand
bargains - visit
www.auctionguide.com for more information. Buying from liquidators While liquidators'
prices are typically not as low as buying direct from auctions (they often buy
equipment from bankruptcy auctions themselves!), they do have the advantages of
offering a wider selection of items, providing installation assistance,
offering technical support, and guaranteeing an agreed level of performance.
Look for local liquidators in the Yellow Pages or search the
net. Buying from second-hand shops Browsing in a
second-hand shop may seem like the more convenient option, however, be prepared
to pay significantly more for similar goods than you would at an auction or
from a liquidator. Second-hand shops also tend to have random pieces of
equipment, so finding six matching chairs and desks may be a challenge. However, it is worth shopping around, so find a list of your local
second-hand shops in the Yellow Pages.
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