If you’re an entrepreneur, the owner of a business, or somebody with decision-making superpowers, then you likely have a significant amount of control over the company purse strings.

When you’re in this kind of position, cost-saving is inevitably high on your priority list. You’re going to want to see the balance between incoming and outgoing shift to your advantage as fast as possible. Understandably, too.

To help you on your cost-saving way, consider buying refurbished technology instead of brand spankin’ new kit.

Refurbished technology doesn’t have to mean second-hand

It doesn’t even have to mean buying something used, so shake off those images of dusty laptops with cracked screens, and keyboards held in place with strips of Sellotape.

Refurbished items could just be those which:

• Have been part of surplus stock
• Have been shop display models
• Have been returned by a customer
• Have been slightly damaged in shipping
• Have minor cosmetic defects which don’t impact functionality whatsoever
• Are unboxed (without packaging)

So, why are so many business owners not using this as a cost-cutting tactic more regularly?

The downside of refurbished tech

As with most things in life, dealing with refurbished products has its pros and its cons. Some common concerns are:

• It may not be as reliable as a brand-new piece of technology
• It may not be as fast or efficient as the latest version of something
• The longevity and/or lifespan is less if it has been used previously
• You can’t always tailor specification to your exact needs or preferences
• It will become more quickly outdated than a new piece of tech
• There are potential compatibility issues if other members of staff have newer products
• Virus protections and bug fixes may not work as effectively as they are typically designed for new releases and the latest software updates

The advantages of refurbished technology

All cons considered, there are still many benefits which come with opting for refurbished tech over new. In theory, when buying a piece of refurbished equipment, you could still be landing yourself the latest version of a product just without the box or a small cosmetic quirk, for example.

Reasons to consider refurbed tech:

• It’s much, much cheaper than buying straight off the shelf
• It offers a sense of familiarity and could save you a whole lot of training-related hassle
• It enables you to try brands and products at a lower cost before committing to the price of new tech
• It’s far more eco-friendly and will prevent a significant amount of wasted material ending up in landfill
• You are often dealing with individual sellers who know their stuff so will be able to take advantage of their knowledge and expertise

Have you had any experience of purchasing refurbished technology for your business? We want to hear your stories, so come and join the conversation over on Twitter or Facebook.

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About The Author

Elizabeth Hughes

A content writer specialising in business, finance, software, and beyond. I'm a wordsmith with a penchant for puns and making complex subjects accessible. Learn more about Elizabeth.

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