Office Furniture, Buy Used or New?

Small businesses need to keep their budgets tight. Weathering downturns is a challenge for every business. This principle, called capital conservation, is a major key to success, especially for those just starting out. With the cost of office furniture and equipment today, it's more important than ever.  

One way to tackle that challenge is to buy used office furniture. But it's possible to be penny wise and pound foolish, expending even more money in the long run. Sometimes that long run isn't very long, either. Equipment or furniture that breaks down two months after you bought it is a wasted investment, even if it was practically free. You then have to replace it, consuming the one thing no business ever has in abundance: spare time.

Even equipment that doesn't actually break, but just fails to perform adequately can lead to a close approximation of the same problem. The whole purpose in buying furniture and equipment in the first place is to increase productivity. Otherwise, you'd simply use what was already around. When items don't live up to their challenges, they drag you down with them.

Those facts put the question of whether to buy used or new in a different light. At first blush, saving money up front sounds very attractive. But looking farther ahead, the situation can be radically different.

The way to overcome the dilemma has, to some extent, been solved by the Internet. Following Amazon's lead (though they didn't invent the idea), many sites now will have reviews on anything for sale. They're often posted by business owners just like yourself. Some of those giving an opinion are clueless. Many are experts on the subject. It's usually easy to spot the difference.

Suppose you're interested in shredders or projectors. Unlike computers or monitors, those are items that are just unfamiliar enough to many that an expert review can make a big difference. When you see that several knowledgeable people who have actually purchased and used a certain projector, say, and gave it high marks, you can buy with confidence. When they suggest avoiding it, you know to beware.

That's true of both new and used items, though. To apply it to a used piece of gear you're considering, just look for reviews that talk about reliability, maintenance, early wear, expensive parts replacements or similar phrases. Don't just look at the numbers or stars highlighted, either. One or two unreasonable dissatisfied customers can bring those way down. Dig into the details and a whole different picture can emerge.

Looking longer term can save you money and headaches. A used fax machine, for example, might be half the cost of the same model new. But if the rollers tend to wear rapidly, causing paper jams, your lost productivity will quickly eat up the difference. Take advantage of all the information available on the web today and you'll be better positioned to shop with confidence.