Why More Organisations Should Think About Refurb

Following his recent article with smeweb.com, Tim Phillips explains why he is such a devoted convert to refurbished equipment… and why he feels the need to spread the word. 

“I spent many years negotiating corporate deals for new IT equipment and was always sceptical about the idea of refurbished kit. However, since joining Techbuyer I have discovered that the traditional arguments against refurb simply do not hold water.

Many SMEs still do not realise how much money they can save on an IT refresh or upgrade because they are falling foul of the fear, uncertainty and doubt cast around by sellers of brand new equipment. These are some of the myths I used to believe, along with the reasons they are not true: 

1. Refurb is not reliable 

Refurbished equipment is far more reliable that I expected it to be. Anything that comes into our warehouse is comprehensively tested inside and out and issued with certificates to prove this. Our returns rate at Techbuyer is extremely low. We have just 0.49% faulty parts, and these are covered by our standard three-year warranty. This is pretty much comparable to the situation customers find themselves in with new equipment direct from the manufacturer.

 2. Refurb will have an impact on service delivery

Our customers run refurbished kit in conjunction with and alongside new components with no impact on service delivery and no conflict with other systems. Helpdesk enquiries on new equipment still under warranty are not affected by the use of refurbished components.

 3. There is no support if refurbished equipment breaks

Again, not true. Techbuyer offers a three-year warranty as standard on all parts, and a lifetime warranty on request. The timeframe on replacement parts is identical to those on new orders, which means we can get the item to the customer within the day as long as it is in stock.

 4. Refurb is not tested

Techbuyer has a 25-point testing programme which includes visual inspection and performance review with market-leading software. Techbuyer’s customers provide testing feedback too, reporting similar performance to new when run in their organisation. 

 5. Refurb is penny-wise but pound-foolish

There is a massive cost differential between refurbished and new equipment. Customers can pay up to 80% less on refurbished equipment without compromise on performance or product support. This means that they are able to buy more product with less – creating opportunities for backup or upgrades they would not have had the budget for otherwise. 

Even better, customers can sell their old equipment to Techbuyer at the same time, saving even more money. Our purchasing department can even collect the equipment, which makes things easy as well as cost-effective.