Reasons to buy refurbished IT hardware
Get more and do more for less
Times are difficult for everyone right now. In 2020 we had the COVID-19 pandemic which, although it’s now partially under control, is still going on to this day.In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2022, almost every type of business is suffering some sort of supply chain issue which, in one way or the other, affects everyone’s daily life. Add to that the current global inflation crisis and things become even more difficult.
Being able to do more for less has never been more true!
With rising inflation and ever shrinking budgets, the need to do more for less has never been greater! This applies to everyone and businesses are not exempt!
This article lists the top 6 reasons to buy refurbished IT hardware, in order for companies to address their business requirements.
Refurbished IT hardware can and does allow you to do more for less.
A bit of context
What exactly is refurbished hardware?
As discussed in our previous article Differences between refurbished and used products, by definition, refurbished is used.
However, in order for a product to be considered and earn the refurbished badge, it has to:
- Undergo and successfully pass a series of very thorough tests.
- Esthetically, it needs to look as good as a new product.
- Performance wise, it needs to work as well as the new product does
- All components need to be manufacturer originals
- It needs to be resetted to its factory defaults
- Finally, the refurbished product is backed by a solid warranty
Where do refurbished products come from?
Refurbished IT products come from a variety of sources. As outlined in our article Where do refurbished products come from they can come from:
- Fortune 100 and large companies who, because of who they are and what they do, have corporate policies that say they need to refresh their IT infrastructures every 3 years or so.
- From data centers who, because of the service level agreements (SLAs) they have with their customers, need to have the very latest and greatest technologies in place at all times.
- Companies who moved part or all of their computing needs over to the cloud
Important to remember
One very important thing to remember is, because they are no longer needed doesn’t mean they are no longer of any use.
As a matter of fact, the lifespan of most, if not to say all, IT hardware products, is typically anywhere between 5 to 10 years. Maybe even longer depending on your type of business and needs
So now, let’s get into it.
Get more and do more for less!
Top 6 reasons to buy refurbished IT hardware
The top 6 reasons to buy refurbished IT hardware are actually quite simple and make a lot of business sense!
At the end of the day,it all boils down to:
- Availability
- Costs
- Performance and capabilities
- Reliability
- Returns on investments (ROIs)
- Reducing electronic waste
1. Availability
In light of all the supply chain issues, price is no longer the most important factor, product availability is what matters the most!
Get what you need when you need it!
Whether it’s due to the current chip shortages, lockdowns or other supply chain disruptions, currently, deliveries of new computer hardware products often can take up to one year (1), maybe even longer in some cases!
More often than not, businesses cannot afford to wait that long. Why? Simple, delivery delays can affect their productivity. Something that ultimately negatively affects their bottom line!
Whether you need Cisco, HPE, Dell, Lenovo or another vendor’s products, Data Telcom can help.
We have access to an extensive inventory of high-quality refurbished IT equipment from a multitude of manufacturers. If necessary, we can even configure the products to order prior to delivering them to your location.
2. Cost
Several things come into play when you look at costs! One thing is for certain though, when buying refurbished IT hardware, you save money!
Refurbished products cost a
fraction of their original price! They enable you to get more and do more for less!
Save money on your IT equipment purchases!
When looking at costs, you need to take the following into account as it doesn’t stop at the initial acquisition cost!
- The products’ lifespan – When buying new, you need to ask yourself how long it will take before you need to get something else that has more processing powers and/or capabilities
- Since many pre-owned products come from very large companies and data centers, it’s quite possible they can exceed your business needs for years to come
- The products’ scalability – Again, when buying new, you need to ask yourself how long it will take before you need to get something else that has more processing powers and or capabilities
- When buying refurbished hardware products, considering they may have come from data centers, it’s conceivable that by adding modules, be they new or refurbished, they can scale to meet and address any future IT requirements. Thereby reducing your total cost of ownership (TCO).
- The products’ maintenance costs – When buying new products, the basic warranty is just parts and labor BUT, you have to return the product to the manufacturer. If you need more than that (ex: on-site support) , you have to pay extra!
- When looking at refurbished products that are one (1) or two (2) generations removed from new ones, parts are generally readily available across the marketplace.
- The more common and successful the products are, the greater the availability of affordable replacement parts.
- Because refurbished IT hardware products are so affordable, it is easy, inexpensive and logical to keep key components on the shelf and ready to use. Thereby protecting you in case of failures.
- Last but not least, it’s possible to buy third party maintenance plans to cover refurbished hardware. These are generally available at a fraction of the price the OEMs charge for theirs! Again, lowering your overall total cost of ownership (TCO).
3. Performance and capabilities
In order to address data processing requirements and stay a step ahead of the competition, the IT equipment in place must offer both a high degree of performance as well as extensive capabilities.
Boost your performance and capabilities!
It’s a myth that refurbished hardware doesn’t perform as well as new products! When it comes to performance, it all depends on the product’s various components.
Take servers for instance. Their performance depends on the components inside. Components such as the processors, the memory and the hard drives, just to name a few. Those can all be upgraded. In doing so, both their performance and capabilities are greatly increased.
Be it by adding or upgrading components or, by adding software licenses, the same is true of many other IT hardware products.
As previously stated, refurbished products often come from large companies and data centers who, for various reasons, need the latest and most performant technologies in place, at all times.
Often times, primarily because of their price, these technologies are beyond the reach of most businesses. However, once those large companies and/or data centers put the new hardware they acquired into production, their old products find their way into the secondary market. Once there, they are refurbished and fully tested. Once the refurbishing process is completed, they are made available at a fraction of their original cost.
Whereas said hardware was once beyond your reach, you can now acquire it without breaking the bank. Thereby addressing your immediate and future performance requirements!
And, when and if needed, you can go back to the secondary market to acquire the necessary components needed, to enhance the products’ performance and capabilities.
4. Reliability
Refurbished IT hardware products are just as reliable as new ones!
No one likes nor wants problems!
When buying refurbished products from a reliable source:
- The products have undergone a battery of tests, to make sure they perform just as well as if they were new.
- Problematic components have all been replaced, using only vendor original parts. Thereby making sure no one runs into any kind of problem and ensuring that the products operate at peak performance.
- The products being sold are backed by a solid warranty.
Just like any and all reputable companies, people who deal in refurbished IT hardware want satisfied and repeat customers. That is why they make sure the products they sell are 100% reliable.
5. Returns on investments (ROIs)
Buying refurbished IT hardware equipment makes for great returns on investments
Get more and do more for less!
Buying and using refurbished IT hardware provides you with great returns on investments as it allows you to get more and do more for less money!
In the climate we currently live in, the ability to maximize every dollar in one’s IT budget is a must!
Refurbished hardware allows you to do just that and, have money left for more pressing or more strategic requirements.
6. Reducing electronic waste
Buying and using refurbished IT hardware, means you're REDUCING ELECTRONIC WASTE and helping to FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE!
Refurbished reduces waste and helps fight climate change!
The manufacturing of IT hardware produces greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) which in turn contribute to climate change.
Hardware that just end-up in landfills increases pollution. Since a lot of IT components use toxic metals, needless to say that disposing of products that way is far from ideal.
When buying refurbished IT hardware you’re:
- Reducing electronic waste by giving the products’ a second life!
- Mitigating the impact on the environment.
- Reducing pollution and by extension, contributing to the fight against climate change.
Using products that were remarketed is the best way to recycle!
Conclusion
Refurbished IT hardware products = A winning solution!
As discussed throughout this article , buying refurbished IT hardware products addresses key business factors.
As a bonus, it also makes you actively contribute to the fight against climate change!
- Product availability
- Reduced costs
- Performance and capabilities
- Reliability
- Enhanced returns on investments
- Reducing electronic waste
Those are all significant advantages which are far from negligible and, they are all addressed when buying refurbished hardware!
Data Telcom has access to a significant inventory of quality refurbished products from a multitude of vendors. These refurbished products are of the highest quality and perform just as well as new ones and sometimes, even better.
If you want a reliable supplier who takes your business success to heart, who’s always there for you and who supplies quality hardware equipment that is backed by a solid warranty, you can count on us. We stand ready to assist you at all times.
