Not only are extreme cost savings involved, there are other advantages to purchasing refurbished equipment:

Reliability – Experience has shown that when properly cleaned, tested and reconfigured, refurbished equipment is just as reliable as new equipment.

Performance – Often times NEW equipment can exceed the performance needed for targeted software applications. Refurbished hardware can easily meet these software requirements at a fraction of the price.

Availability – Due to the nature of IT purchasing cycles, there is a large pool of like-new refurbished equipment readily available in many markets around the country. When purchasing refurbished equipment, it is usually available immediately. New equipment purchases must first be manufactured, then tested before being shipped to its final destination, which can delay implementation of a time-sensitive project.

The word “refurbished” has carried a somewhat negative connotation, as it has signified a product that is old, broken or tainted. Refurbished IT equipment is actually used equipment that has been thoroughly cleaned, tested, reconfigured and warranted for further use. Many large businesses, research universities and other enterprises with demanding IT requirements purchase equipment on short-term leases. By continually replacing their IT equipment on a regular basis, they avail themselves of the fastest and most advanced technologies that meet their needs. When short-term equipment leases expire, used servers, routers, switches, PCs and other IT equipment come on the resale market. While many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) such as Dell and HP have equipment coming off these short-term leases, they generally choose to liquidate it rather than recondition it and resell it on the open market – OEMs typically are not interested and don’t specialize in refurbishing equipment. This creates a continuous pool of like-new IT equipment that only needs to be cleaned, tested and reconfigured by companies that specialize in reconditioning IT equipment.

One of the reasons that refurbished equipment is a good bargain is that servers, routers and other devices are generally robust pieces of electronic equipment that are likely to become obsolete in terms of performance and capabilities long before the end of their useful life-span. Refurbished equipment has already depreciated and will retain its remaining value, whereas new systems lose their value within 1-3 years. Because this equipment offers the same quality product at up to 50% cost savings from new equipment, your company will achieve a better overall Return on Investment (ROI).