You have saved money, drafted a plan and are finally ready to open your first small business! Now you just have to find the right supplies to furnish your new office space.
This part can be tricky.
When looking for certain supplies, you shouldn’t overlook the option to buy used products; used does not always mean abused. If you can find the business product you want for a cheaper price (and it’s in good shape) – get it!
The following are examples of what type of core office products are great to buy used:
Furniture for your small business is obviously not a luxury, it’s a necessity. However, it’s not a good idea to assume that you will save costs by purchasing junk furniture. If you do, it will end up costing you more down the road when you have to keep replacing items.
Buying used office furniture is 100% acceptable, and you won’t even notice it’s used. Most used cubicles, desks and chairs typically come from large companies who underwent an extreme amount of layoffs. As a result, the company was forced to sell the furniture back to the manufacturer or dealer.
Their loss is your gain because the dealer then decided to sell the remanufactured cubicles to smaller businesses for half the original cost.
Buying tip: One of the most important things to remember is to maintain a good relationship with your vendor. If the vendor knows they are your first choice for buying additional office furniture, they will most likely offer better prices on the best selection.
Office Communications
Being able to communicate with your clients is crucial. It’s also imperative that they can reach you easily. The first thing to research in the communications area is the variety of business phone systems on the market today.
There are four major types of phone systems on the market: key systems, PBX systems, KSU-less phones, and VoIP. These systems depict how office telephone systems do more than connect two people in separate locations; now, telephones can connect people in a variety of ways.
The cost of phone system installation and servicing will get expensive. Therefore, researching used phone systems dealers, who will sell you a refurbished phone system, is a good alternative. The used equipment you will receive will be refurbished, tested and should come with a warranty.
The best part is that used systems will still come with the basic telephone features such as call forwarding, extensional dialing and voice mail. In addition, when your business is ready to expand and buy additional features, it’s doable!
Buying tip: The most important thing to remember, however, is to choose a dealer who will handle installation and support. Purchasing from a dealer who doesn’t provide installation and support will cost you down the line when you have to pay different companies for installation and servicing.
Office Equipment
Shopping for office equipment is a lot easier than you would typically imagine; and if you buy used, it can also be a lot cheaper. Today, the standard office equipment like scanners, printers and faxes don’t need to be purchased individually. Instead, you can save a lot of money by purchasing a business copier.
Modern office digital copiers combine copying, laser printing, faxing and scanning into one machine. By buying a used digital copier, you will have more flexibility (money wise) regarding what type of features you want. Digital copiers’ advanced features include: sorting and finishing, image editing, automatic sizing, and wireless connection options.
A used business copier can save you up to 70% of the original retail price – not to mention the extra savings you receive by purchasing a single piece of equipment rather than five individual machines.
Buying tip: It’s important to know what you need your copier to do and to test drive the machine. As a result, it’s a good idea to bring a copying job to the dealer to see how the machine performs.
Starting a new business should be exciting. You should be looking forward to opening up your office doors and not dreading supply prices. Deciding to purchase used furniture, telecommunications equipment, and office machines is one way you’ll increase your spending flexibility.
Sylvia Rosen is an online writer who enjoys writing articles about how business professionals can improve their business and work life. Whether it’s buying tips on how to purchase forklifts or health tips on how to perfect your posture at work, Sylvia enjoys writing about it.
Office furniture image courtesy of Jofco.
