Buying refurbished IT equipment is a great way to save money, help the environment, and add high-quality gear to any data center. Luckily for you, there are a number of ways to go about finding great deals on refurbished IT equipment online. However, like in any industry, there are folks who employ questionable business practices and operate without regard for ethics, quality or the customer’s best interest. So to help as you look for the newest addition to your data center, here are five things to watch for when purchasing refurbished IT equipment. 1. Know who you’re buying from
To ensure that you’re getting genuine, high-quality refurbished equipment, make sure that you choose a legitimate, reputable dealer. A few questions to ask when verifying the legitimacy of a potential company include:- Do they list a physical address for their business? Can you verify it in Google Maps?
- Do they list a phone number at which they can be reached?
- Is the company a member of an organization such as the Better Business Bureau?
- Does the company's website have an SSL certificate? This ensures that communications (e.g., credit card numbers) between your browser and the site's web servers are private and secure when the SSL session is activated.
2. Make sure they’re committed to quality
You wouldn’t buy a used car from a dealer who didn’t check to see whether it is working properly – the same logic should be applied to purchasing IT equipment. Make sure the company has a quality program in place to verify the authenticity of its products, carries out testing to ensure complete functionality, and performs upgrades to deliver superior performance.3. Find out what type of warranty they offer
One sure sign of a solid company is a warranty that backs the refurbished IT equipment that they offer. Warranties are especially important when it comes to refurbished goods, as a company that offers no warranty at all may not take the time to test their products for quality before selling them to you.4. What’s their return policy?
Make sure the company is willing to work with you when it comes to returns. Beware of the term “all sales final,” as that could be indicative of a less than ethical company trying to unload some half-baked hardware for a quick return.5. Do they offer technical support?
It’s happened to us all before – you buy a brand-new gadget, but can’t seem to get it set up properly. Or, you buy a refurbished server buy can’t figure out how to switch out the memory yourself. Hopefully in cases like this, you’ve had technical support to turn to.
Before buying your next refurbished server, check to see if the company you’re buying from offers technical support. You never know when you might need some guidance when working through an issue – even the most seasoned IT professionals rely on technical support personnel when troubleshooting hardware issues.
