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Office Supply, Office Equipment:
How-To Purchase Office Equipment For Less

Office Supply, Office Equipment: One of the first tasks in starting up an office is the purchasing of office equipment (honestly, you didn't expect your employees to sit on the floor, did you?).  Purchasing office equipment can be one of the most expensive parts of setting up an office, but if you don't have a great deal of money toward the equipment, there are many ways to get the most for your buck. To do this, however, you should be prepared to do some leg work, and you may have to try more than one option before finding what is best for you. Therefore, here are some basic methods to get your office furnished and operating:

• Buy it used. 
• Consider last year's model.  
• Surf the Internet.  
• Haggle.  
• Buy multiple-task machines.  
• Take advantages of finance deals.

Tips

1. Buy It Used. This is best with office furniture, in that you can see what you get. A chair is a chair, and unless it falls apart when you sit in it or has duct tape across the bottom, it's still going to be a chair a year from now. There are plenty of discount office furniture stores looking to get rid of their surplus, so be ready to haggle.
   PROS: Cheap, cheap, cheap.
   CONS: You get what you pay for, in most cases. Ugly furniture is never a bargain.

2. Last Year's Model Is Better Than Nothing. Computer equipment changes on what seems like a daily basis. If you do not need the absolute latest in technology, most computer stores will sell a previous model for a discounted price. Be careful though: sometimes models on discount are that way because of problems with the system. Do your homework.
   PROS: If you just need a word processor, this is a great way to save money.
   CONS: Your competitor may have the latest technology, and it may increase their productivity.

   "Friendship is constant in all other things, save in the office and affairs of love." - George Santayana (1863-1952)

3. Surf The Internet. Not only are there hundreds of websites out there selling equipment, you can also use auction sites to find bargains. While the auction site might not be the best way to buy something that is sensitive like a computer, equipment such as phones, furniture and office manuals might be a good fit.
   PROS: Catch an auction on the right day, and you've got a steal!
   CONS: Sight unseen merchandise can be a problem. Caveat emptor.

4. Haggle. The worst thing that can happen with a salesperson is that they are going to say that cannot give you a price. They will not kick you out of the store, and if they do, there is always another store in which to try this approach.
   PROS: Improve your negotiation skills while getting a bargain!
   CONS: Poor negotiating could burn bridges. Be prepared when haggling. 

5. Buy Multiple-Task Machines. If you can find a combination fax machine/printer for less than the two of them separate, this may be a good way to kill two birds with one stone. It would be recommended to buy them separate, because usually the quality will be better, but this is at least an option if the budget suggests so.
   PROS: Not only saves money, but space, as well.
   CONS: Putting two items together sometimes equals two mediocre devices. Remember that toaster oven you had?

6. Creative Financing. If you cannot buy it all at once, and you want to own the equipment rather than lease it, financing is an option. Major chain stores often have deals that let you not make a payment for up to a year. If you think that you can pay it off before the clemency period, then go for it. 
   PROS: While you won't pay less, you'll pay less at first.
   CONS: If you don't pay it during the clemency period, you've lost a bargain.