Most of us wouldn’t think twice about buying a previously-owned car, but when it comes to refurbished IT - be it servers, storage or networking equipment - there are still enough misconceptions out there to make some businesses hesitant to make the switch.
To highlight the benefits and help bust those myths, we asked our sales account manager Connor McKillop about the key differences between refurbished and new IT.
How much could someone potentially save by buying refurbished IT?
Depending on what you’re buying, savings can range from 10- 80%, but typically, if you are comparing a current model to a refurbished option on a like-for-like basis, you’ll usually save about 30-50% by opting for refurbished.
The biggest savings can usually be found when buying either switches, hard drives, or a previous generation of server – in these cases, discounts of 70-75% are not unusual.
Is it still much quicker and easier to get hold of refurbished IT?
Over the past year or so, the global supply chains that manufacturers rely on have been experiencing long delays, and we see no signs of that trend changing any time soon. As a result, current waiting times for new servers can be up to 8 weeks, and for switches and storage arrays, this can be several months.
In contrast, anything you see on the ETB website is in stock, so all we need to do is build and test your equipment and ship it to you – and you’ll receive it in 2-3 days. Component orders can even be shipped the same day. This makes refurbished the ideal solution for when you need to extend your IT capabilities and don’t have luxury of waiting.
Will refurbished IT break down more often?
Some people still have the view that refurbished is less reliable, but this just isn’t the case. Similar to cars, with new IT products, most failures happen in the first few weeks after purchase. When you buy refurbished, any such teething problems will have been identified and resolved already.
When buying from ETB, you’ll also have the added reassurance that we have tested it to your configuration before it is shipped to you – this doesn’t happen when you buy new!
At ETB most of our equipment also comes with a three-year warranty, so in the unlikely event that something does go wrong, you’re covered – and if we can’t fix it, we will replace like-for-like. Our warranties are robust, with our standard warranty covering you for 3-years. Customers can also upgrade to on-site warranties. We can offer from next business day cover, up to 4-hour fix cover, meaning they can benefit from the same or better cover than they’d get from new equipment.
What about availability of spare parts for refurbished IT?
This just isn’t a problem, thanks to the wide ecosystem of spare parts that exists out there. We have a huge bank of spare parts at ETB that are ready to ship, so much so that we regularly supply the OEM spares channel.
Is refurbished IT really greener? Doesn’t older equipment use more energy?
Refurbished is undoubtedly the greener option. As part of a circular economy, when you buy refurbished equipment, it prevents it from ending up as landfill, and you’re reducing your carbon footprint because you’re not increasing demand for manufacturing new equipment.
We’re often asked if this benefit is cancelled out by the fact that older equipment uses more energy – and while this might have been an issue in the past, it is no longer the case. Energy efficiency is now largely equal from 13th generation onwards, with the same power supplies now used across multiple generations. 15th generation servers do use slightly less energy than 13th and 14th gen equivalents, but not so much that it offsets the carbon used to produce a new piece of equipment.
What about scalability?
The option for scalability is the same with refurbished as it would be if you bought new. Even modular systems that are generations old are still compatible with newer servers.
And finally, does buying refurbished come at the cost of performance?
We always say that unless you are a high-frequency stockbroker who is turning stocks and shares at lightning speed, where every millisecond counts, refurbished IT can meet your performance needs. The majority of businesses would never notice any difference in performance between a 14th gen and 15th gen server, for example.
If Connor has convinced you that refurbished IT could be the best solution for your business, contact us to see how ETB can help. Our friendly sales team are always ready to answer your questions.
