Used photocopiers can be an excellent alternative if you have cost constraints or are concerned about the environment. We tell you more in this article.
Are used photocopiers really cheaper?
The first and obvious reason for preferring used photocopiers to new one is price. A brand-new copier costs anything between 3000€ and 8000€ depending on its technical characteristics (number of copies per minute; black & white versus colour) and on its accessories (paper feeder, type of finisher, number of cassettes).
On the other hand, price of used photocopiers mainly depends on their potential i.e. their remaining life. Of course model, age, accessories, brand are important but what you buy is the guarantee of being able to print so many pages. As a rule of thumb, if you are a stockist buying directly from brokers you will pay between a tenth and a fifth of the price of a new copier.
The used V new effect.
Manufacturers have long understood that to ensure regular sales and business growth they must offer new models every 2 or 3 years. This has nothing to do with early equipment wear and everything to do with the excess of consumerism. A used photocopier, say a 35 page-per-minute, that has printed 250 000 pages has only covered 1/8 of its life. A photocopier is no affected by programmed obsolescence. It is not built with cheap components, and rarely suffer from low-quality design and manufacturing. A photocopier is a sturdy machine built to last and, provided it is well looked after, will take you a long way.
How to understand pricing?
In fact, for better understanding, you may want to compare the photocopier market to the car market. Beyond the brand effect (German cars are more expansive than budget cars), used car prices are largely determined by their engine size and mileage. Likewise, used photocopiers prices have a direct relation with the number of pages they printed (mileage), with engine power (number of copies per minute they can print) and with their accessories.
Which country to buy used photocopiers from?
Not all used photocopiers are the same. The country where copiers spent their first life in is key to their life expectancy. It is a fact that Southern European countries do not offer the same quality products as Northern ones. Take for example a Canon IRAC 3330 with around 250 000 pages and you will have a different machine whether it comes from Spain or Belgium. Why? For a start, southern countries have a smaller domestic market than Northern ones. Then, it seems that due to climate conditions, machines age badly (plastic parts turn yellow rapidly). Perhaps there is also a maintenance issue. So if you are after quality used photocopiers, our recommendation is to buy them from a broker in Belgium, France, Germany, or The Netherlands.
The origin of used copiers
The type of company that sold used copiers to brokers in the first place is also a factor. Does your broker buy its good from a photocopier distributor or from the manufacturer itself? The difference could be crucial to you.
Distributors have a tendency to strip photocopiers from their spare parts before selling them to brokers. By comparison, manufacturers work with large batches of machines and outsource logistics to agencies that have no interest in spare parts. This means that if your preferred broker buy directly from manufacturers, chances are that you get first quality products.
As a word of conclusion, prefer used photocopiers to new ones but make sure you understand how your broker operates.
Please read our guide to compatible consumables for used copiers.
