Everything has a price, and these days, the price of many things is pretty high. Along with rising prices, the value of the dollar just isn’t what it used to be.
With the high cost of living, the “used” market has become increasingly popular in the past few decades. This is true even in the business world. Buying used equipment can save a lot of money, but there are draw backs.
As a seller of some pretty fantastic used equipment, we thought we’d break down the pros and cons of used equipment for people on the fence.
Pros
It’s Cheaper
It’s a bit of a no brainer but this is the biggest advantage of going with used equipment. In fact, it’s where the rest of the pros stem from. Sometimes, going used won’t save you much and you’re better off going with new equipment.
But other times, the price difference makes it almost impossible to say no.
It Leaves You With More Opportunities
It’s important to keep your budget balanced. There’s only so much money to spend and storage/warehouse needs probably aren’t your number one priority. If you go the new route, you might only be able to replace a minor amount of equipment.
But, by going used and saving money, you’re free buy more. Maybe you need some more pallet racking but you’d also like to add a dock leveler. By going the used route, you might just be able to do both.
Cons
Longevity
In most everything, “new” lasts longer than “used”. Maybe you just need something that will hold you off for a while. In that case, used is fine.
But if you’re buying some shelving, dock plates, etc. that you plan on using for a long time to come, you might want to spend the extra money and buy some brand new equipment.
Selection and Options
When a person buys a new car, they have choices of color, styling, interior options, exterior options, and the list goes on. When you buy a used car, you just better hope you like the color and options it has. You’ll probably just have to put up with a few aspects.
It’s pretty similar with industrial warehouse materials. Shelving and loading equipment has a surprising amount of options. By going used, you might not get exactly what you wanted. Then it again, it might be good enough.
Then there’s the variety. As we’ve discussed in this blog previously, there are many different pieces of equipment that belong in warehouses. You might not find used versions of all of them.
It’s Harder
Buying new stuff is easy (except maybe seeing the sticker price). Buying used things takes more effort as you search, inspect, and compare. Still, some people like that sort of thing.
We personally like to believe there is a place for both new and used equipment. That’s why we offer both. If you’re in the market for some used materials, check our inventory here or contact us directly.
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