| Schools, businesses or individuals looking to | | | | proliferation of eBay, buying someone's old |
| purchase new computers can save quite a bit of | | | | computer IS NOT anything like buying a |
| money by buying pre-owned, recently off-lease | | | | professionally refurbished, off-lease computer |
| machines from a reputable dealer.Businesses lease | | | | from a company that does nothing but refurb |
| their PCs for a period of time - typically 2 or 3 | | | | computers for a living. Stick with reputable |
| years. At the end of the lease, the equipment | | | | businesses that have a purpose.THIRD - GET A |
| comes back to close out the lease. Similar to an | | | | FULL WARRANTY.Settle for nothing less than a |
| automobile lease (where you'd return the vehicle | | | | 1-year warranty, but ask for 3-year coverage. |
| to your local dealer), the computer equipment has | | | | But looking deeper than the length of the |
| to come back to the processing facility with | | | | warranty. If the company is offering a 3-year |
| normal wear and tear. On a vehicle, that could | | | | warranty, but hasn't been in business that long, |
| mean quite a bit. But on a computer, the only | | | | skip it. Move on.FOURTH - ASK FOR A TRIAL.A |
| significant "wear and tear" is on the keyboard and | | | | few companies will actually allow you to "test |
| the mouse. Sure, the moving components inside | | | | drive" their equipment prior to committing to a |
| (i.e the hard drive, cd-rom, and the floppy drive, | | | | larger purchase. End-users looking for a personal |
| and fans) are used, but about 95% of these | | | | computer for themselves won't get in on the trial |
| components are still functioning properly.Off-lease | | | | offer, but a business or school that is looking to |
| refurbs are NOT to be confused with factory | | | | outfit their entire organization with "like" machines |
| refurbished equipment. Equipment that comes | | | | is a good candidate for a trial. Worst case - buy |
| back to the original equipment manufacturers (i.e | | | | one. See how it looks. See how the company |
| Dell, HP, Compaq, Gateway, etc.) gets into the | | | | handles tech support (even if there is no problem |
| refurb channel for a number of different reasons, | | | | with the equipment).FINALLY - YOU ARE BUYING |
| but most noteable customer returns. In other | | | | THE COMPANY, NOT JUST THE PC.The initial |
| words, the goods came back because the | | | | quality of the PC is telling, but if you are relying on |
| customer had a problem or didn't like what they | | | | the warranty, you are actually buying the |
| got.But how do you know which companies offer | | | | company, not just the PC.BOTTOM LINE -You |
| good off-lease refurbs, and which ones are | | | | can get one heck of a deal buying refurbished, |
| "lemons"?FIRST - REFURBS CAN ONLY BE AS | | | | off-lease computer equipment from the right |
| GOOD AS THE BRAND NEW EQUIPMENT.To that | | | | dealer. You should expect to save at least 50% |
| end, my advice is to stick with "corporate grade" | | | | off of corporate grade, brand new, Pentium |
| equipment ~ the Dell Optiplex, the Compaq EVO, | | | | 4-grade PCs OR 75% or more on lessor |
| to name just a few. Stay clear of anything "retail | | | | machines (ie. if you are placing the equipment into |
| grade" like the Dell Dimension, HP Pavilion, Compaq | | | | an elementary school, you don't need Pentium |
| Presario. These PCs were designed for end-users, | | | | 4-class PCs - you need reliable PCs that will run |
| NOT businesses. If they aren't good enough to | | | | the software you run regularly).Sean Dion has |
| run a business, why would you want | | | | been in the secondary computer market since |
| them?SECOND - STICK WITH REPUTABLE | | | | 1993. He currently runs the division of TKO |
| BUSINESSES.Ask for references or referrals. Find | | | | Electronics, Inc. For additional information about |
| out if how long they've been in business and ask | | | | the TKOED program or the author, visit email , or |
| if they are a member of the Better Business | | | | call TOLL FREE (877)219-6228. |
| Bureau. Check for complaints. With the | | | | |