One of the first decisions we face in almost every purchase we make is … should I buy new or second hand? For the particular item you need, will a few cosmetic imperfections matter, or is your purchase likely to have more substantial deficits if somebody has already ‘loved’ it? Your search for office furniture will also be completely different depending on whether you choose to buy new or second hand. There are a few standard arguments on both sides of the ‘new vs used’ debate, and some which are particular to things like office chairs, office desks and other business furniture and fittings. Today we help you make the decision!

New vs Used: The Arguments You Know
We all have personal experience of making a decision between buying new and buying used. We know the temptation of lower price tags and also of having something shiny, new and under warranty. Just as a refresher, here are the standard arguments.

For buying new:
• Items look much nicer
• Most items are warranted to perform for a certain amount of time when purchased new

For buying used:
• It is much cheaper to buy items second hand
• Consequently, you may be able to afford better quality items
• Depreciation is far lower for used items
• Buying used is better for the environment because less electricity, water, manpower and raw materials have been used.

You have probably considered most of these points in thinking about whether you should buy new or second hand office furniture, and ultimately most people fall into one camp or another intuitively. However, you may not have thought about the fact that …

In Business, First Impressions Pay
In your personal life, cosmetic perfection is a choice that’s completely separate from your income. However in business, we know that it takes money to make money … and first impressions can count with your customers. Chipped, scratched or stained office furniture may well be reflecting on your customers’ impressions of your professionalism. Do you want to take that chance?

Lower Cost Investment, Higher Time Investment
In many small businesses, time is at just as much of a premium as cash. Buying second hand may save money, but it inevitably takes more time! It takes time to check out individual used office chairs or desks for quality. It may take time to repair, repolish or repaint an item whose appearance is not up to scratch. It also takes a lot more time to hunt down the best bargains and arrange your own shipping for a non-standard transaction. Remember to translate that time into money, and make your decision about the true value of your used office furniture based on the total cost!

Office Furniture Is Tax Deductible
In most purchasing situations, tax deductibility doesn’t enter the pricing balance picture. However, for office furniture, you need to consider that you’re effectively getting a discount of whatever the corporate tax rate happens to be in the financial year that you make the purchase. Think about it – with a ~30% discount, the benefits of new office chairs and desks can start to outweigh those of buying used.

In the end, if cash flow is exceptionally tight and you are happy to do your own work to bring your used office furniture up to scratch cosmetically, it can be worthwhile. Remember though, that buying new can be rewarding … both for your business image, your schedule and your ultimate satisfaction!

Rosier Commercial Furniture have a large range of office chairs to suit any business environment and design. At Rosier, we know how important having a comfortable and ergonomic office chair can be, which is why we have such a variety on hand. For the full range of office Furniture, visit our website now.