Secondhand office furniture: saving money for your business

When looking to fit out your office, you should choose the very best office furniture that you can afford. But this doesn't mean you have to buy new. Indeed, buying secondhand office furniture is often a far better - and far more cost effective - approach.

"Second-hand office furniture is very reasonably priced," says Don Richards from Recycled Office Shop. "You can find really high quality second-hand office furniture at a tiny fraction of what it would cost new."

The perfect match

If you've got specific and exact requirements in terms of shape or design for your office furniture, then buying new or custom-made items may be your best bet. But in most other instances you should be able to find used office furniture at most second-hand dealers that will meet your needs. 

"It's a good idea to spend a little more time shopping around to find the perfect second-hand furniture for your needs," says Don. "You'll also get a good idea of price comparisons."

Brand-new rubbish

As is the case with all consumer items, with new office furniture there's a broad spread of quality, from the excellent down to the very poor.

Many cheaper imported office furniture items are made to lower construction standards, do not last well, and represent a waste of money. In fact, you can usually buy a top-quality used item for a lot less than these imports.

Choose with care

The key to buying used office furniture is to examine it closely to ascertain its quality. In particular, Don recommends that you examine: 

• the timber or metal used in the furniture
• the finishes
• the upholstery.

He also suggests that you check to see that the joints are solid.

Benefits of buying used office furniture 

Buying second-hand office furniture means you can buy higher quality items for a lower price. These higher quality - but older - items will be more likely to:

• have a longer lifespan
• be better for the environment (recycling)
• provide a wide range of styles and choices
• save you money in the long run.

Finding it

Many companies specialising in new office furniture also have a second-hand division, while other firms specialise in second-hand office furniture. You can also find used office furniture in general second-hand furniture dealerships around the country.

If you're lucky you might even come across entire suites of top-quality secondhand office furniture. Once in your office, nobody will know you bought them second hand. So talk to a secondhand office furniture dealer today to freshen up your office with some quality second-hand gear.