Buying a multifunctional copier/printer/scanner can be confusing. If you are not familiar with the products, it can be difficult to find the right copier to suit your needs. Here are some guide lines to help you to choose the right machine and supplier.

1. What will the copier be used for? 
2. Personal copiers 
3. Business copiers 
4. Commercial copiers
5. Where to buy a copier 
6. Financing a copier
7. Buying a second hand copier
8. Warranties and Service contracts
9. Environmental disposal
10. Hidden Costs
11. Summary

If you want us to help you with the purchase, please click here.

 

1. What will the copier be used for?
The first step is to determine exactly what your needs are.

How many people will use the machine? Approximately how many pages per month will you print? What will you be using your printer/copier for?  Will the copier be connected to a computer or network? Do you want to fax from the machine as well as directly from your computer? Do you want to use the machine as a scanner? Would it be helpful to be able to email from the machine? Will you use the copier at a large office? Or is this a copier for your home or personal use? Where will you put the copier? Do you have a limited amount of space?

Will you be copying documents or photos? If photographs are involved, you may need a higher scanning resolution to achieve the quality you require. Will you need to print in colour? Would you like to integrate document management software? Or are you simply looking for a stand alone unit? Once you have answered these questions, you are ready to determine which copier will best suit your needs.

We can also help you with a free print audit.

2. Personal copiers
Personal copiers are typically small, desk-top sized units designed specifically with the single user in mind. Personal copiers are usually simple to set up and use. Most have an instant-on feature, meaning you do not have to wait for the copier/printer to warm up before using it. The printer cartridges can almost always be replaced by the owner without any special tools or instruction, and they are the least expensive copier to purchase.

These copiers, however, are only designed to print up to 1,500 pages per month, and can be comparatively expensive to operate as they use cartridge based technology. These copiers are also fairly slow. These are the reasons why these machines are designed for small usage.

3. Business copiers
Business copiers are the most common type of copier purchased. Even if space is an issue, it should be possible to find a business copier to suit your needs. These copiers typically can produce from 5000 to 50,000 copies per month, and only cost an average of one cent per print to operate. Business machines are modular and can be fitted with most required features including sorting and stapling.

These copiers are sturdy and reliable and once you choose the correct model to suit your print volumes they will add to productivity and efficiency within your office. All of these systems are serviced in-house, which means downtime on your machine is reduced to a minimum. This grade of copier is the most versatile, spanning the greatest range when size, price and features are considered.

Click here if you need more advice on business copiers.

4. Commercial copiers
Commercial copiers are designed specifically for large offices or those persons requiring a very large number of copies in a very short period of time. They typically copy and print at speeds of 50 to 105 pages per minute. They have a low operating cost of less than one cent per printed page. It is possible to print between 100,000 – 250,000 pages per month with a commercial copier, and even at this volume they tend to be very reliable over a long period of time.

5. Where to buy a copier
Once you’ve decided what you need your copier to do and have a general idea of the features you require, you are ready to start looking. But where should you look?

A good place to start is to contact an authorised reseller of a well known brand. In a professional company the sales staff should be knowledgeable, so should be able to answer any additional questions you have, and should be able to help you foresee any potential issues before they arise.

You can ask for references as it is always interesting to speak with current clients of the company to assess their experiences of technical service, staff and the customer service generally. This is important as you are entering into a long term relationship with this organisation.

6. Financing a copier
A very popular option is to opt for a contract hire plan instead of buying outright. There are three major advantages of the contract hire plan.

1. There is no capital outlay.
2. You pay for the equipment as you use it.
3. You can keep up to date with changing technology. 

Please refer to the benefits of the contract hire plan for more details.

7. Buying a second hand copier
Another option is to purchase a second hand copier. Buying a second hand copier significantly lowers the purchase price, and can still offer years of reliable service. The best way to buy a used copier is from an authorised reseller of a well known brand name.

Most authorised resellers lease out new copiers, and then sell them when they are upgraded. In these cases, the copiers will typically have been well maintained, and should function well for many years. You may want to be more careful if you are considering purchasing a used copier from its previous owner. Find out why they are getting rid of it.

Make sure it works and has been maintained appropriately and serviced regularly. Also satisfy yourself that you will be able to get a service contract from the brand authorised service agent.

Click here to view our range of secondhand copiers.

8. Warranties and Service contracts
Whether you are buying or leasing a copier, one thing you need to make sure you understand before finalising the deal is the warranty / level of service cover you are getting.

There are many different warranty and service options, and you will want to understand exactly what is covered in case something breaks or your copier refuses to work. On new copiers, manufacturer’s warranties range from 30 days to one year, but it is possible to get a comprehensive service contract which will cover all service, preventative maintenance service, all consumable and non consumable parts and in some cases they can even cover all toners.

Be careful as some warranties only cover limited parts or certain malfunctions, while others are truly comprehensive warranties. If you are purchasing from an authorised reseller, the sales staff should be able to explain, in detail, the warranties and service options.

9. Environmental Disposal
If you are upgrading an old machine check with possible suppliers if they will environmentally dispose of your old machine and will they charge you for this? Most reputable suppliers will be part of the WEEE recycling scheme, whereby machines will be broken down into their constituent parts and those parts will be sent for recycling.

10. Hidden Costs
Always check with a potential supplier that their cost covers Delivery, installation, networking of all of your workstations and full staff training. Some suppliers may charge extra for these services in an effort to advertise a lower cost price.

If you are to get the most out of your new system it is essential that your staff are given full training. There are many features on new digital systems and if your staff know how to use them it will significantly increase productivity and efficiency within your organisation.

11. Summary
Buying a copier can be difficult, confusing, and expensive. However, if you take your time, research all your options appropriately, and ask enough questions, then you can end up with the right machine to do the right job for the right price. Remember to scope out your needs before you start shopping for copiers.

Make sure the copiers that you are considering are really going to meet your needs. If you think that you may have the need to upgrade to newer technology every few years as it becomes available, consider financing your copier.

If you aren’t incredibly comfortable with your knowledge of copiers and their features, you should strongly consider purchasing from an authorised reseller of a well known brand where a sales representative will be available to answer all of your questions.

 

---