Should You Buy New or Refurbished Office Furniture?

When it comes to buying office furniture, whether or not you should buy new or refurbished can be a challenging question to answer. Keep in mind, the furniture in your office is what often gives your potential clients their first impression, along with influencing the morale and productivity of your team.

Also consider, most people spend 40 hours per week sitting in their office chairs. This means finding the most ergonomic chair possible should be your first priority when maximizing productivity is a goal.

But while buying refurbished office furniture may seem financially advantageous because of the cost savings, it may not make the most fiscal sense long-term. There are numerous drawbacks to buying refurbished office furniture, so choosing this route may not be the wise investment you hope for.

To help you choose whether or not new or refurbished office furniture is the right choice for your business, we’ve put together the essential questions you should consider when deciding between new or refurbished.

What Are The Merits Of Buying Refurbished Office Furniture?

Reduced Impact On The Environment

Buying refurbished commercial office furniture helps reduce the carbon footprint of your office furnishings, as no new resources are needed to fulfill your furniture needs. Also, it keeps furniture out of landfills for longer.

Cost Savings

A primary reason for buying refurbished office furniture is cost savings. But remember, this is equipment you’ll use for years, so the overall costs of ownership are relevant to the decision. Always choose quality first when purchasing a refurbished piece of office furniture that you’re certain will last for many years to come while serving you well.

Creating Whimsical Atmospheres

Refurbished office furniture can be perfect when you’d prefer a more whimsical atmosphere that’s customized by you and your team for your very own vibe. The cost savings opens up your budget for livening up the look or taking the comfort up a notch. Reupholstering or adding better padding are some great ways to transform the refurbished into the sublime.

Drawbacks To Buying Refurbished Office Furniture

Little To No Warranty Coverage

Most refurbished office furniture is sold “as is, no warranty.” Many warranties only apply to the original owner, so that ten-year warranty from the manufacturer becomes irrelevant when you’re buying refurbished.

For businesses, a warranty is essential when buying office furniture because it protects your investment and prevents unexpected expenditures on overhead, so don’t discount this key factor.

Refurbished Office Furniture Is Often More Expensive Long-Term

Refurbished office furniture that comes with a low price tag often comes with numerous hidden problems as well. Tiny details like broken hinges, inoperable drawers, and missing keys for locking cabinets can end up costing you hundreds more per piece of furniture in the long run. Most of the time, the cheaper the furniture, the more costly it is to own long-term.

More Difficult To Match With Current Furniture

Refurbished furniture often has older, out-of-date designs, and the selection is usually sparse. This makes it difficult to bring cohesion to the design of your office interior. Matching modern furniture usually means buying new so you can be certain the colors are spot-on and the ergonomic features are up to date. And don’t forget about sizing. Some chairs may change in size from one design generation to the next, making them look haphazard when grouped together.

Fluctuations Between Furniture Finishes

It can be tough finding perfectly matched office furniture colors and finishes when buying refurbished. When appearance is important to you, buying multiple pieces of the same type of furniture often requires buying new to ensure everything looks uniform and clean.

Reduced Inventories

If you have a lot of office space to fill, reduced inventories can make sourcing similar pieces next to impossible. When desks, chairs, and space dividers demand uniformity for the look you’re after, it’s far easier to simply buy new office furniture. Opting for refurbished greatly reduces your selection of brand, model, color, and quality because it’s almost always sold on a first come, first serve basis.

Parts May Have Been Replaced With Lesser Components

Rebranding parts can be a problem you uncover when searching for refurbished office furniture. While most refurbished office furniture dealers are trustworthy companies, there are undoubtedly some less than honest sellers out there who rebrand low-quality refurbished office furniture so they can claim to offer the lowest pricing. Always beware offers that are significantly lower than other sellers.

Are Refurbished Or New Ergonomic Chairs Better For You?

When deciding whether to buy a new or a refurbished ergonomic office chair, there are several important factors to look for. Will clients or investors visit your office often? If that’s the case, a new and modern set of office chairs will deliver a statement of quality better than refurbished furniture can.

Don’t forget about the age of those using the office furniture the majority of the time. More youthful teams demand new, modern, and well-designed furniture, and will shy away from working at companies that try to force them into environments full of stuffy and antiquated furniture.

Weigh Your Overall Cost Of Ownership With The Risks

While new ergonomic office furniture can appear pricey at first, opting for refurbished office furniture often carries significant risks, both financial and aesthetically.

The long-term benefits of having a warranty, a more attractive environment for clients and team members, and owning furniture that operates flawlessly every day is hard to put a price tag on. In most cases, your best case scenario is prioritizing long term value over short term capital requirements by choosing newer, more ergonomically-correct office furniture that you’re sure will serve you and your team for years to come.

G|M Is Here To Help You Elevate Your Workplace

G|M is committed to helping you select attractive, innovative office furniture that delivers a more comfortable and productive working environment day after day. For inspiration, come check out one of our showrooms in Riverside, Irvine, or San Diego. Our mission is helping our clients elevate their workplaces! Call or click today to get started.