Finance Larry Brooks on 16 Dec 2007
Tips to Help You Purchase a Color Copier
Have you been thinking about the purchase of a color copier? Well the good news is that color copiers are less expensive than a few years ago. And the newer copiers have a lot more features than before.
Tired of running to the copy shop all the time? If so, then maybe it’s time to consider purchasing a new color copier for your business.
If you are replacing a machine or buying for the first time, there are a few things to consider. Modern copiers are now multifunction document handling systems. Do you want to purchase a new or a used machine? Please be aware that some older copiers may be analog and will require more maintenance than the newer digital copiers. Most digital copiers are capable of being used as a printer, a scanner and some as a fax machine.
One thing to consider is your monthly copy volume. If you only need a couple of hundred copies per month, you might be fine with a copy speed of 10 cpm. If you do a couple of thousand per month, you might think about a 20 - 50 cpm machine. Just remember 100 copies will take 10 min. on a 10 cpm copier.
If you purchase a color copier with a decent speed and all the features and network it to all your work stations, all your people will have access to a high speed printer with many features from their desk top.
If you are currently using individual printers at each work station, networking to a centralized copier/printer should show a large savings
Will you need a service contract? If you choose one of the smaller units, some of them are designed to be serviced by the purchaser. Then you don’t really need a contract. For the larger units that only allow you to replace a toner cartridge, a contract is probably in order. Be sure to research this depth.
So here are a few other things you might look into.
* Do you need one color copier or more?
* You will have to plan on an initial outlay plus monthly costs.
* Leasing usually includes maintenance and sometimes supplies.
* If you need black and white and color copies? How many?
* What would be best for you? A plain color copier or a multifunction copier?
When you purchase a color copier, the more research you do the better your chance of buying just exactly what you need.