Many customers come into my store wondering what to do with their old office equipment after upgrading. If you have an older printer or copier that you no longer need, there are a number of options available to you. You can either throw it out with the trash, you can take it to an electronics recycling facility, or your can talk to the people you currently deal with for your copier and printer needs.

Your Options for Old Office Equipment

When it comes to the best advice on what to do with your old office equipment, there’s likely no one more knowledgeable than the person who you’re dealing with already. Copier dealers have connections, like people who pick up copier parts for scrap, for example. They usually can help dispose of any machine.

Another option you have with your current copier dealer is a potential trade in. Generally people in my business take trade ins, as long as the machine is not too old and is still worth something.

Copier machines are not as bad as computers with holding value. They’re not as great as cars though, but they fall somewhere in between. When it comes to computers, the industry keeps improving on these machines. New features are added, new software comes out that requires more power to run it, and so on. When it comes to office equipment, if you buy a machine that does everything at the time, then after 2 or 3 years it will still be able to do everything. Innovation in office equipment is not like it is with computers.

A copier is still worth something after a few years, whereas a computer is worth next to nothing after a few years. A copier machine costing $5,000 new will cost around $500 after a few years. In fact, if you can get that amount, that’s a lot. If it’s a relatively new machine it should at least have some sort of value that could make it worth trading in. When you trade in an old machine you can always get some sort of credit if you are replacing it.

You’re not totally out of luck even if your machine is a little bit older, as I said earlier there may still be may still be value for parts. Parts in an old car are worth more than the car itself if you can sell it that way. The same goes for copier and printer machines.

So if you’re wondering what to do with old equipment, first see if you can trade it in. If your equipment is too old and a trade in doesn’t work, then scrap it. Even a little printer can be taken to a superstore like Staples, who will give you a credit for a new one, or new toner or supplies.
When it comes to old equipment, always look to trade it in if you can. If you can’t and have to scrap it then the person who can definitely help you would be the person you currently deal with. If you have any other questions about old office equipment, please leave a comment below.