Is copier leasing the right choice for you?

The copier industry generates $24 billion in revenue by selling over 1.5 million new copiers each year. This huge market drives manufacturers to constantly improve their offerings and leads to significant competition among photocopier vendors. In addition, mid-level business copiers cost $5,000 to $10,000, with the best office models going as high as $40,000. Because of the high base cost and the rapidly advancing technology, copier leasing is a more attractive option for many businesses than purchasing one outright.

The primary reason is that a photocopier lease lets you avoid the significant capital outlay required to purchase one outright. In addition, because the technology changes quickly, copier leases often include provisions to trade up to a newer model, allowing you to upgrade without buying anew. Other leases allow you to walk away from a machine, increasing your financial flexibility if you can not afford ongoing monthly payments.

As with most products, however, photocopier leasing is more expensive in the long run. Many leases charge on a per-copy basis and may include monthly copying minimums. To avoid this, make sure your copy volume estimates are accurate. Lowballing your estimate may save you a few dollars a month on the lease, but you'll likely overtax the copier and have to deal with more repairs and downtime than you'd like. And overestimating can come back to hurt you by driving costs up when you don't meet the minimums.

Service agreements

Another benefit of copier leasing is that typical leases include the maintenance required to keep your copier running smoothly, including parts and labor. Unfortunately, "parts" often has a different definition from vendor to vendor. Parts that break during use are almost always covered, as are parts that wear out over time. This includes fuser rollers, cleaning blades, and other parts often bundled in preventative maintenance kits. Make sure you get a comprehensive list of what is and is not covered so you can compare plans accurately.

Consumables like paper and toner are not usually included. Some dealers may try to get you to choose an all-inclusive copier lease that does cover toner and other consumables, but you'll save money buying those products at an office supply store instead. Some copier dealers may falsely claim that you must purchase your consumables through them. This is illegal, so stand your ground.

Emergency repairs

Find out whether your copier lease covers emergency repairs costs. If you will be paying as you go, you should know what your costs will be beforehand. Be sure to get a written commitment on response time (the typical maximum is four hours) and the hours service is available, particularly if you expect the copier to see a lot of use during evenings and weekends.

Also ask about loaner service. Many vendors will provide you with a replacement copier of equal or greater specifications if yours requires significant repairs.

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