Starting a new business can be pretty scary especially when one expense is coming after another.
The thing is you can’t stop them but you sure can limit it.
For instance, when buying high-end office chairs, don’t buy a new one. Instead, go with the used ones. You can buy them off from Backpage alternative sites for as low as $10.
That’s helpful especially when you’re left with a limited budget.
But don’t get too happy. It’s great that you can save money, there’re some downsides to it too. So, going ahead in this post, I’ll discuss the 5 common problems with Used Chairs & 3 tips that you can keep in your head before buying them. Let’s get started:
5 Problems with Used Office Chairs
No Manufacturer’s Warranty
That’s expected. Everyone who’s trying to buy any older product knows that he’ll get it with NO warranty. Even if there’s some warranty left; it gets NULL & VOID once you buy it off from the original buyer.
And if you’ve purchased used office chairs wholesale then the manufacturer’s warranty becomes even more important. What would you do if there’s a –
😟Weak or worn-out chair cushion.
😟Faulty Recliner.
😟Cracked or worn-out castors.
Well, in such cases, you would be left with only a single option – Take it to the 3rd party furniture repair shops.
Unoriginal Parts
Over the years, the used office furniture market has grown at a rapid pace. There’re hundreds (If not thousands) sellers that deal with the selling of used office furniture.
Such dealers purchase lots of furniture at heavy discounts. And sometimes the bought furniture requires heavy repairing. So, in such cases, dealers use generic parts (Lower Quality) instead of the original parts.
If not today, these lower-quality parts surely create issues in the future.
Shorter Chair Life
As I said at the top, dealers use generic parts to repair the 2nd hand products. And frankly speaking, you do save some sweet money by purchasing used office chairs but be it the use of generic parts or there’s no warranty, a used chair ends up having a shorter life compared to a new office chair.
You can’t expect it to last as long as a brand-new version of the same chair. That would be foolishness.
Parts like…
✅Foam
✅Fabrics
✅Arm pads
✅Cylinders
…are bound to wear out in 2-3 years, if not 5 years (Depends on Chair’s condition)
Hidden Defects
Whenever you buy used Office Chairs, they won’t ever come with any major visible defects. But the more you use it, its hidden defect begins to appear at the TOP.
Maybe:
❌Seat foam has compressed and now bottoms out after a short period of time.
❌The backrest no longer locks into position.
❌Armrests no longer adjust four ways as they are designed to do.
You can’t see every defect in a picture posted on an online listing site. It can come with tons of hidden defects & there’s nothing you would be able to do about it. And when you try to contact the seller, the only response you’ll get is:
Not Always an Economical Choice
The only reason you’ll buy a used chair for your office is – They’re Cheap.
There’s nothing to hide here. But what if, you end up paying more than you estimated?
Would you buy it? Probably not.
I agree. You can save money upfront but in the long run, you might end up paying more than a new chair.
Let’s say, you’ve set up your eyeballs 👀 straight onto a new $1,000+ chair. Such expensive chairs usually come with a warranty of 10-years to Lifetime.
And when you buy the same used office chair at $400, it doesn’t come with –
👎🏻Original Chair Parts.
👎🏻Reliability.
👎🏻And most important of all – Warranty.
You don’t for how long a used chair won’t create any issues. Now, think rationally & try to decide which option is best for you – Used or New.
3 Tips to Consider Before Buying Used Office Chairs
Don’t follow the Marketing Hype.
Marketing hype is here to FOOL you. It’s just another but smart way to make money out of your pocket.
They usually claim used office furniture is “ergonomic” or whatnot Crap but whether it’s new or used, it does NOT necessarily verify a high level of comfort, quality, or even safety.
At last, marketplaces attract you with massive discounts in the form of membership deals. So, do not become greedy & take your decision wisely.
Stay Away from knock-offs.
Even though I won’t ‘claim’ every seller at the online marketplace to be ‘Shady.’ There’s one thing I would happily agree on – Lack of Credible Sellers.
The sellers who sell their product at a lower rate turn out to be unreliable as they re-brand low-quality used office furniture. This way they can stay in the trend with used names like Herman Miller, IKEA, Knoll, and many more.
Focus on Quality
I get it, you want to save some bucks. But what’s the use of that saving when you’re getting used office chairs with pathetic quality.
For instance, look for chairs that have high-density foam padded seats, and quality casters (i.e. chair wheels). Thick chair bases and functional gas pumps (if applicable) are also essential, as is quality fabric.
Final Thoughts
I agree, making a decision between a used and new office chair can be tough. But it’s a decision that you’ve to make.
And the good thing is I’ve listed all the valid points that you can read before making any decision.
What do you want – A long-term investment, which costs more money upfront but gives you a long-term seating solution? Or, do you go the other way which saves some money upfront but lasts less long than a newer one?
And talking about chairs here’s a list of top pc gaming chairs to enhance your overall gaming experience.
That’s all from my side.
Well, whatever your decision is do let me know about it in the comments section given below.
