| Don't have the funds to buy a new car or want to | | | | for non-critical tasks and new computers for the more |
| upgrade your IT department? Wondering about the | | | | important functions. Still others have taken the plunge |
| connection between these unrelated needs? The | | | | and say that refurbished computers work as well as |
| answer is refurbished or used goods. Today, these | | | | the new ones. |
| are widely sold and bought in the United States and | | | | In the case of used cars, developed countries like the |
| the world over, despite concerns about reliability and | | | | United States and Japan are among the biggest |
| safety. | | | | exporters and countries like New Zealand and Russia |
| Refurbished goods can range from computers to | | | | are among the importers. There is also a great |
| clothing. They are generally returned to the company | | | | demand for used car parts in many developing |
| that manufactured them either because they had | | | | countries. However, this is one side of the coin, as |
| some defect or because the customer did not want | | | | many other developing countries ban the entry of used |
| or could not afford them. Used computers and cars | | | | foreign vehicles or impose heavy taxes on such |
| are perhaps the most bought among refurbished | | | | vehicles. Second hand clothes are another item of |
| goods. Even MNCs like IBM, HP, and Dell sell | | | | global trade, but compared to the export of new |
| refurbished computers. Customers include small to | | | | clothes their trade is much less. Most governments cite |
| medium size organizations and individuals. Customers | | | | health reasons to ban the entry of refurbished foreign |
| go for refurbished computers primarily because they | | | | clothes, while others accept them only in the form of |
| are less expensive than new ones. Another reason is | | | | donations. These measures are usually taken to |
| system upgrade. Used hardware can be employed to | | | | protect local manufacturing industries. Used machinery |
| upgrade IT systems without having to change or refit | | | | and medical devices also face conditional import bans |
| the entire IT systems. Used computers also help if | | | | or outright bans. In the case of conditional bans, they |
| older versions are required to match a company's | | | | are subject to technical tests. |
| existing system. | | | | Most refurbished goods can be purchased without |
| IT managers are divided on the issue of purchasing | | | | apprehension and used reliably, especially if they are |
| refurbished computers because they do not come | | | | bought from reputed organizations and come with a |
| with the same warranty as new computers and no | | | | warranty. Instead of banning import of such goods, |
| one can say for sure how they were used or for | | | | strict quality control measures can be put in place. |
| what purpose. Therefore, some IT managers reject | | | | After all, refurbished goods are cheap and many help |
| the concept of used computers outright. Others adopt | | | | to save on scare natural resources. |
| a middle path, purchasing used computers and servers | | | | |