Side Street Technology Blog

Are you planning to do a laptop refresh?

Operational units that are currently in-service can bring good value because vendors that buy used laptops will need to do little repair to prepare them for resale.

Do you have laptops taking up space in an office or storage room?

Out-of-service units whether they are operational, partially operational, or just for parts are also of value. Vendors that buy used laptops can oftentimes use parts from a few non-functioning units to make a fully functioning unit. Vendors that buy used laptops can also sell other complete non-functioning units to businesses that may be looking for parts to help repair a unit that is currently having problems. This allows businesses to extend the life of their current units.

Most used laptops have value, whether they are operational, partially operational, or are usable for parts. Your laptop may be worth more than you think to vendors that buy used laptops.

There are four common methods of retiring a laptop including:

1. Throw it away
2. Sell it to a used equipment dealer
3. Sell it or give it to an employee
4. Donate it to charity

Guess which costs the most? No, it’s not throwing it away. It’s selling or giving it to an employee!

No matter which method you choose, old programs and files must be removed from the laptop. However, when you sell or give the used laptop to an employee, you also have to prepare and test the system for the new employee. Reinstalling software and customizing the system for the new user can be time consuming. Selling the used laptop to employees, rather than giving it as a perk, can help you recover some of these costs, but you still have to advertise the sale and track and record the transaction. Don’t forget that you might have to take the laptop back if there is a problem.

Giving a computer to a charity is almost as expensive. Yes, you get a tax write-off but you generally have to clean and prepare the system, assign a price (that the IRS will accept) and do some record-keeping.

When you throw the laptop away, you don’t recover any value from the unit, especially having taken the time to clean the unit. Also, laptops should be handled in a more environmentally friendly manner through recycling.

Selling it to a used equipment dealer who buys used laptops can be a nice alternative, especially if the vendor specializes in buying used laptops. A vendor that specializes in buying used laptops can clean the system for you and provide a certificate for your records. Even if you still desire to clean the laptops yourself, you don’t have the expense of installing software and reconfiguring the system.

A vender that specializes in buying used laptops may be able to offer you the most value.

So, what’s a used laptop worth?

Did you know that your used laptops may be worth more than you might think? Because laptops are small, they can be shipped at low cost helping enable a strong after market for used units. Additionally, used laptops can be great starter computers for kids, students going to college, or for businessman with basic computing needs such as word processing, e-mail, and Internet browsing.

Vendors that buy used laptops look for several criteria to determine the value of a unit including brand/model, specifications, and condition.

Brands, Models and Laptop Value

The first factor that vendors who buy used laptops look at in determining the value of a used laptop is the brand and model. That’s correct, it’s not age. While age is a factor, more important is the brand and model. A five year old Toshiba 6100 might have more value than a three year old Dell Latitude, for example. The brand and model determine the technical specifications of the unit. The key specifications of the used laptop that determines value is:

• Processor Type (Pentium II, Pentium III, Pentium IV)
• Processor Speed
• RAM size
• Hard Drive size
• Optical Drive Type
• OS Type (Win XP, Win 2K, Win NT, Win ME, Win 98)

Vendors that buy used laptops also look at the supply and demand of a particular brand and model. Some units are harder to find while other models have been saturated in the market. Harder to find models of used laptops will often times have greater value.

Weight and size can also add to the value of the unit. Ultra-light laptops can sometimes bring greater value to vendors that buy used laptops. On the flip side, heavier units which are powerful and are used for “laptop” desktops can also bring greater value.

Some models are known to have certain issues and that can affect pricing. For example, on certain models of Dell Latitudes, the mouse embedded in the keyboard makes an indention on the screen.

You will find that all brands including Dell, IBM/Lenova, HP/Compaq, Toshiba, Sony, Fujitsu, and ACER will have units that run the spectrum of value.

Vendors that buy used laptops may offer a couple of options to obtain a quote and buy your units.

Option 1: Specific Quote

For a specific quote, you provide detailed information about the specifications of the used laptops or information such as Service Tags where the specifications can be obtained from the manufacturer’s Web site. Information that is needed includes:

1) Number of units

2) Hardware specifications

Model Number
Processor Speed
RAM size
Hard Drive size
Optical Drive Type
OS Type (Win 98, Win XP, Win 2K)
OS COA sticker on bottom (Y/N)

3) Condition of units (operational, partially operational, parts, recyclable)

Option 2: General Quote (after shipping quote)

For the professional that is too busy to assess their used laptops, units can be assessed by the equipment vendor after the units are shipped. A price is agreed upon after the units are assessed.

When a used laptop is recycled, this means there is a reduction in environmental liability and accountability for all hazardous materials contained in discarded equipment.

The benefits of recycling include:

• You have the knowledge that your electronics discards will not become a future liability.
• RCRA compliant recovery and recycling with “end-of-life” certification.
• All materials that cannot be reused are sorted into various categories and marketed for recycling.
• All processes are tracked and compliant with environmental regulatory agencies.
• Each lot of material is assigned a control number when a movement is originated and tracked until final disposition.

A Special Note about Data Cleansing and Destruction

When a used laptop is recycled, recycling companies offer special services regarding harddrives and your sensitive data. These special services include:

• Guaranteed security of your proprietary products with complete data cleansing and removal on all media
• Total data destruction through shredding provided at your request
• Certificates of Recycle and total Data Destruction provided

Conclusion

When utilizing a vendor that specializes in used laptops, there is no waste. Units are first refurbished. If a unit can’t be refurbished, it is used or sold for parts. What’s remaining is recycled.

When looking for a vendor that buys used laptops, some factors to consider are pricing, convenience, and professionalism.

An equipment dealer that specializes in buying used laptops may be able to offer more per unit than you would receive selling the used laptops in lots combined with desktops, servers, printers, and other computer related equipment. This extra value for your used laptop computers can help offset the cost of new units. Vendors that buy used laptops typically pay for shipping so you have no expenses.

Data Cleansing: Intellectual Capital and Sensitive Data. Because you need to ensure intellectual capital and sensitive data is removed from used laptop harddrives, vendors that specialize in buying used laptops are accustomed to your sensitive data needs. Options to remove sensitive data include a re-install of the OS, one-pass disk wipe, and multi-pass DOD compliant disk wipe.

Your time is also very important. Vendors that specialize in buying used laptops can make packing and removal of your used laptops easy and quick. Packers can be made available to help facilitate packing, if necessary.

Last, when dealing in used equipment, you want to work with a company that is professional where you can be assured of payment for your used laptops and that is cognizant of your needs.

Is your company looking to sell a lot of used laptops that are ready to be retired? Vendors are available that will purchase your laptops as a wholesale lot. There are a few advantages to selling used laptops in wholesale lots. Perhaps the main reason to sell your used laptops as a wholesale lot is that it saves you time. When laptops are sold individually, each unit must be assessed to determine its configuration and condition. It can be very time consuming to assess each used laptop. On the other hand, when used laptops are sold in wholesale lots, the value received per laptop will be less than if the laptops were sold individually. By comparing the value of your time that it would take to assess each used laptop with the lower price you would receive by selling them in wholesale lots, you will be able to determine which option is best for your company.

Additionally, when used laptops are sold in wholesale lots, the purchasing vendor will make arrangements for shipping. Shipping is usually the responsibility of the purchasing vendor.

If you are interested selling your used laptops as a wholesale lot, please contact Side Street Technology at 901-405-1285.

Used laptop vendors can dispose of all your used laptops either through refurbishment, using used laptops for parts, or through recycling. Used laptops that cannot be refurbished or used for parts are recycled.

Used Laptop Recycle Certificates

Vendors that buy used laptops offer recycle certificates that provide documentation of proof that your used laptops were recycled. Used Laptop Recycle Certificates are available upon request for your audit records.

Used Laptop Recycling Process

Used laptops that are not refurbished or used for parts are recycled through a professional partner recycling company. Once the units are received by the recycling company, the remaining components of the used laptop are dismantled to base components, such as, circuit boards, wire, metals, plastic and glass. The remaining components in the unit are sold or reused as parts, known as de-manufacturing and reclamation. If a component cannot be reused, the part is generally shredded or melted yielding commodity grade glass, plastic, copper, steel, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum, and palladium that can be used to manufacture new products.

Refurbish or Recycle Used Laptops
Vendors that specialize in buying used laptops process used equipment in an environmentally friendly manner. In a nutshell, many problems with used laptops can be fixed and the units refurbished. Used laptops that cannot be refurbished are disposed of through recycling, so that no materials are wasted and no materials are placed in the ground as waste. Here’s why and how the refurbish and recycle process works.

Refurbish Used Laptops

Many problems with used laptops can be fixed and the units refurbished. Used laptop vendors refurbish used laptops to meet manufacturer quality standards. Refurbished used laptops are fully functional, but may show limited signs of use. These used laptops may include accessories and a warranty (30 to 90 days).

Refurbished Laptops are in Demand

Used laptop vendors refurbish used laptops because the units are in demand by businesses. Businesses purchase refurbished used laptops for a variety of units. One reason is that refurbished used laptops lower the cost of ownership. The cost of ownership can be greatly reduced for laptops where the loss and damage factor is high due to the mobility of the units. Buying refurbished used laptops saves business’ money by helping them control expenses when a unit is damaged by an employee.

Because refurbished used laptops are in demand, vendors that refurbish used laptops can offer top dollar to businesses in the market of selling used units.

Can My Used Laptops be Refurbished?

Vendors can refurbish many brands and models of used laptops. Some units, though, may not be the best candidates for refurbishing. Vendors often cannot refurbish used laptops where the casing is cosmetically damaged and shows significant scratches and dents, even though the unit is fully functional. These units still have value because they can be sold as a lower grade unit or used for parts.

Additionally, the brand and model should have a certain value for the unit to be worth refurbishing. The value is often determined by model, technical specifications, and age. For example, a Pentium II with 128M of RAM may not be worth refurbishing.

Used Laptop Refurbishment Process

Used laptops that are not too old, in decent condition, or are a model that is in high demand are candidates for refurbishment. These include Tier 1 units that are in complete working condition and Tier 2 units that are partial working condition.

When a vendor buys a lot of used laptops, the goal is to refurbish as many units as possible. Extra parts are either taken from other used laptops that will be used for parts or are purchased where cost effective.

Used laptops that cannot be refurbished are either used for parts or sold for parts. What’s left are units that are available to be disposed of through recycling.

Another major factor that vendors who buy used laptops look at in determining the value of used laptops is their condition. There are several different types of scales to measure condition and the scales often categorize units into four general tiers including:

Tier 1. Complete Working Condition.

The used laptop is in working condition including all components and is cosmetically clean. The unit is fully operational. Sometimes these units will have factory warranty remaining, another key factor that can significantly increase the value of the laptop. These units bring the most value to vendors who purchase used laptops.

Tier 2. Partial Working Condition.

The used laptop is in general working condition, is cosmetically clean, but one or more minor components (keyboard, CD Drive) are not operational or the unit has excessive wear on the casing. The unit can be repaired at low-cost or the unit can be sold as operational even though not all components are functioning.

Tier 3. Parts.

The laptop is not operational or has essential components that are missing or not operational. Parts from these units can be combined to create fully functioning units or the laptop can be sold for parts. These units must be relatively cosmetically clean and must boot with either an existing harddrive or a harddrive placed in the unit. This category includes units that power on but the LCD is not operational. It also includes units that that have missing or non-operational Harddrives. Units should contain the majority of their components that were on the unit at purchase (ex: Motherboard, RAM).

Tier 4. Recycle.

Laptops that cannot be sold as parts either due to condition or to age are recycled. These include units where the Motherboard is not operational. Units that are recycled are not placed in landfills and are either broken down or shredded. Recycle certificates are available for your audit records.

Vendors who buy used laptops will generally categorize units into similar groups based on their condition and price the units accordingly.