Is The Office Chair Market About To Be Flooded With Second-hand Chairs?
As the economy continues to wobble from crisis to crisis, a recent news article estimates 342,000 people have lost their jobs worldwide in the banking and finance industry.
These people will have almost all had office based positions and it occurs to me a lot of surplus chairs will be entering the second-hand market in the coming months.
Banking and Finance more than most business sectors tends to buy quality office chairs, so does this mean there will be loads of bargains on eBay? Maybe – maybe not.
Undoubtedly there will be some bargains to be had, although the office furniture clearers
are likely to get the best of the deal. Some market leading chairs tend to hold their second-hand value quite well, typically around 50% of new cost.
So should you buy second-hand? It’s certainly worth thinking about as long as you are sensible. The most important point to establish is how old the chairs are, quality seating manufacturers label their chairs with the model no: and date of manufacture.
Begin by asking the seller for this information and if they can’t or won’t provide it, look elsewhere.
Think of a second-hand office chair like a used car, how many owners has it had, how many miles are on the clock, how well has it been serviced and looked after, is it a current model?
So, just as a 10 year old car with 200,000 miles on the clock and an early version model would be no bargain at half list price, nor is an aging chair which has had prolonged heavy use.
Then there’s the unscrupulous seller to think about who is prepared to sell you a Far Eastern clone of a chair he claims to be the real thing.
Another pitfall is the absence of any manufacturer’s warranty as it usually only covers the original purchaser, OK a broker might give you 3 months, most will give you none.
This doesn’t mean the maker won’t help you as they likely will, however you’ll looking at having to pay carriage both ways plus parts and labor as well as being without your chair for maybe 2 weeks. So, it’s not only expensive it’s inconvenient too.
Another point to bear in mind, if you are buying a new office chair it should be possible to get a 30 day return period just in case the chair isn’t what you expected allowing you to change it for something more suitable. This can be useful with a chair like an Aeron which comes in 3 sizes in case you get it wrong first time. It’s a luxury you won’t get buying second-hand.
These are all the things you need to weigh up to determine if that second hand bargain truly is a bargain and unless it’s a top brand model and under a year old at a very attractive price it’s probably best to pass it up and buy new.
Yes, you will pay more. However you will have full warranty, a 30 day return period when dealing with a quality supplier, and a point of contact in case of problems as well as the knowledge your chair hasn’t done half a lifetime’s work already.
Tags: quality office chairs, second-hand office chairs
This is a good point about the downturn that I have not heard before. I think you are probably right. There are going to be a ton on Herman Miller and other high quality chairs out there on the market. hopefully they go to good use and make the lives and backs of thousands of office workers better. I know after I got my Aeron chair, my health and back have improved a ton!
Great tips. As with many other things, it is not always a good idea to buy used. Granted you may be saving some money upfront, but it may end up costing you more in the long run.
I am not against buying used. My point is just that we should carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of buying a particular used item.
Now there is one aspect of the financial crunch that I couldn’t have imagined, which is almost strange since I start-up I worked for once bought out the office and other supplies from a R&D firm that went under.
We did manage to get some great office furniture from the exchange but as you said, you have to be careful in choosing and it’s always best if you can inspect the items first.
You said: “These are all the things you need to weigh up to determine if that second hand bargain truly is a bargain and unless it’s a top brand model and under a year old at a very attractive price it’s probably best to pass it up and buy new.”
I say: I like antiques! I’d love to find an office chair that brings some nostalgia to my office setting. Burnished leather, brass upholstery pins…good condition, of course. I think old, old chairs were made sturdily.
Of course, I’ve got an office chair that’s new and modern…
Hmm… never thought about that before. There’s got to be a good business opportunity in there for someone. Maybe the schools could use used chairs. Wonder if a comfortable chair in schools will help kids learn more. Of course, a wooden or plastic chair probably keeps them awake.
Clearly, any luxury items marketed towards individuals, small business owners and companies are going to take a dive.
I”m sure other things like ergonomic evals will also see the cutting room floor.
As to whether people, companies or schools will be looking for used chairs to save money — probably.
-Ferny
Hi readers posters chair dwellers far n’wide … for the past 5 to 6 years I have replaced my office chair probably 4 or 5 times not necessary because I needed to because I had came across a bargain priced chair and thought why not? …
Then about a year ago I started having trouble with my knees and because my main and favorite hobby is walking and I really do walk a lot my knees every time I stood up were really painful, well lucky enough I have a friend in the therapy world and even though he had warned me on numerous occasions about sitting at my computer for long periods of time would not benefit my posture.
I listened but thought that would only be for office workers who don’t really exercise … wow how wrong I was its sitting that causes most knee complaints as we age! .. so a good chair is essential to better health especially of the knees so what this blog outlines above is very important after all you can buy as many chairs you want through out your life … but you guessed it ??? … Nuff Said?
all my best to you your good chair and your knees
Phillip Skinner