How to Buy Computer Equipment for Your Business

Buying new computers for your growing company is easy. All you have to do is figure out what computers to buy and where to buy them.

Neither question should be all that hard to answer. As a rule, the computers you need for your business are the very same machines you've seen displayed at big office supply stores, computer superstores, and in the mail-order ads in any computer magazine.

Unless you're committed to buying Apple's Macintosh computers — which isn't a bad choice, but does limit your ability to shop for the best price — or unless you have very exacting technical requirements for specific high-end equipment, you won't have to look any further.

In general, you want to look for the most widely displayed models, not the most prominently displayed ones. The most prominent new PCs — the ones that occupy two-page spreads in the computer magazines, or the biggest, least-crowded tables in the superstores — are for big spenders and speed demons only. That is, they're for people willing to pay a significant premium over what the same product will cost in a few months, just to have the fastest, most advanced machine around. Of course, it's never long before some other shiny new box claims the title of the fastest PC ever.

Look all you want at those fancy, high-priced models. Study their spec sheets to determine which features are most important to you. Once you're done ogling the high-priced models, stroll on back a couple of aisles and check out the PCs you're actually going to buy. That's where you'll find the $500 to $1,000 models. Sure, their computing power might measure 10 or 20 percent less than the newest models, but just about any new PC you buy today has at least twice the power it needs to run standard office software such as word processing programs, spreadsheets, databases, and accounting systems. Those are the kinds of workhourse computers most growing companies need.

So now you know what computers to buy. But where do you buy them?

The computer superstores and big office supply houses aren't bad places to buy. Their prices are usually pretty good — although you can generally do a little better — and they might be able to offer a modicum of service and support. You might get more of both, and a better price, by buying from a local company that assembles custom PCs to your specs — you'll find ads for them in the business section of most newspapers. But make sure you know what you're buying from those outfits — they don't always use the best components, and some of them may not be around long enough to service what they sell.

For the best prices, however, you have to go online. In addition to being a great place to research computer prices, the Web is also a source of computer bargains. Your choices range from the auction sites, to surplus sites selling discontinued and reconditioned merchandise, to hundreds of mail-order houses and dealers who've taken their businesses to the Web. At the top of the heap are the big build-to-order PC shops such as Dell and Gateway. Spend a few hours exploring your options, and you're likely to find the exact computer you need, for a lot less than you'd pay at a store.

While you're outfitting your office with computers, you might also consider the cost advantages to leasing your technology and other office equipment. Read Advantages to Leasing Office and Technical Equipment for some considerations in that option.

When you've pulled the trigger on your computer hardware, consider the cost-saving strategies for your busienss software, including bulk licensing deals. Learn more about how to Save Money with Volume Software Licensing Deals for Your Small Business.