You have two options when it comes to purchasing office equipment like printers and photocopiers: leasing and purchasing outright. Both options have their benefits – find out which option is best for your organisation below.
What does it mean to lease office printers?
Leasing office photocopiers or printers helps ease the financial burden associated with purchasing office printing equipment outright. It allows businesses and other organisations such as not-for-profits and schools to spread the cost of printers and photocopiers over time. Photocopier leasing helps organisations to use more advanced technology that might be too expensive for them to purchase outright.
The benefits of leasing
The main benefit of leasing office printers and photocopiers is avoiding one large payment. But there are also other benefits such as:
- More advanced equipment. Because you’re spreading the cost of your devices, you’ll be able to choose a higher-spec machine. This may help increase productivity and streamline processes compared to if you had a more basic machine.
- Tax and budgeting. You’ll be able to choose between monthly or quarterly payments to align better with budgeting. Lease payments are also tax deductible, helping your cash flow.
- More flexibility. When you reach the end of your lease, you’ll have the option to either keep the equipment or upgrade to newer models. Most lease agreements will also allow you to upgrade mid-way through the lease if needed.
Benefits of purchasing
The main benefit of purchasing office printers and photocopiers is that once you have paid the one-off cost, the device is yours – you own it. Other benefits include:
- Ease. Once your Sharp technology expert has helped you to decide which devices are the best fit for your organisation, it’s yours for the long term.
- Less paperwork. If you own the device outright, you don’t have the burden of providing updated information to leasing companies.
- You’ll pay less than leasing in the long-term. Naturally, because of interest, you’ll pay slightly more over the whole term of your lease than if you were to purchase the photocopiers outright.
Disadvantages of purchasing
While some may see owning a photocopier outright as an asset, as machines get older, they may become increasingly unreliable and costly.
It’s also worth noting that as machines get older, they can slow down and become less energy-efficient than newer models, leading to higher electricity bills.
Leasing provides you with the flexibility to stick with the latest and most efficient equipment.
Can I lease photocopiers for my School?
Government rules state that Local Authority Schools and Academies must use a Schools Operating Lease as opposed to Finance/Capital Leases.
An Operating Lease offers 'off balance sheet' financing, providing a beneficial arrangement for both the Lessor (finance company) and the Lessee (school). In this setup, the Lessor assumes the 'risk' associated with the lease, allowing the Lessee to enjoy the use of the equipment.
The structured lease payments and agreement terms contribute to significantly lower repayments compared to a finance lease. When the fixed term finishes, the school, as the Lessee, has the option to either return the equipment or extend the agreement for an additional period.
How does photocopier leasing work with Sharp?
If you choose to partner with Sharp for your printer or photocopier lease, our technology experts will use our print audit service to determine your organisation’s print volume, functionality and security requirements.
Once you’re happy with your solution, you’ll have a range of options for financing the equipment via approved Sharp finance partners.
Finance will be offered on a cost-per-copy basis, meaning that your lease is paid based on the number of pages you print or copy.
For a cost-per-copy fee, you’ll also be able to enjoy the benefits of Sharp’s managed print services. Your quarterly or monthly cost won’t just include the hardware, but also the associated support and maintenance your devices may need.
So, how do I know what’s best for my organisation?
If you’re still not sure whether you should buy or lease your photocopiers, think about the following:
- How much do you have to spend, and does it allow you to purchase equipment that will meet your requirements? Think print volumes, functionality, and security requirements - a Sharp technology expert can help you with this.
- How long do you need to keep the equipment for? Leases can vary in length from short to long-term, but if you intend to keep the equipment for a very long time, it might make more sense to purchase it.
- Do you want the flexibility to change and upgrade your equipment if you need to? If so, leasing is a good option.
What you’ll get if you partner with Sharp:
- No hidden fees – delivery, installation and training is provided as standard.
- Maintenance checks to proactively avoid breakdowns.
- Automated ink and toner deliveries when your machine reaches a certain level.
- A targeted 4-hour response time with all machine repairs and spare parts included.
