The story about Copier Leasing

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Let's face it... Copiers are EXPENSIVE and you will invest a good portion of your monthly budget on buying or leasing a copier.

 

 

If your interest is a low monthly payment, without the option of ownership, Leasing may be a great choice for you!

 

Leasing affords the customer the ability to finance a machine over time, which allows for great cash flow. However,  if you're the type of customer who intends to use/own the machine in the long term, this option may not be for you.

 

Most of our competitors want you to lease the equipment, because they want to put you in a never-ending scenario of perpetual upgrade and renewal. This way you "rent" the machine forever... We offer Leasing that has a (typical) $1.00 Buyout at lease end, so that the payments that you've made towards the equipment have equity. Most leasing does not offer a "buyout" at all, and even if it does, it usually far exceeds the value of the machine, once it's been used 3-5 years.

 

You should only lease if your cash flow simply demands it. Otherwise, your best option is to purchase the machine outright, or have it financed another way, at a lower interest rate. Customers are under the impression that the technology in the copier will be obsolete in a couple of years.... NOT TRUE! If your primary focus is to have a machine that prints, copies and scans, these functions will not be obsolete in a couple of years and the machine will perform these functions without issue. The only issue we've encountered with obsolescence is when a machine is 10 years old and will not scan within certain Windows platforms. That's it.

 

IMPORTANT! Most customers believe that they have to "lease" to be able to get the monthly Service Agreement on the machine.. NOT TRUE.. we offer our Agreements on ANY MACHINE you lease OR purchase, so you will never be without our excellent service!!

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What Kind of Copier Lease Is Best for Your Company?

FMV Copier Lease

An FMV Lease means you pay the “Fair Market Value” at the end of the lease if you want to keep the copier machine.

The copier is leased to you for the term you sign up for and at the end of the lease, you are required to return it. This includes the fact you are responsible for the packaging and the freight costs for the copier. Your monthly payment will be lower because the bank gets the copier and can sell it in the open market.

Pros:

• Lower monthly payment

• Ensures you will get a new copier at a specified time frame

Cons:

• You do not own the copier after the lease is over

$1 Out Lease

 A $1 Out Lease means if you pay $1 at the end of the lease, the copier is yours. This is a lease that is essentially like getting a capital equipment loan. After paying all your payments on the hardware, you are able to pay $1 and the copier is yours. You can sell or continue using it as you see fit.

Pros:

• You keep the copier even after the lease is over

• You don’t have to pay to send then copier back

 

Should You Lease a Copier or Buy One?

It depends on your business. For most small businesses, we recommend leasing a copier or multifunction printer over purchasing.

Leasing a Copier

The Advantages

• Fewer costs upfront preserve operating capital.

• Less hassle, more “managed services,” including toner, paper, maintenance and repairs included.

• Avoid obsolescence — you can swap your lease for the newest printer once the term is up.

• Maintain standards across branches by leasing the same models. All units can be upgraded at the same time.

The Disadvantages

• Locked into a contract.

• More expensive over time.

Buying a Copier

The Advantages

• Lower overall cost — no interest or rental fees.

• Not locked into lease terms.

• Recoup the expense by selling the asset for fair market value when upgrading.

• Flexible maintenance and repair options — not stuck with the lessor’s maintenance plan and provider.

The Disadvantages

• Expensive to replace.

• Hard to maintain consistent standards if copiers are not simultaneously upgraded across branches.

 

Be Wary of Lease Upgrades from Other Companies

You will generally be offered to upgrade your multi function copier when there are approximately 6 months remaining on the contract. Here is why this is offered and why you should avoid these.

Say you have a XYZ copier lease that costs $300 per month and a maintenance plan that is another $300 per month. If you get out of the lease with 6 months left and roll into a new lease, that is $3,600 of contract liability left ($600/month X 6 = $3,600 for both the copier and maintenance).

For the company getting the new copier, it would actually be better not to take the offer as they are paying $1,800+ more in interest for the new copier than if they had just waited the 6 months.

It is nicer to get the sale than it is to protect a customer’s interest for many companies.

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We at Americopy are as transparent as possible. There are many ways companies can hide money in a lease. Leases are a great way for companies to get into high-quality equipment but there is no reason you should get locked behind the fine print!

Contact Americopy today to discuss what terms might be best for your business on copiers for lease. When it comes to copier services and copier sales in San Antonio, Texas, AMERICOPY delivers!

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