General Buying Guide |
The way you buy laboratory equipment can save you a massive amount of money and there are several routes you can take. The main ones are to buy New, or to buy Used Equipment, either by Auction, or Classified Ads.
Keeping Up To Date
There are a number of websites that provide news and updates. Lab Mate is a good start with new articles added daily covering laboratory equipment, seminars and training. You can also visit Lab News Directory and Laboratory Talk to get up-to-date on the latest lab news and products. Finally, if you are not quite sure what lab equipment is needed to achieve your objectives then contact us and we’ll be glad to help.
Buying New
Using a search engine, you can rapidly find what you are looking for. However, most people restrict their search just to the country in which they live. This can limit you however, especially when buying from the UK. Buying from other countries can work out much cheaper, especially the USA and most suppliers can deliver within a week using a courier.
Voltage and options are not usually a problem because most modern lab equipment is now dual voltage. Do check on voltage to be safe, but also make sure that the unit operates at the right frequency (50Hz in UK) as this can affect the speed and performance of equipment incorporating mains powered motors.
Buying in Groups
In larger cities there are often buying groups. These are basically groups of people that buy small amounts of products, but when they put their orders together, they have more buying power and so get bigger discounts. A good example of a laboratory buying group is One Nucleus in London and Cambridge. They have a number of membership packages where members can save on anything from liquid nitrogen deliveries to get a good deal on venture capital for a new project.
Buying by Auction
Auctions are a great way to save on used and sometimes new equipment. There are a number of auctioneers operating around the world and most now offer an online bidding service. Most auction registrations can be completed online in minutes and then you can view pictures of equipment, examine the specifications and then bid from the comfort of your chair. It is important to note, however, that buyers are usually expected to examine the goods before bidding, for potential faults and that successful bidders usually need to arrange collection and payment within a few days of the auction ending.
Most auctions have a recommended shipping company that can arrange shipment for you, so don’t be too scared. If you are looking to kit out a whole lab, you can certainly offset the cost of shipping with the massive potential savings that you’ll make, so you may wish to look further afield and bid on auctions in other countries too – be sure to check the voltage and frequency though! Remember, that auctions are often cheap but there are seldom warranties, no returns and try before you buy is sometimes inconvenient.
Buying by Classified Ads
dreamscience offer a totally FREE marketplace for lab and medical equipment owners to get in touch with potential buyers. Click here to visit our marketplace site to see what's on offer today! You can also buy from a number of new and used lab equipment suppliers as below:
