Over the past couple years, it’s been impossible to miss the ongoing supply chain issues that have been messing with everything from toilet paper to vital IT equipment. And, to rub salt in the wound, it looks like things will get worse before they get better.
It’s definitely inconvenient to wait longer for items we want, but when we are waiting on vital equipment the results can be disastrous. Luckily, there are ways to lessen the sting of supply chain drama for your business.
Key Takeaways
- Supply chain disruptions triggered by the pandemic, e-commerce surges, staff shortages, and panic overordering have created a perfect storm for IT hardware delays, making refurbished hardware from reputable secondary market vendors one of the most reliable procurement strategies available right now.
- Certified refurbished hardware vendors carry fully stocked inventories of thoroughly inspected, tested equipment from top manufacturers and can ship same day, making them a faster and more dependable source than waiting on new hardware that may be months away from availability.
- Common hesitations around refurbished hardware including concerns about quality, lack of manufacturer support, and ordering confidence are addressed by reputable vendors through lifetime warranties, ISO 9001:2015 certification, and direct access to network engineers who validate your procurement plan before you commit.
What’s Causing IT Supply Chain Delays?
It’s not news that a good chunk of blame for the start of the supply chain crisis is due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The early uncertainty about how the virus spread and the resulting shutdowns of most businesses definitely slowed efficiency in shipping.
Then, toss in the huge increase in e-commerce while we were all stuck at home binging Netflix and the ongoing staff shortages across most industries, and you’ve got a recipe for congested ports and an increase in shipping time for many goods.
Some companies began panicking and overordering equipment just in case there was a shortage, in turn, actually causing shortages (sound familiar? *cough* hand sanitizer!). These long wait times for delivery and lack of products being manufactured put companies at risk of their equipment kicking the bucket with no replacement parts in sight.
How Can I Beat These IT Hardware Supply Chain Issues?
Instead of fearing the prospect of a shortage of new IT equipment for your business, stay ahead of the slow down by purchasing your tech from a reputable refurbished hardware vendor, like Inteleca.
Sometimes an overlooked solution, buying repurposed hardware is an obvious choice to skirt holdups in supply chains. Hardware vendors have been stockpiling high-quality gear for years in preparation for a moment just like this.
- Fully stocked inventory. Inteleca is an industry leader in all aspects of the secondary IT hardware market, representing all major technology brands in our extensive inventory of repurposed equipment.
- Ability to ship fast. Refurbished hardware vendors are set up to respond to urgent, even emergency orders. Because we get that time is of the essence, we offer same day shipping on orders placed before 4pm EST.
In fact, for any business, having a strong relationship with a reliable resource of refurbished gear is a strategic asset. They help fill in gaps your VAR can’t fill, even when there aren’t supply chain issues.
We know… sounds great, right? So then why do so many people hesitate when it comes to buying refurbished tech?
What’s Holding You Back from Purchasing Refurbished Hardware?
- “I’m not comfortable just ordering a part online.“ A quality tech reseller should offer access to engineers and/or experts to assist with your networking plans. (Pro tip: when choosing a refurbished tech vendor, be sure to look for ISO 9001:2015 certification).
- “I don’t know if I’ll get the quality I want with used hardware.“ When you work with an expert reseller, you’re purchasing parts from top manufacturers that have been painstakingly refurbished, thoroughly inspected, and tested in every detail, down to every single port.
- “I don’t have the guarantees or support of the manufacturer.” Inteleca is one of many quality resellers offering end users lifetime warranties for their tech. A good reseller should feel that confident in their expertise, and want you to feel just as confident with your equipment.
Through the Inteleca online store, we serve as your strategic partner. You have access to speak with network engineers and experts who help think through your situation, validate your plan, and find exactly what you need.
Don’t let supply chain delays slow you down. Schedule a call with one of our Inteleca engineers to find out how we can help you get around your tech-sourcing challenges.
FAQs
Why is there a hardware shortage?
The hardware shortage stems from a chain of compounding disruptions that began with pandemic-related manufacturing shutdowns and port congestion, then accelerated as e-commerce demand surged while global supply chains were already strained. Staff shortages across shipping, logistics, and manufacturing industries slowed recovery, and the situation was made worse when businesses began panic overordering out of fear of future unavailability, which ironically created the very shortages they were trying to avoid. Semiconductor manufacturing in particular requires long lead times and highly specialized production facilities that cannot be scaled up quickly in response to sudden demand spikes, making the chip shortage a structural problem rather than a temporary blip. Strategic IT procurement alternatives from fully stocked secondary market inventories provides a reliable sourcing pathway when new equipment pipelines are backed up.
How long is the chip shortage going to last?
The chip shortage does not have a clean end date, as recovery depends on a combination of new semiconductor fabrication capacity coming online, supply chain normalization across multiple industries, and demand stabilizing after years of accelerated technology investment driven by remote work and digital transformation. Industry analysts have consistently underestimated how long disruptions would persist, which is why businesses that build long-term resilience into their IT procurement strategy fare significantly better than those waiting for conditions to return to normal before acting. Proactive IT maintenance that extends the life of existing infrastructure which reduces dependency on new hardware timelines entirely, making the duration of the shortage far less relevant to day-to-day operations.
What are the benefits of refurbished IT hardware during supply chain delays?
Refurbished IT hardware solves the most pressing supply chain problem directly: availability. While new hardware backlogs stretch into months, certified secondary market vendors carry fully stocked inventories of thoroughly tested equipment from leading manufacturers that can ship same day on urgent orders. Beyond availability, refurbished hardware also delivers significant cost savings compared to new equipment, is backed by lifetime warranties from reputable vendors, and reduces e-waste by extending the useful life of hardware that still has years of reliable performance remaining. For businesses also managing IT budget pressures during economic uncertainty, the combination of lower cost and faster availability makes refurbished hardware one of the most strategically sound procurement decisions available right now.
What does refurbished hardware mean?
Refurbished hardware refers to previously owned or surplus IT equipment that has been thoroughly inspected, repaired where necessary, tested across every component and port, and certified as ready for deployment before being resold. This is fundamentally different from simply buying used equipment, as a reputable refurbished hardware vendor applies a quality process that ensures the device performs to specification before it ever reaches a customer. Many refurbished units are actually new-in-box items from canceled projects, overstock, or closed businesses that have never been used at all despite being classified as secondary market inventory. Reputable vendors hold ISO 9001:2015 certification as a verifiable quality standard and back their equipment with lifetime warranties, giving businesses the same confidence they would expect from a new hardware purchase at a fraction of the cost.
