Useful steps and information to follow when buying a photo copier in Kenya

The print and copy market in Kenya is very important because many government institutions, banks and private institutions rely heavily on paper archiving. There is still very little acceptance to software information storage often referred to as repository systems mainly because of cost and skill.

However, young CEOs and business owners have started influencing the market on accepting modern archiving systems.

The big debate between lets print and copy versus lets archive is still a big one among many institutions in the country.

Copier market share in Kenya

The advent of printing and copying business in Kenya has given a market share for various copiers manufacturers and dealers.

It is a great significance as a shopper to be equipped with the right knowledge that will guide you when shopping for a brand new or second hand photo copiers.

Let us equip you with some basic information about how a photo copier work. It uses laser technology to duplicate a document and reprint it by capturing the information from its screen and translating it to a new paper in coordination with a cartridge or toner. The intension is to produce a duplicate paper copy of the original document mainly for use while storing the original document in a safe place.

The laser copiers and printers usually come in two versions. The black and white or colored copiers. The higher the pixels, the finer the copy.

Copiers available in Kenyan market include : - Kyocera mita, Konica Minolta, Sharp, Ricoh, Lanier (acquired by Ricoh), Canon, Xerox Savin, NEC, Lexmark, Copystar, Epson, Panasonic, IBM, Samsung, Okidata, Brother, OKI, and HP Invent copiers.

Factors you should consider when choosing to buy a new copier

1. Warranty period. If the printer is new, a warranty of between 2 to 3 years is ideal as this demonstrates the confidence that a dealer has in regard to the product on sale.
2. Copier speed of printing. This is often expressed in terms of the number of copies made per minute. For high volume print, you should consider acquiring a copier producing many copies per minute.
3. How easy it is to replace a toner. or cartridge parts and other printer and copier accessories. How easily available these parts are available in the market should help you chose the business machine that you are buying.

Renting and letting of copiers in Kenya.

Its worth noting that not every person or institution go for brand new copier in Kenya. Based on earlier mentioned factors to choose from when buying a new copier, other factors come to play when deciding on what model and make of your copier business machine to buy. The number of branches for various institution may influence how decision makers choose between leasing and buying copiers.

An institution or company with many branches will often prefer leasing or renting against buying. Copier leasing or renting companies charge such institutions per number of copies made in a set duration as per agreed rates. Check for best offers when looking for a leasing copier company or dealer.

Second hand copiers in Kenya

There is also a sizeable market share for second hand copiers in Kenya. Small scale companies and individuals can easily afford such machines. Remember to check for copier quality when buying second hand.

What do you need to check when buying a second hand copier for your business

1. The number of prints and copies previously made by this machine.
2. Confirm that it does not have physical damage and loose parts.
3. It supports the latest technology and is not outdated.
4. Ease of availability of toners and cartridges in the market for the copier you intend to buy
5. Standard speed of printing and one that you will be comfortable with.
6. Check validity of the new warranty period offered by the copier dealer.
7. Understand the servicing and repair agreement on offer by the dealer.

Remember that your printer should be able to print and copy. It should also be able to scan, fax and have a USB port and High speed LAN, often referred to as Ethernet port.

The programming interface is used to program how your machine works in your busy environment. It is important to get access to all of your passwords to stay off from unscrupulous dealers. Ask for a printed report on your newly acquired machine for its past print history in terms of the number of copies and prints done so that you do not end up acquiring an overused machine that you will end up damping is a short while.

Remember that quality is value for business.

Broad Notes continues to offer professional advice on issues that affect you in your busy print environment.

Read about popular copier models from leading manufacturers

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