• Choose Copiers for Your Business

• Evaluate Copier Features

• Find Copiers on eBay

• Buy Copiers With Confidence

Choose Copiers for Your Business

Choose Copiers for Your Business

Whether you need to make copies for inter-office meetings or create high-quality marketing materials, you can find an office copier on eBay that fits your needs. Popular options include:

• Black-and-white copiers: Black-and-white copiers are a popular choice for schools and for office printouts. Black toner costs less than color toner, resulting in a lower cost per copy. • Color copiers: Color copiers can help you make a splash with high-impact presentations, brochures, flyers, and more. For print-quality color reproduction, consider graphic color copiers. Some color copiers also include a designated black-and-white mode.

• Color copiers: Color copiers can help you make a splash with high-impact presentations, brochures, flyers, and more. For print-quality color reproduction, consider graphic color copiers. Some color copiers also include a designated black-and-white mode.

• Multifunction copiers: Multifunction copiers can make copies, fax, scan, and print in black-and-white and color, making them a good choice for offices with limited space. Many support internal memory upgrades as well as add-on modules for image editing (for example, add watermarks or resize) and stackless duplexing. If you want to give your staff the ability to print, copy, or fax over the office network, look for network multifunction copiers.

Evaluate Copier Features

Evaluate Copier Features

The copier features you need depend on the number and types of copies and printouts you plan to make. Looking at the following options can help you determine which printers on eBay will work in your office.

• Size: How much room do you have for a copier in your office? Look at each copier's dimensions in item listings. If full-size business copiers seem to be too large for your space, you might want to consider a smaller multifunction ink-jet printer or multifunction color laser printer.

• Capacity: How many copies does your business make each month? How many do you need each copier in the office to handle? Whether you need 50 copies or upwards of 5,000, make sure every copier you consider has a capacity that meets your needs. Also look at the manufacturer's approximate "cost per copy." Larger-capacity copiers often have a lower cost per copy, which can save your business money in the long run.

• Paper sources: What type of copies do you need to make in your office? Copiers typically have one or more fixed-size paper trays and several adjustable paper sources. Look for paper trays that support the sizes of paper (8.5" x 11", legal, etc.) and types of paper (such as heavy stock, labels, or transparencies) your business requires. Also consider a bypass tray if you want to feed special-size paper directly into the copier.

• Copier speed: Copier speed is measured in copies per minute (cpm), pages per minute (ppm), or outputs per minute (opm). If you frequently have large print jobs, look for copiers with faster speeds. If you plan to mostly make single copies, pay closer attention to first-copy speed to find out how long the copier will take to warm up and produce your copy. Also note that more complex copy tasks, such as collating and sorting, typically take longer than printing multiple copies of a single page.

• Copy count: On eBay, you'll find new and refurbished copiers. When selecting a previously-used copier, look for models with a low copy count.

• Memory: Digital copiers save documents in memory so they can print multiple copies without re-scanning original documents. For multifunction network printers, memory is also used to store information about multiple print jobs in a queue as well as multiple pages in a fax. With more memory, a copier can store more information at once, which can mean faster copying and printing speeds.

• Stackless duplexing: Copy two sides of an original document and print double-sided copies.

• Automatic document feeder (ADF): Save time copying multiple pages. Look for an ADF that can feed up to 50 pages in a stack through the copier.

• Finishers: Finishers—ranging from automatic staplers and three-hole punches to saddle stitch and folding finishers—are typically considered copier add-ons.

• Consumables: Pay attention to the brands of toner, developer, and fuser oil your copier manufacturer recommends and make sure they're readily available.

Find Copiers on eBay

Find Copiers on eBay

Once you know what type of copier you want, go to the Business & Industrial category portal, click Copiers below Office, Printing & Shipping, and start searching on eBay.

• Product Finder: The copier Product Finder on the left side of the page will help you narrow listings by Item Specifics. For example, choose between Black & White and Color and then narrow your choices further by brand and print speed.

• Keyword search: Use keywords to search for copiers with specific features. To search eBay listing titles for specific words, type your search term into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Commands page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available. Also remember to stock up on copier toner and supplies.

Buy Copiers With Confidence

Buy Copiers With Confidence

Hundreds of copiers listed on eBay in the Business & Industrial category will likely interest you. When trying to select the right black-and-white or color copier, get to know exactly what you're buying, research the seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Many sellers put a lot of time into creating their listings, making an effort to ensure they include all the information buyers need. Carefully read the details in listings for the copier before you consider buying, and carefully review available photos. Before placing a bid or buying an item, be sure to:

• Have all your questions answered. If you still have questions after reading the listing and reviewing the photos, contact the seller using the Ask seller a question link in the “Seller information” box in the top right corner of every copier listing. Also request additional photos if you want to see the copier from a particular angle that isn’t shown in the photos included in the listing. If you have more questions than you can address in email, get the seller’s phone number and give him/her a call. Some sellers even include their phone numbers so you can call them directly. Just remember that you need to actually bid and buy on eBay in order to be covered by eBay and PayPal protection programs (see "Buyer protection" below for more details).

• Get delivery details. Calculate and include delivery costs into your final price. This may simply be the cost of driving across the city or state if the copier is nearby or it may mean working with a shipping company that can transport the copier from anywhere in the country. To learn more about shipping costs, ask the seller or visit the eBay Freight Resource Center.

• Complete your transaction on eBay. Always complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay and PayPal protection programs (see "Buyer protection" below for more details).

• Know your payment options. Never pay for your an item on eBay using instant cash wire transfer services such as Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know. Instead, pay with PayPal for amounts less than $2,000 (including deposits), a money order, or direct bank-to-bank fund transfer. You can also finance certain copier purchases through Equipment Financing for eBay, provided by Direct Capital Corporation.

• Track items with eBay Toolbar. Use the free eBay Toolbar to track items you bid on and watch. It includes Account Guard, a feature that indicates when you're visiting a verified eBay or PayPal website and warns you when you enter your eBay password into an unverified site, even if it looks like eBay or PayPal.

Know your seller

Just as important as researching your copier purchase is getting to know the seller. Take time to research the seller so that you can feel positive and secure about every transaction. Look for key things when evaluating a seller.

• Positive Feedback: What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have? What do buyers and sellers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Sales history: Find out how long the seller has been a registered eBay user and look at the types of items a seller typically offers. If the seller’s Feedback seems low, take the time to look at the Feedback details; sometimes a seller's Feedback looks low until you realize that they’re a office supply dealer and their Feedback count comes entirely from copiers or other heavy office equipment sales.

• Terms and conditions: What are the terms and conditions of the sale? Are the terms agreeable to you? Sellers typically set terms and conditions, but you should make sure you agree with them. If not, find another seller/copier or contact the seller to find out if he/she is open to your suggestions.

• Good communication: Once you’ve initiated communications with the seller, how is he/she communicating with you? Is the seller courteous and professional? Is the seller responsive? Once you bid on a big-ticket item such as a copier, communicate with the seller through My Messages in My eBay. All legitimate Second Chance Offer messages will come through My Messages and not to your email address alone. Always contact the seller before accepting a Second Chance Offer, and never respond to any request to send money via Western Union or other instant cash transfer services.

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event a problem arises during your transaction, you can typically work it out with the seller. However, if you can’t, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Put down a deposit with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay up to $2,000 without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. Also, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.