The office furniture market is a big one - with an estimated worth of 1bn as of 2008. The used office furniture market is accounting increasingly for bigger shares of this 10-figure sum, with more and more savings-savvy businesses considering second hand furniture each year. In this article, we look at 10 things to consider in the used office furniture market - whether you are a buyer or a seller.

Potential money to be saved. In this time of the economic downturn where many businesses are struggling, efforts are being made to cut costs. Buying used furniture can contribute to these efforts immensely, with potential to save 75% off the retail price of certain products.

It is important to take pricing into account when you are selling your items. In the used furniture market, prices of items can be anything up to 75% less than the recommended retail price. Make sure your prices are reasonable and appealing to buyers without cutting yourself short and consider special offers for bulk purchases if you are selling a large number of products.

Haggling is something that comes hand in hand with second hand sales, and when you are determining your asking price, you should always set your asking price marginally higher than the price you would be happy to sell your product for. This allows for ‘room to wriggle’ when you are negotiating with buyers, and is especially useful when doing face-to-face sales at places like car boot sales. It also makes buyers feel valued and can give them a sense of leverage that you can use to your advantage.

When it comes to selling your items at places like car boot sales, first impressions are everything. So, when you are selling, make sure that you give your desks a clean with some antibacterial wipes and give your office chairs a vacuum over. Doing these simple things can instantly put the customer in a positive mindset for a purchase.

Used office furniture can act as an income stream. If you have a business or a study and find you have office furniture like tables, desks and chairs that are not needed anymore, money can be made selling these items and more for profit. There are many ways to do this, including internet auctioning sites and local advertising.

You are likely to purchase your items from a variety of sources; a look you do not wish to achieve is one where all of your furniture are in mismatched colours and materials. When browsing with intention to buy, try and find furniture that is made from the same materials, like oak, for example. Consider sticking to a colour scheme.

Invest wisely in furniture that is made of durable, long-lasting materials. Buying items that contain woods like oak and beech can be fantastic investments, as they are strong materials that can withstand the test of time. It is better to spend a little more of your budget on a used piece of wooden furniture than on a plastic equivalent that may tarnish in time.

Desk dividers are becoming more and more popular as a product that can boost productivity. They can avoid workers from distractions and also improve privacy if work can be deemed confidential. In the long term, such products could save you money that would be lost due to lack of concentration.

If you are selling office furniture that is a worn condition, it is always worthwhile to be honest to customers from the offset. This prevents embarrassment from customers returning products because it didn’t turn out to be what they expected. Worn products can still be sold and do have a presence in the market - customers are willing to buy such products if the prices are proportionately low.

Selling used office furniture is simply a way to regain a small percentage of money spent. Remember that you are likely to get more custom and interest from buyers if your products are reasonably priced. Setting your asking prices unreasonably high can deter potential customers and, in the long run, lose you money.

As you can see, there are many different factors to take into account when you go on to engage in the business of used office furniture. Follow this advice and you can do little wrong. As with all second hand products, there are great value gems to be found in the market as well as money to be saved.