Overcoming Internal Resistance to Refurbished IT Equipment

10 Mar, 2026

Overcoming Internal Resistance to Refurbished IT Equipment

Imagine this: your IT manager walks into a budget meeting and suggests buying refurbished IT equipment to replace 200 old laptops. Would the people in the room be against it, or would they be OK with it? If your answer is the first one, that’s normal. But it’s costing businesses a lot of money. 

When IT equipment is refurbished, it goes through testing and certification that makes it look and work almost exactly like new hardware. The technology isn’t the problem. It’s how people perceive it. And changing that perception will take a lot of effort. According to a 2024 Gartner survey, only 22% of executive leaders are buying refurbished assets to make their businesses more circular and lower greenhouse gas emissions. That means nearly 80% of businesses could be missing out on this opportunity.

In this article, we will explore strategies for building confidence in refurbished IT equipment.

1. Run a Pilot Program Before You Try to Convert Everyone

It’s unlikely you can change the way a whole company buys things overnight. But what if you could start with a small, controlled test first? Here is how to go about it.

A. Choose a Willing Team

Pick one department that lets you test refurbished laptops or monitors for 60 to 90 days. Give them certified, tested devices and keep an eye on what happens.

B. Find Out What Matters

Keep track of help desk tickets, broken devices, and employee feedback during that time. Look at those numbers and compare them to what you’d expect from new equipment. Most groups that do this find that the gap is either very small or absent.

C. Be Honest About the Results

Present the data to leadership and the whole team after the pilot is over. Let the numbers speak for themselves. This approach removes feelings from the conversation and replaces them with facts. It also helps procurement teams identify which refurbishment partners consistently deliver quality before they grow.

2. Let Cost and Environmental Data Make Your Case

Data is probably the best way to get people to change their minds about used IT equipment.

Refurbished laptops and desktops usually cost 30-50% less than new ones, but they still work well for everyday business tasks. Even the most skeptical CFO will see that as a good use of money.

Then there’s the environmental angle, which is gaining weight in boardrooms everywhere. You might want to consider creating a simple internal report that shows how refurbished and new equipment perform side by side. The “newer is better” argument loses steam when workers see that refurbished electronics work just as well for a lot less money.

3. Get an Executive to Support the Effort

According to Steve Dickinson, head of supply chain at Espria, “Refurbished technology is often as reliable as brand-new equipment, making it an attractive business option.” However, it carries more weight when a leader publicly supports a change in company culture. It will almost always happen faster. 

To do that, find a high-level leader who is willing to support the use of refurbished equipment. It’s even better if they use a refurbished laptop themselves. But the framing matters. Instead of seeing refurbished IT equipment as a way to save money, see it as a choice that fits with your company’s larger goals for sustainability, IT asset management, and the lifecycle of its equipment. 

4. Stop Calling It ‘Used,’ Name It What It Is 

Most people don’t know that language affects how people see things in organizations more than they think. If your internal communications keep saying “used equipment” or “secondhand laptops,” you’re in for a tough time. Words like “certified refurbished,” “performance-tested,” or “verified” better describe what these devices really are. 

And no, this isn’t spin. For example, a laptop that’s been tested, repaired where needed, and certified by an HP or Microsoft-authorized refurbisher is not the same as buying something secondhand off a marketplace with no guarantee.

Close the Loop Makes Refurbishing a Sure Thing

Close the Loop is a Microsoft Registered Refurbisher and an HP Platinum Global Partner. We take care of IT assets as they are safely collected, tested, refurbished, and sold again. The business has locations all over North America that handle more than 700,000 units each year. Your team has all the information they need to meet the needs of internal stakeholders, auditors, and ESG reporting because every step is recorded, from tracking serial numbers to recycling outcome reports. Connect with us to get started.

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