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Many details go into pricing a copier machine that can fluctuate your specific case, though on average you can expect one to cost $7,000 to purchase. Commercial copy machines have come a long way since the days of opening up the platen cover to place a document on the glass to make a photocopy, though that option is still available. Now, you can scan documents directly to a subfolder within your cloud storage platform or print in Pantone matching color, all with a copier machine. Below are some elements to consider in your cost equation for commercial copiers.
An office with three employees periodically needing to print throughout the day will require different capabilities than say a 20-person office sharing a common copy room copier. Some situations call for multiple devices or a blend of copiers and printers. It is very important to understand your office layout and what kind of printing initiatives you want to implement before investing in a business copy machine.
Do you know the difference between ledger and legal paper? Ledger-sized paper is 11x17 inches, while legal is 8.5x14 inches. Ledger paper has phased out in popularity over the years but still serves a purpose and is ideal for excel spreadsheets that may need to be printed or creating workbooks. The reasoning behind why you need to know whether you need ledger or legal is because it can help define the best copier machine for your workplace. A3 devices allow you the capability to print up to 12x18 sized paper while newer devices termed A4, scale down the paper output capability to legal size and achieve a smaller footprint in size and usually cost.
Much like before, comparing the three-person office to the 20-person, knowing the amount of prints/copies your office does in a day or month helps identify which device is right for you. Say you are a 10-person office and on average each person prints to the copy machine between 100-200 times a month. With this volume, the speed of the device is lesser of an issue though it would be a question worth asking by the vendor. Suppose you printed 20% of your volume each month in casual one or two-page jobs but the other 80% were large jobs of 30 or more pages. It would then make sense to at least consider a device that could get the jobs done quicker so employees were not spending prolonged time periods waiting for their jobs to finish.
The commercial copy machine is useless without accessories like the paper tray, paper feeder, and even the stand it sits on (if not a desktop model). Usually, a base model copier machine consists of at least one paper tray, either a reversing paper feeder or automatic paper feeder (scans 2-sided documents in a single pass), and a stand. These features alone may give you all you need, but it is important to address the needs of your user group and not just take the word of the salesperson selling you a particular device. Do you need faxing capabilities? Would having multiple paper trays be beneficial so you don’t have to load proposal paper or checks into the tray each time you need to print them? Would you like to have stapling, hole punching, or booklet-making capabilities? Knowing the finishing options available and what you need or desire, is a key factor in determining the cost of your copier machine because it is additional equipment that must be attached and properly set up, therefore, adding more cost.
Copy machines these days are for all intents and purposes, computers that print. Being connected and integrated with technology is more important than ever before. The ability to scan directly into your ERM or CRM or the ability to sign in to Microsoft SharePoint at the device with a pin code or ID badge are just a few of the options copiers in today’s age afford you. But every good thing comes with a cost and often these are hard to know without understanding the scope of your organization. Implementing tailored software solutions is a level of professional services that should be considered outside of the “equipment” cost of the contract but should still be considered in the totality of your investment.
This price is probably the most important, or at least we think it is. Ensuring that you have a device that works for your needs is great until it starts not working. Making sure you are covered by a reputable and qualified company to keep your equipment operational provides insurance of sorts to make sure you are not liable for expenses such as drum replacements, preventative maintenance, board repair or replacements, users, or any other expensive unforeseen problem that may come up due to no fault of your users. In addition, most service contracts will cover the consumables such as toner and waste toner in their costs. That means that you no longer have to spend time or money ordering ink or toner on Amazon, it’s already taken care of. Many dealers will also monitor your devices remotely and know whether the toner is getting low or if other problems may be on the horizon. It is not uncommon for us to send toner directly to a customer before them being alerted by their copier because of the monitoring and reporting available through our service plans.
Color printing is very popular and for some, a necessity. Though it comes at a steeper cost both on the equipment cost and service side. With a color copier, there are more moving parts and consumables that have to be accounted for. With the addition of cyan, magenta, and yellow toner cartridges, the color devices will have exponentially higher ink costs than that of a pure black & white device. While color copy machines are more expensive, there are ways to utilize economical printing practices to help offset some of the maintenance and supplies costs of the devices. Before diving into a device, it is important to decipher your office needs concerning color output.
Most service agreements are structured with a contracted amount of volume for a set period (monthly, quarterly, etc.). If you go over these set amounts, you are billed for the overage. These rates vary and are based on per-copy pricing for the machine you have. Color overage is more expensive because it is more expensive when you run a color copy versus a black and white copy. While overages are something to consider, they are not necessarily a bad thing. If you over contract yourself in terms of allowances and end up not using nearly what your contract was based on, that is a sunk cost. But if you end up paying overages, at least you are paying for something you actually used. Either way, when considering the investment required, spend time on how much, or little, you want to contract in terms of allowances.
If you have already invested in a commercial copier before, there may be obligations you must adhere to that will affect your costs. Leasing is a very popular avenue for companies investing in copiers. It provides a monthly payment and the flexibility to stay more up to date with technology by allowing organizations to upgrade to a newer model without an upfront lump sum. Buyouts occur when you are trying to end your current lease agreement and offer different avenues you can take. If you are leaving your current vendor, the buyout will be more expensive, although it can be rolled into a new lease with your new vendor. If you choose to stay with your current vendor, you can utilize the upgrade option with the same leasing company, which will allow you to have a lesser amount due for cutting your obligation short since you are staying with the same leasing company. While buyouts can get confusing and have contractual language and timelines you must be aware of, the most important thing to note is that they will increase the cost of your investment until you completely pay it off.
While this will not be an exact science, it is a transparent approach to show you how to plan for and better understand a copier contract. There are many different factors to consider when addressing pricing, many of which I have mentioned above. With that being said, I have broken down the devices into subgroups of base, intermediate and advanced. The base group is devices in the 20 page per minute (ppm) to 40ppm range. The intermediate group is 41ppm-60ppm and the advanced will run 61ppm-80ppm (90ppm for B/W).
The following prices are ranges based on our experience and findings. It is important to note that we are a North Carolina business and that prices may vary from state to state. These are models that are equipped with a document feeder, stand, and two paper trays. Additional accessories were not added for the sake of pricing since they are costs that are not necessary for all users.
Scenario 1: Black & White copier contract that is allotted 3,000 B/W copies a month. Based on 60-month lease pricing. **No Buyout Included**
| B/W Copier | Base | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | $146.43 | $157.20 | $300 |
| A4 | $96.80 | $101.50 | N/A |
Scenario 2: Color copier contract that is allotted 3,000 B/W copies and 1,000 color copies a month. Based on 60-month lease pricing. **No Buyout Included**
| Color Copier | Base | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | $242.93 | $304.70 | $359 |
| A4 | $217.80 | $221.50 | N/A |
For the following charts, the following data was used. They are represented as part of a 60-month lease amount:
| Average Prices | Base | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 - B/W Service | $103.54 | $84.17 | $77.38 |
| A4 - B/W Service | $108.18 | $85.03 | N/A |
| A3 - Color Service | $338.75 | $316.75 | $278.50 |
| A4 - Color Service | $349.75 | $316.75 | N/A |
| A3 – B/W Equipment | $108.33 | $120 | $270 |
| A4 – B/W Equipment | $57.50 | $70 | N/A |
| A3 – Color Equipment | $133.3 | $200 | $360 |
| A4 – Color Equipment | $105 | $122.50 | N/A |
For additional subgroups and detailed breakdowns, download our pricing guide. In this guide, you will explore scenarios such as A3 vs. A4 devices, B/W vs. color, service pricing based on monthly usage, and the average cost to lease a copier in the subcategories of base, intermediate and advanced.
At Copiers Plus, we help you prioritize your organization’s goals and work alongside you to put an office solution strategy in place that can help propel your productivity while maintaining harmony with your budget. If you would like to further examine your current copier leasing contract or investigate the next steps towards what one could look like for your organization, we would love to help you. Reach out to us at 800-648-7081 or click the button below to request an appointment.
