9 Ways to Squeeze More Value Out of Your Retired IT Assets in 2019

Wish you could squeeze more value out of your retired IT assets? 2019 brings a new chance to do so.

Here are 9 ways to create a revenue stream — or significant cost-savings — from your off-lease products, excess inventory, consumer returns, and obsolete electronic equipment.

1. Purge

The new year is a great time to take stock of your inventory and get rid of any obsolete IT equipment that is languishing in storage spaces.

The value of IT equipment depreciates monthly, so let the new year be a catalyst to purge whatever isn’t in active use.

2. Purge, even if it still holds book value

If your financial department is hesitant to part with equipment because it’s not fully depreciated and still showing book value, consider writing it off and purging that too.

Why? Your company may be paying more to hold on to it than you realize, like personal property taxes and fees for software licenses, as well as potential costs to manage or store them.

3. Inventory audit

Feel like you could use assistance to figure out your IT fleet and what might hold value? Companies that specialize in IT asset disposition may offer a consult service to help sort through your assets and create an optimal plan to get the most value out of your retiring assets.

4. Test and grade

Once you’ve determined what to retire, testing and screening services will put products through a thorough inspection to determine the disposition of components. Each asset is then “graded” into categories, and materials in good condition can be repurposed for their intended use.

5. Repair and refurbish

Assets that are not in top grading categories may still hold value if they can be repaired and refurbished, allowing you to reuse them or to be readied for resale in a secondary marketplace.

6. Re-use

After repair and refurbishment, the equipment can be redeployed into your reverse supply chain as you desire, or it can be used to replenish the company’s warranty spares inventory.

7. Resell in a secondary marketplace

A secondary IT marketplace, such as Latin America, provides an excellent opportunity to recoup value. This is perhaps the most lucrative path for your retired assets. By partnering with an intelligent global remarketing partner with deep knowledge of IT disposition as well as a well-established redeployment network, you position yourself to take full advantage of this growing secondary marketplace.

8. Repurpose those software licenses, too

Just because your office computers need to be retired, the associated software doesn’t always need to follow the same route.

Many companies do not keep track of the software licenses they purchase and use, resulting in wasted resources and increased software spend. It’s important to recycle and re-harvest your software licenses so they can remain active even if your computer equipment doesn’t.

9. Recycle the unsalvageable

When there’s nothing else to do, recycle the unsalvageable retired assets. While there is technically no monetary “value” in this, the peace of mind that comes from responsible recycling shouldn’t be underestimated. And, bear in mind, not recycling in accordance with environmental regulations for the disposition of electronics can subject your company to hefty fines.

Currently, approximately 75-80% of obsolete electronic equipment ends up in landfills, despite the fact that close to 100% is reusable or recyclable. Even though e-waste only takes up 2% of landfill space, it produces 70% of our society’s overall toxic waste. This doesn’t have to be the final fate for your retired IT assets that cannot be repurposed or resold.

A thoughtful and well-executed IT asset disposition plan can squeeze more value out of your retired IT assets in the new year. At Mainstream Global, we stand ready to help. Contact us to learn more.

Mainstream Global, Inc., headquartered in Lawrence, Mass., owns and operates processing centers in Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. With over 18 years of directly servicing and re-selling assets from top tier manufacturers, Mainstream Global is the recognized expert in the region. Our partners rely on us for compliance, security, professionalism, and brand protection, all while providing the best returns and prioritizing global environmental standards.