Where to Buy Lab Equipment
Since the prominence of the internet, the lab equipment industry has expanded exponentially. Small time shops around the world have been able to get a food in the door of an industry previously dominated by the select few huge corporations with the type of capital needed to market world-wide. Over the past decade, specialty manufacturing shops have made it so that consumers can purchase from a large variety of vendors in order to get the best possible prices on all of their needed products. Furthermore, the lack of labor laws in developing countries have effected prices, plummeting the lab supplies portion of the industry to all time lows. While this may sound ideal for the consumer, it guaruntees garbage products are being produced and marketed around the internet. The only way to compete with these low, low prices is by trying to be even lower. In order to do that, quality is significantly effected.
Lab Machinery
Machinery for your workplace can usually be purchased from a variety of different vendors. These vendors might have unique patents on their products but their competitors have created extremely similar machines or machines that achieve the same end result that you desire. When it comes to machinery, there are a couple of schools of thought:
“I should approach specific vendors and explain to them what I’m trying to accomplish.” The companies that you approach will then create quotes based on your needs and you can decide which product you think best fits your situation with price taken in to consideration. It’s possible that you can leveraged the quotes of competitors against each other to ensure you will get the best possible price you can.
“I should approach a reseller or third-party vendor. They will do all the heavy lifting for me and I can be sure I will get a fair price.” Resellers can provide you with service and preventative maintenance should you buy through them. You might pay a little bit more but you’re still going to be okay when it comes to price. They’re banking on you conducting future business with them.
The only way you need to worry about quality being negatively affected is if you choose to deal with a company nobody has dealt with from a developing country you wouldn’t suspect to be involved in the industry. In this case, be leery. Their product could be straight trash.
Lab Supplies
Supplies is the more saturated market when it comes to lab equipment. With the influx of small, specialized businesses popping up all over the world, prices have plummeted. Cruddy companies that really don’t care whether or not you shop with them again can create and sell the same type of product you’d spend 2x more for from a larger organization, but at ½ the quality. 50th generation plastics, 10 times recycled metals… these are the types of things you’re looking at when it comes to too-good-to-be-true pricing options.
If you’re relying on having quality products that aren’t going to fall apart or risk contamination, it’s best to stick with reputable sites like MedLabGear.com for all your needs so that you get both good quality and fair pricing.