During the past two weeks, buyers on bidorbuy have purchased about twenty laptops per day. And the majority of them were second-hand. On average, bidorbuyers were four times more likely to buy a used laptop than a new one.

The top reason for buying pre-owned laptops is, of course, the cost. Second-hand laptops with attractive specifications can be found on bidorbuy for R4,000 and less. And if you are on the market for this product, there is no need to be afraid of buying a used laptop. You just need to know how to do it.

Once you find a used laptop that suits both your needs and your budget, read the description carefully and, if necessary, ask the seller for additional information. Especially pay attention to these salient points:

• The laptop screen must not be damaged and it must not have any washed out or discoloured areas. LCD screens can be expensive to repair or replace!
• The input ports (USB connections, headphone and microphone jacks, power cord inputs, etc.) should all work properly, as should the keyboard and the touchpad (even if you regularly use a mouse).
• The battery life is not crucial for your purchasing decision. Relatively short battery life is a standard in this industry; you cannot expect a laptop battery to work at full power for longer than about three years. However, it is good to know what state the battery is in, because you will need to budget for a replacement if you plan to use your laptop unplugged.
• Check the bundled software. In some cases, used laptops are reset to factory conditions. It is therefore important to find out which software programmes come with the laptop.
• Make sure that the laptop comes with a bag. If it does not, budget for an additional expense. It is easy to forget all about the laptop bag – until you need to take your laptop somewhere with you, and then discover that you do not know how to do it.

Once you are satisfied on all counts, make your order and pay for your purchase. And as soon as you receive your new pre-owned laptop, test it thoroughly. Ensure that the item is exactly as it was described in the listing and that there are no issues with it. Many bidorbuy sellers offer limited time warranties on used laptops, so it is important to do this promptly.