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Bill Benton
Business Development Manager, Microsoft
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| Many to Benefit from Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR) Program |
Every day, Microsoft Corp. is working on the cutting edge to provide consumers and businesses with innovative PC technology. However, as consumers and companies of all sizes buy new computers, they are faced with a growing and sometimes perplexing problem: what to do with their old machines.
In response to concerns about the safety of intellectual property and potential harm to the environment, many enterprises outsource management of their old PCs to companies, like Redemtech, that wipe away the data and applications, and then refurbish and resell the computers to new customers.
Through the years, refurbishers have come to us with requests for genuine software solutions for this market. Consequently, we started the MAR program. What these companies were asking for was essentially a means of installing genuine Windows software on a large volume of the PCs that they were collecting and refurbishing. The MAR program is tailored to the needs of large refurbishers that want to deliver preinstalled genuine Windows® XP software licenses on refurbished PCs sold in the commercial market.
This program also builds on the success of a similar, currently available Microsoft program called Community MAR, which is designed for charities, educational institutions and nonprofits. Last year, 200,000 PCs worldwide benefited from the Community MAR program. Redemtech became the first Community MAR in North America in 2006 and was one of two organizations to launch the new MAR program this past November.
This is good news for the industry, considering that 28 million refurbished PCs will be sold this year, making up 10 percent of the global PC market, according to Microsoft. Although the program is fairly new, some refurbishers, including Redemtech, already have begun delivering updated product to the market.
| Cost-Savings Benefits for Buyers and End Users |
One of the biggest beneficiaries of the MAR program is corporate end users who want to sell, buy and reuse equipment. With the MAR program, those looking to sell off surplus equipment may get higher remarketing return with professional refurbishment and pre-installed operating systems, plus get the assurance that their equipment is being repurposed rather than discarded into the secondary market.
For companies looking to extend the life of their Windows XP environments by acquiring refurbished PCs, the MAR program provides a great solution. Also, the MAR program is beneficial where computing needs are not as high, such as a call center, compared to computing-intensive environments where updated systems and the latest software features are crucial to productivity and the bottom line.
Another way the program helps is in situations where corporate budgets may be tight. Professionally refurbished equipment can be a great solution for spot needs, special projects or short-term situational use as an alternative to new procurement.
For end users purchasing in the retail market, there is peace of mind knowing the Windows software is genuine.
While end-user benefits are substantial, we can’t forget about the environmental impacts from MAR. Refurbishers and Microsoft are making low-cost, quality refurbished PCs with genuine Windows XP operating systems an attractive alternative, which can reduce the volume of end-of-lifecycle units that wind up in landfills or are exported to uncertain disposal ends.
| MAR’s Impact on the Refurbishment Industry |
The MAR program allows authorized partners to supply refurbished PCs preinstalled with Windows XP Professional Edition or Windows XP Home Edition. A new COA is provided with each refurbished PC, constituting proof that it is licensed for the version of Windows XP installed on the machine, and ensuring buyers access to free online support and software updates from Microsoft. Refurbished PCs additionally come with a recovery media CD, which allows buyers to reinstall the operating system if needed, and provides an upgrade path to Windows Vista as well.
The MAR program also offers a reduced royalty for refurbished PCs with a previous Windows COA affixed to the PC, along with deployment tools to help refurbishers reinstall Windows and all of the relevant drivers on renewed PCs in as little as 15 minutes.
With this new program, refurbishers now have the ability to simplify volume licensing of refurbished computers and the tools to grow their business by affordably providing their customers genuine Windows XP on a refurbished PC.
Bottom line, by making the refurbisher computer market more professional, used-but-still-useful equipment will last longer and not be prematurely discarded. The MAR program also provides genuine Windows software and an efficient, low-cost alternative to new equipment. These advantages, in addition to environmental and safety benefits, make for a worthy program for Microsoft and refurbishers like Redemtech.
Over time, we hope the MAR program will grow into a worldwide program, at which point Microsoft will have two worldwide programs working in parallel: the MAR program to serve the commercial market and the Community MAR program to serve the needs of the nonprofit market.
For more information on the MAR program, you may visit www.redemtech.com/MAR and read the Microsoft Windows Licensing Guide for Refurbished PCs and get answers to frequently asked questions.
Bill Benton is business development manager with Microsoft Corp.’s U.S. OEM division.
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