Funai To Sell Refurbished, Discounted Printers on Amazon

Funai Electric Company of Osaka, Japan, will collect, refurbish, repair, and resell printers in the U.S. beginning this summer, according to Nikkei Asia. It will sell the printers, as well well as refurbished televisions, on Amazon and through other sources at discounts of up to 20 percent.  

The company will repair and refurbish the products returned by retailers because of defects, and is  partnering with Japan’s Yusen Logistics and U.S.-based J.B. Hunt Transport Services for collection and storage.

By 2029, it’s aiming for annual sales of $500 million in the U.S.

According to Nikkei Asia: “Employees of Yusen and J.B. Hunt will assess the problems with the products, sending those needing replacement parts or other fixes to a Funai repair facility. The refurbished appliances will be sold through Amazon.com and elsewhere at discounts of up to 20 percent from their new counterparts.”

Funai is starting out with printers and televisions, but will expand to PCs, smartphones, and other products. 

Funai, Yusen Logistics, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services will establish 10 collection depots by the end of 2025, which they say will reduce the time and cost of transporting the products. Funai is said to have developed a new system for managing data for secondhand electronics.

The company also sells products such as inkjet printers and televisions under its own brand, and also OEMs to other companies.

At one point, Funai was selling Kodak desktop inkjet printers, and in 2013, acquired Lexmark’s desktop inkjet printer business for $100 million.

More Resources

• January 2017: Funai Launches VERITÉ Eco Inkjets Bundled with up to 12 High-Yield Ink Cartridges
• June 2015: This Week in Imaging: Funai Selling Kodak Inkjets; New Hardware from Canon; In-House Testing; More
• June 2015: Funai Begins Selling KODAK VERITÉ 55, Promising up to 50-Percent Ink Savings
• February 2015: After Purchasing Lexmark’s Inkjet Business, Funai Electric to Also Sell Kodak-Brand Small Office and Consumer Printers Worldwide
• April 2013: Funai Electric Acquiring Lexmark’s Inkjet Business for $100 Million