The Smart Way to Buy Food Equipment Online

1. Is the Food Equipment Manufacturer Reputable?

Think like your customers, particularly your younger adults born in the digital era and far more inclined to order online.

Even when it comes to trying a new restaurant—a dissatisfaction risk paling in comparison to that of an online equipment investment—24% of Gen Zers and 17% of Millennials look to social media for insight.

Largely a result of e-commerce, where pricing shouts more loudly as products have to sell themselves, the online food equipment market has exploded with off-shore and other knock-off bargain options that appear legit.

If the equipment on your computer screen isn’t listed under a familiar brand or manufacturing name, it doesn’t automatically mean the quality isn’t good. But it does make doing your research more imperative.

Digging in FER, FE&S, and other industry sources is a good place to start and, of course, first-hand accounts from your peers can be invaluable. But it can also prove worthwhile to cast a wider net for grassroots foodservice-operator commentary on sites like Reddit or Quora.

2. Do You Know the Details of Your Food Equipment Application?

Most likely, when it comes to ordering food equipment online, we’re not talking about a chain-wide spec or serving the unique need created by an innovative menu item.

But even for a comparatively standard equipment purchase, knowing your equipment performance and physical kitchen specs is essential.

With the merciless challenges of labor, inflation, sourcing and a $20 minimum wage, this isn’t the time to eyeball it.

Hold the equipment information up against a realistic view of your menu, your customer sales and projected volume needs, your available space and workflow ergonomics, power capacity and every other detail this purchase must meet.

If the information online comes up short or leaves you in doubt, move on to number 3.

3. Are You Buying From a Foodservice Expert?

Right up front, if the online source makes it difficult to get the answers you need, it’s probably a sign to move on—if for no other reason than the fact it’s unlikely you can count on any support after the sale.

If you do manage to connect with someone, hold the service supplier to an even higher standard than the equipment itself.

Many online suppliers’ websites have become remarkably robust, with spec sheets, usage guides, interactive 360° views, product videos—you name it. And all of it can be extremely useful.

But it can also be more of a testament to the company’s marketing and IT than its industry expertise relative to your operation.

Given enough time, you’ll know if you’re communicating with well-trained staff who have real experience in foodservice—whether it’s following up your questions with intelligent questions of their own, explaining where food equipment value differentials can hide, or pointing you to a better application solution you didn’t see elsewhere on the site.

If they demonstrate integrity and transparency in the process of that conversation, that’s even better. But, again, you won’t know if you don’t hold them to that higher standard.