We live in the age of Amazon, so you’re probably pretty used to buying things online by this point. However, it’s one thing to impulse-click the ‘Buy’ button on an adorable avocado costume for your Pomeranian. It’s another thing entirely when it’s a $2,500 pallet truck scale for your warehouse.

If you’re buying based on price alone—BEWARE! You may be getting exactly what you pay for (and no, that’s not a good thing).

As an online scales outlet that’s been around for many years, we’ve helped hundreds of people resolve issues they’ve encountered after buying the cheapest scale they could find. To help you avoid the same pitfall, we’ve put together this list of the five most important questions to ask yourself before purchasing a scale online.

1. ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE BUYING THE RIGHT SCALE FOR THE JOB?

While most of the time it’s pretty easy to choose the correct scale for the job—either you’re replacing an existing machine or there’s a scale made specifically for your application—that’s unfortunately not always the case. You might think an industrial bench scale is good enough for what you’re trying to weigh, but what if there’s something that would greatly simplify your entire process?

If you’re unsure of the best scale for your application, you can contact the experts at Scales Plus. Even if you don’t plan on buying from us, we’re happy to help you get the best equipment for the job.

2. DOES THE SCALE COME WITH FREE SERVICE AND SUPPORT?

What good is your brand new scale if it comes with only foreign language instructions, or is full of confusing Ikea-like illustrations? If you have any questions about how to set it up or get it working, you want to know there’s a reliable number you can call for help.

At Scales Plus, we can help you save time during installation by assisting in the setup of your scale system, so it is ready to use upon delivery. Our team provides services including initial scale setup, indicator to base connection, printer settings configuration, peripheral device connection, software integration, and more.

3. HOW COMPLICATED IS THE ROUTINE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE?

Sooner or later, the accuracy of your scale will begin to diminish. Even though many of these factors—such as overloaded load cells, depleted batteries, and general wear and tear—are outside of your control, there are plenty of easy things you can do to maintain your scale and avoid costly maintenance.

From routine cleaning to periodic calibration, you’ll want to make sure your new scale makes it easy to accomplish these important tasks without having to disassemble the machine. And if you do need help—particularly with NIST Traceable calibration—it’s good to know whether or not the seller offers that type of service before you need it.

4. DOES THE SELLER STOCK THE SPARE PARTS YOU’LL NEED?

You wouldn’t take your car into the shop to replace the windshield wiper blades, would you? Of course not! When it comes to scales, there are plenty of similar components that are much cheaper and easier to fix yourself than to send in for service.

Whether it’s a new load cell or a replacement power supply, you should always check that the seller stocks the parts you may one day need for your specific model. At Scales Plus, we have thousands of scale parts and accessories for dozens of trusted manufacturers like Ohaus, Rice Lake, and more. And if you don’t know what you need, we have a dedicated parts department that can help you find the right part for your scale.

5. IS THE SCALE FULLY BACKED BY WARRANTY?

Before you purchase your scale online, you should at least look over the manufacturer’s warranty. You're probably thinking nobody ever actually reads those things, but trust us, it could end up saving you hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars.

Not all warranties are created equally, of course, and what they do and do not cover can vary wildly. The big things to look for are the duration of the warranty, what kinds of damage it covers, and whether or not you’ll be on the hook for any shipping costs—especially if it’s from an international seller.

Oh, and while you’re at it, we recommend checking out the seller’s return policy. You’ll hopefully never need it, but it’s good to know it’s there in case you do.

SCALES PLUS HAS THE ONLINE SCALES EXPERTS YOU CAN TRUST

There you have it. Now that you know what questions to ask, it’s time to start shopping for your next industrial, laboratory, or cannabis scale. If you have any other online scale purchasing questions, feel free to give us a call at 616-622-2100.