Printer ink seven times more expensive than Dom Perignon

[RossGr]

Originally posted by: stonecold3169

Originally posted by: Angrymarshmello

Originally posted by: kuk

Ink costs are truly very prohibitive. I just replaced my old and trusty HP 850C for a new Canon due to exorbitant ink costs. Wouldn't they make more money if they sold cheaper cartridges/tanks, stomping on grey market products?

Um, what the hell are you talking about? Make more money? Ink cartridges have a 50%+ profit margin on them. They subsidize the small profit margin they make on printers by charging out the ass for cartridges. Cheaper tanks? Um, take a look at your next "new" cartridge. The manufacturers recommend that you recycle your cartridge to help "save" the environment. Most of the time the manufacturers buy back the existing cartridges from the companies that run the "recycling cartridge effort", or even are the ones that actually do the recycling. Your "new" cartridge more than likely is a used up one that has been recycled. I don't know the exact percentages but I'd think it would be at least 35%.

Those grey market products are crap from my experience and from the experience of the thousands of customers I've sold ink cartridges to in my 4+ years of retail. You try it once and you never go back to it. The grey market products make up such an insignificant portion of the actual market share it's not worth the effort to crush them.

Bingo. Again, spouting only info from HP, on the entry level models (I'm countng the $100-$150 models) hp makes a small profit. Beyond there, they start just breaking even or even losing money. The new autoduplex cheapie inkjet, the 6122 or something along those lines, at retail for $179.99 they are losing money on it.

However, with features that are typically expensive (autoduplex) it gets their name out to buisnesses if they can sell a fleet of them to a buisness that is just starting up. Then, when it's cartridge replacement time, they ream them $30 for each HP branded black inkjet cartridge, at a 97% profit or some other huge figure (I do believe it's well over 90%). Also, companies like Hp are primarily research companies. HP is currently in the top 10 most patent owning companies of the world. They make mucho dinero off of charging those generic manufactorers to use their general design. So, even if you buy generic, you're still paying HP, and you even save them the effort of filling previously used carts

I am not totaly sure what you are trying to say, but NO ONE but HP builds HP print carts. We have developed special tools to produce them, these tools are simplly not available to other manufactures. The common response we get from vendors of common fab tools is "You do WHAT to your wafers!" If our processes were used by other manufactures we would be able to buy off the shelf tools for our production lines. Such is not the case, we are continually have to develope special wafer handling tools and processes for the manufacture of cartridges. Yes, we make a lot of money on them, but remeber there is more there then just ink.

I am a techincian for HP maintaining/repairing and developing the equipment requiered for key processes in building InkJet cartridges.

I am not an official representive of HP.

 

[0roo0roo]

hp's good, i had a 9 year old deskjet 540 that i left unplugged for 6 years. i had to use it in an emergency and it worked! hah same ink cart too.

 

[Macro2]

Mach five:
RE:"And knock-off inks do not give you nearly the same quality on all paper types as the manufacturer ink".

Fairly true, but the ink I refill with is very good. I also have one i850 with continuous feed. The biggest difference with the Canon inks is the MAGENTA where Canon has it patented. Still I'm a graphics type myself and I'm satisfied with the knock off ink I get. You just have to test various sources.
Just as important as the ink is the PAPER. KODAK photopaper is not too good for Canons. Epson paper is real good and Canons is the best of course.

 

[Macro2]

One more time...if you do any amount of inkjet printing DON'T get an HP or a Lexmark or a Epson for that matter. Get a Canon and refill or buy ISO certified generics for as little as $2. Even check EBay. For ink and supplies go to atlascopy.com. For continuous feed and good ink go to theinkplace.com

Even if you happen to have to buy real Canon cartridges they are cheaper than HP. If you buy HPs remanufactured cartridges that's just what you get. A Used, refilled cartridge. Where as with canon you get a new cartridge that has been knocked off. No one makes HP cartridged but HP because they have the print head built in. Canons do not so all they need to knock off is the plastic cartridge and sponge inside and fill it with ink.

You can try to refill an HP cartridge but you be lucky to get it to work...maybe 3 refills. Canon cartridges can be refilled many times. Like I've said I've refilled the same one over 100 times! At that was a generic!


You may get a Lexmark for $50 or less...but over time that is no deal...likely it is slow and inferior to the Canons color printing.
Just wait until you have to replace cartridges.



As a matter of fact Cartridges and toners are the most profitable part of HPs bottom line. What does that tell you?

 

[rh71]

... and I just purchased my first ink refill for my Epson printer... after the printer indicates ink low and won't print anymore.

At least an authentic Epson cartridge can be had for only $17.

 

[Macro2]

Sounds like you ned a chipsetter for the Epson or just sell it and get a Canon.

You see, Epson wants your to buy their cartridges because that's where they make the money.

 

[draggoon01]

so which places should you buy refill cartridges from in general? many people complain about clogging when using refills

 

[kuk]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
hp's good, i had a 9 year old deskjet 540 that i left unplugged for 6 years. i had to use it in an emergency and it worked! hah same ink cart too.

Ha, same situation.
I had the same printer, left it in a cardboard box for 6 years and worked when I needed it.

Quality-wise, HPs are workhorses. But when a black ink cartridge costs to me U$50, something is definately wrong.