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OEM cartridges one of “biggest shopping rip-offs”

20/11/2015

An article covering “the biggest rip-offs and mark-ups” names original printer cartridges, and recommends using “refurbished replacements” or refills instead.

The article, from UK internet and telecoms company BT, refers to a recent British television programme The Shopper’s Guide to Saving, which looked at the high cost of ink and also investigated the quality of remanufactured cartridges. 

BT notes in turn that the reason for this “is manufacturers use printer ink to help recoup the cost of the expensive technology in our actual printers, which are generally quite affordable”, with cartridges just one purchase that “many of us pay a premium for”. Products that are also “slickly marketed and branded” are often bought “when there are much cheaper alternatives available”.

The article then adds that “one way to save on the high cost of printer ink” is to “recycle your old cartridges” and “buy refurbished replacements”, which it notes are “refilled with ink and cost up to 40 percent less than buying a brand new replacement”, which are also just as good”.

Source: The Recycler: oem-cartridges-one-of-biggest-shopping-rip-offs