Why do ink cartridges cost more? Is the most asked question among people whose daily activities involve constant use of a printer. There are a dozen answers we can give to these questions. Perhaps the most candid of them all is so that the manufacturing companies can make profits from their products.
If you look at the statistics closely, most printers are almost sold at a loss. But there is a catch to it. The price tag on the ink cartridges will make up for the loss tenfold. Some ink cartridges can be more expensive than the world’s finest perfume!
Let’s delve into some of the reasons why printer ink is more expensive than we all think it should be.
1. Ink Development Process
Researching and stabilizing chemicals to create good quality ink cost a lot of money. According to some statistics, most manufacturers put a lot of money and extensive technology to come up with the finest ink cartridges. With all this knowledge in mind, it is very easy to conclude that all these factors into the mind-boggling price on the tag of an ink cartridge.
2. Complex Development Process
Ink production requires elaborate research and it takes a complex process to come up with the best quality there is in the market. Without ink, your printers are useless. This means that ink is responsible for powering and giving purpose to your printing machine. Different manufacturers use different processes to create ink. For example, big companies like Hewlett Packard and Canon employ the thermal process. Other companies like Epson prefer the piezoelectric process. Most of the processes require sophisticated high-tech design for the best quality.
3. You are Investing in Quality
When it comes to quality, OEM ink takes it home. It is one of the best you can come across in the marketplace. As we all know, there is always a catch to everything. The best quality means expensive. On the other hand, cheap is expensive and that is the paradigm of it all. Good quality ink cartridges will cost you an arm. This means you will rake out more than you spent purchasing your printing machine.
4. High Demand
With the rise of technology, printers have become a part and parcel of our households and offices. Most offices have more than one printing machine. Not to talk about the big high-end offices where each cubicle has a printer. What does this mean? More demand and high supply. Booming business with minimal fluctuation in demand. Any company worth its salt will always go for the big-box retailers that supply the best quality.
5. Specialization
You need to be informed on your tools of trade. That includes knowing your printing machines and their supplies. Your printer makes and model will tell its ink design and designing costs. Besides that, most cartridges are packaged in a high-capacity version. Some come in the XL version but as mentioned above, it is all on the model of your printer. What you also need to understand is the color of the ink that your machine uses. Some tri-color is a total waste.
6. Built with a Lifespan
Almost every electronic device is built to fail in the long run. Yes, that is what’s up! Otherwise, where’s the benefit for the company if they do not keep their consumers constantly wanting? This is not to say that manufacturers design substandard electronics. Far from it. They build a product that has a lifespan with some lasting for decades.
7. Cheap Printing Machines
This is the unspoken code that all manufacturers operate under. They make less money from their printing machines but as mentioned earlier, there is a catch to this. Some companies have even been reported to sell their machines at a loss. But there is a silver lining to this tactic, and I’ll show you why. Their ink cartridges. Their exorbitant prices make a replacement for their machines’ cheaper prices. The reason for extremely affordable prices is a wise bait for potential consumers.
8. Inefficient Printing Machine
Not every ink cartridge is compatible with all printing machines. It can vary from machine to machine and it is only advisable that you know your printer before putting money into it. Whatever you are printing highly determines how much ink is consumed during the process. Inkjet printers for example will consume a lot of ink during the printing process. This is because of the limited capacity because of the size of the machine. This means the ink consumption is fast and the cost inflates.
9. Budget-Priced Printing Machine
If you are an uninformed consumer, budget-priced printers will cost you a lot. You will rake a lot of money for the ink cartridges to use on these machines. Before you know it, you will be spending a lot more on the machine supplies than you did on its purchase. This is where they break even. You spend a lot on the supplies that are depleted in no time and you will have to spend some more to restock. This vicious cycle will continue for as long as you are printing.
How to Make Your Ink Cartridges Last Longer
A lot has been said about how ink cartridges can dent your bank accounts. It all sounds like there is no going around it. On the contrary, there are a few tricks you can employ to make the printing machine supplies last longer. Here are some of them.
- Use your printer once a week to prevent your print heads from running dry. If possible, have machine maintenance every other month to decrease ink consumption.
- Store your ink well as directed by the manufacturers. Most of them are recommended to be stored in a cool dry place. This will elongate the lifespan and viability of your ink.
- Use fonts that consume a little less ink. Arial font is known to consume way much as compared to its counterparts. If possible, use courier, Calibri, Times New Romans among other less consuming fonts.
- Use modes that consume less ink in the initial drafts of your work. Only save the higher quality for the final printing process of a project. The greyscale and black mode are the safe bets.