"Why Are Printer Ink Prices So High?" We Answer Your Questions!

A lot of people have questions about printer ink cartridges. Some people think they’re too expensive, others don’t know how to care for the cartridges themselves, or how to prevent clogs. It can be hard to find the answers, because there are so many different opinions out there.

So where do you turn? To us, of course! We went out into the wide world of Facebook and Twitter asking what all YOU wanted to know about printer ink cartridges. We received a lot of questions from you, so without further ado… Why are printer cartridges I see in the store so expensive?

OEM cartridges (original equipment manufacturer cartridges, or those associated with the printer brand) are selling at high prices purely because the OEM cartridge manufacturers seek high profit margins on them. For example, if an OEM cartridge’s retail price is $20, the cartridge itself may only cost around $1-$3 to make. But the dealer may pay $18 per cartridge to the manufacturer, and so they would have to sell the cartridge at $20 to avoid losing money. Why the huge price difference between what I see on your website and store-bought cartridges?

Remanufactured printer cartridges are made by a 3rd party, not by the manufacturer or the dealer. This dramatically lowers the price, as well as the fact that the factories that make remanufactured printer cartridges are highly competitive. These savings are passed on to the retailers, which results in savings for the customer! Will the price of printer ink ever go down?

In our professional opinion, probably not. One trend we see is a reduction of the ink volume within the cartridges themselves. This isn’t to rip off the customer — it’s actually to prevent any further price increases. I’ve always been told that only brand cartridges are safe to use in a printer. Why should I trust a remanufactured printer ink cartridge?

A popular misconception is that off-brand printer cartridges may damage your printer. Both brand cartridges and remanufactured ink cartridges are safe to use in a printer. And using a remanufactured printer ink cartridge won’t void your printer warranty! There’s no reason not to go with remanufactured printer ink cartridges, which have much more competitive pricing. Why do you guys have so many contests on Facebook?

Because contests are fun! And if you ever miss a contest on our Facebook page, you can always check it out the next month.

Do you have any more questions for the CompandSave crew? Do you think these are fair answers? Tell us in the comments!

About the authors: Andrew Yeung is president of CompAndSave, a leading online provider of premium printer ink cartridges, including remanufactured and compatible printer ink cartridges. With deals every month and a 100% customer satisfaction, CompandSave provides an easy way for people and businesses to purchase printer ink and accessories.

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