Compatible or Generic Ink Cartridges are a great alternative to Genuine cartridges for many reasons! In saying this let me add that there are still hundreds of online stores which are selling low grade Compatible Ink Cartridges. In this article I wish to put to rest some of the myths that have been circulating for many years about the problems associated with the use of generic cartridges.
Unless you buy your compatibles from a reputable reseller who has been around for a while and with a proven reputation then be warned. Low grade ink can clog your print head and many are even molded poorly which also leads to compatibility issues. If however you buy from a reputable dealer then the advantages are many while still maintaining the highest of print quality.
Why use Compatible Ink Cartridges ?
The greatest advantage is obviously the price. Most Generic Cartridges retail for half the price or less than that of a genuine cartridge with no noticeable difference in print quality.
Generic Printer cartridges also usually have a higher page yield than many genuine products. Compatibles usually dry quicker also which lessens the chance of smudging. Printer manufacturers are still very crafty and continually try to scare consumers into thinking that a compatible cartridge will somehow damage your printer. As long as you use a high quality compatible cartridge then the chance of this is nil. Using a cheap, low quality compatible however can cause dilemmas.
Printer Warranties with Generic Inkjet Cartridges
One of the main concerns people have is whether or not using a compatible cartridge will effect the validity of the printers warranty. The answer to this is a definite NO ! Do not let the retailers tell you any different as there is no reason in the world as to why a generic cartridge would cause a printer to fail (unless it was an extremely poor quality generic cartridge purchased from a less than reputable supplier ).
Consumer Rights
It is the individuals right to choose the brand of ink you use in your printer. It is against the law in Australia for anyone to tell you that a printer warranty will be voided if you don't use the printer manufacturer's cartridges. Make no mistake about it if a retailer refuses to honor your printers warranty due to using compatible inks then they are breaking the law !
Why are compatible inks so much cheaper ?
Many people ask this question and the answer is really quite simple. The cost to produce a genuine printer cartridge is generally not much more expensive than a Generic Ink. Usually a genuine cartridge will be packaged much more attractively and may even look more appealing to the eye. The truth however is that they are made in either Malaysia, Thailand or China the same countries as their compatible equivalents. So basically the profit margin on the genuine cartridge is many times greater than it's compatible rival.
The Fear of using Generic Cartridges
I am always amazed at the number of people who remain fearful of the thought of using a generic ink cartridge. Many people still have the mentality that the minute they install a non genuine cartridge into their printer that it will destroy it.
They whinge about the cost of the genuine products but due to past experiences with low grade compatibles they will not even attempt to give them another try. In many ways you can understand their reasoning however non genuine cartridges have improved in quality so much in the last decade that they really are very similar in quality to the genuine brand name inks.
Many of our customers have converted to non genuine inks (much to their displeasure) and after giving them a go they realize how much cheaper and just how reliable they really are. With our FULL MONEY BACK GUARANTEE what have you got to lose?
The differences between Genuine and Non Genuine Cartridges
There have been endless amounts of tests performed over the years to try to gauge the differences between Genuine and Compatible Ink Cartridges. While none have been 100% accurate in regards to print quality etc the majority of tests have clearly shown that generic cartridges represent a huge money saving advantage.As we have stated in many of our previous articles there can be a huge difference in quality from one compatible cartridge to the next so make sure that you do your research and check various review sites to get other peoples opinions.FACT: Many of the Chinese and Malaysian companies who manufacturer generic cartridges are the SAME companies that also produce many of the Genuine OEM name brand cartridges. This is a known fact among most of us who have been in the trade for some time.
What is a re-manufactured Cartridge?
Re manufactured ink cartridges and toners are actually "reconditioned" versions of the original, genuine brand name cartridges. Re manufactured cartridges can vary greatly in quality depending on the company which does the "reconditioning".The most common re manufactured cartridges are toners. Due to the large physical size of toners it is far cheaper to re manufacture these than it is to replicate them. Some companies simply drill a small hole in them and refill them with toner where as more reputable companies will strip them down and replace every worn component before refilling them.If a toner cartridge has not been carefully reconditioned often it can result in poor quality printouts such as streaking, gray backgrounds and even complete printed sections missing. A good quality re manufactured toner should give the same quality print as a genuine toner but at a much cheaper price. Another common issue with poorly re manufactured toners is that often they don't replace the wiper blade which can cause toner powder to leak onto the drum unit. This results in dirty printouts and requires the toner cartridge to be removed and the drum cleaned of excess toner powder otherwise the print quality will continue to deteriorate.
The most common type of re manufactured ink cartridges are the ones which have the printhead built into the cartridge itself. The most common ones being HP and Canon cartridges. Once again quality can vary greatly as some simply refill them, repackage and that's it where as other companies will power flush them, replace the sponge and then refill with high quality ink.Be warned however as these style cartridges can be very problematic and will produce poor printouts if they are not reconditioned to a very high standard. Often they will clog up and printouts can have bits missing or even incorrect colouring due to partial clogging of individual colours.We no longer sell any re manufactured cartridges with the printheads built in as they are simply not reliable enough. Often they are sold as "Compatible Cartridges" but strictly speaking they should be referred to as a re manufactured cartridge so that the end user knows exactly what they are buying.
Its your choice
As a reseller of very high quality ink cartridges I find it frustrating that many people still are unwilling to try compatible cartridges in their printers. Many have been tainted by bad experiences in the past and I quite understand why they are reluctant to try them again. There has been a plethora of cheap, low grade compatibles flood the market over the years and no doubt many people were burned by past experiences with compatibles.
Ink Hub has been importing and reselling our own brand of compatible cartridges for over 7 years and the quality is exceptional. We have tested many different brands during this time and none compare to the brand we are currently selling.
Like them or not the compatible market is growing at an incredible rate. Give them a try for yourself. I think you'll be quite surprised !
For more advice on printers or compatible cartridges feel free to call Ink Hub on (08) 7324 3065 or Mob: 040 869 1299