HP Tries to Explain Why Printer Ink is So Expensive

[gm0n3y]

How much do people here actually print at home (not home business related)? I think I probably print maybe 2-3 pages a month some months as many as 5. Usually draft quality text.

 

[zybch]

Um, so where in this 'story' was there ANY explanation of why HP charges so damn much for their ink??
Just saying "we spend a lot on development" IS NOT an explanation!

 

[dnaeye]

Another analogy of this printer-ink dynamic can be cellphones and contracts. The cellphone might subsidized to zero, but the wireless providers hit you back at least $40 a month. About 5 years ago, I bought a inkjet refill kit at Costco for like $20. I'm still using it.

 

[warezme]

HP and all the printers are stealing from the public. There is no reason ink should be so expensive. HP in particular goes out of its way to create new printer models that replace older models that are not ink or cartridge compatible with the prior model. There model is to have as many unique cartridges as possible to maximize their profit. That is where they spend their money. On creating unique cartridges to push their ink. on not on the quality of the inks which are subpar.

 

[hang-the-9]

There is really only one answer as to why something costs what it does, ink, computer, printers. "We need to make money, the more we make the more our company is worth".

 

[hemelskonijn]

Let me tell you all why ink costs what it costs!, its simple really ... supply and demand gone wild.

As long as we pay for it the price wont go south ... stop buying ink and they would eventually have to drop prices.

 

[michaelahess]

I'll stick with my two Color Laser Konica Minolta's, they work great and a set of toner carts is just a bit more than a new highend ink jet printer. Quality is slightly lower, but if I want photo quality prints, I go to walmart anyway, it's FAR cheaper than ANY consumer printer.

 

[ryu750]

I purchased an HP laserjet 1018 4yrs ago, bought a toner cartridge on Ebay for $29 and have not changed it yet! Anytime i have pictures to print I send them to the local drugstore.

 

[benfea]

We all know the real reason ink is so expensive: "Everything is worth what its purchaser will pay for." -- Pubilius Syrus

 

[ilfracombu]

My HP printer hasn't been plugged in for awhile, years probably. Also out of ink.

 

[zaznet]

Since the new printer comes with ink, it can sometimes be cheaper to just buy a new printer and throw it out when the cartridge runs dry.

 

[eddieroolz]

Go laser. I ditched my inkjet printer recently.

 

[ckthecerealkiller]

What you do is buy a new printer on sale. When the ink starts going out donate it to the ARC or some other non profit company. Take a tax writeoff on the donated printer and buy another printer on sale. You stay up to date with the latest printer and you still pay less than you would if you kept buying ink.

 

[Guest]

Hp spends a billion dollars a year to find ways to make you spend more on ink I just bought an Hp and the cartridge was empty in a month and could not be refilled because they have made it so you can't do it.. the color ink just went empty from turning on the machine.. I had an old thrift store printer for a couple years and never needed ink, I think it just wore out... now you know the truth about Hp ( they are spending a billion a year to make you pay more and use more ink just by turning on the printer) this is all true I'm just a guy bought this for my mom and what a headache.

 

[Guest]

Who cares about printer warranty being void when you can but a new printer so cheaply?

 

[thlillyr]

Just last week my mothers printer had an EXPIRED cartrige. WTF? We put that exact cartrige in 6 months ago. She hasn't once printed color but 2 of the 3 new cartriges were EXPIRED. Since when does ink expire. Ink is expensive becuse you are force to buy it. Having a cartrige expire or pretend its out but still be half full and preventing you from refilling is just a method of extortion. They give you a sweat printer at a loss but profit on the ink every 3-6 months from you. I have a dell laser for 5 years. Use it on a daily basis I have never replaced the toner. My hp inkjet I use twice a month for the last 2 years and have replaced the ink 18 times. I've tested it before. I put all new ink in and one month all the ink levels were reporting significantly lower. Some as low as half!! I never used it once!! Somebody file a class action lawsuit already!!!!

 

[sgtopmobile]

hahahahahaha youre all buying ink, i got myself a countinous printing system, it has 200ml of ink in each cartridge (4 total) and it only costed me 80$, oh and BTW, when my cartridge runs out of ink, instead of buying a new one, i recharge them, 30$ only, afterall having a latino brother in law has its benefits, those bastards pirate everything! and it can be installed in almost any printer hahahahaha