Why HP Ink Cartridges Cost More Than Remanufactured And Generic Cartridges

2011-09-19

Many printer users are starting to wonder why the HP ink cartridges for their new discount printer are so expensive. It is a question which has puzzled many consumers; exactly why do these original cartridges cost 3-4 times as much as a remanufactured cartridge? Although the cost of cartridges differs from printer to printer, the average cost is around $30; while a refill pack is roughly around the same price, but contains 3 refills. According to independent studies, remanufactured cartridges are about 60%-70% cheaper than their HP counterparts.

The Quality Difference

Whether it is HP, Epson, Samsung or any large printer manufacturer, they all say the same thing: "Our cartridges are inestimably superior in quality than remanufactured, third party cartridges". Officials at HP maintain that a great deal of research and technology goes into ensuring that their cartridges are superior, can print at high speeds and will not cause clogging or damage to the machine. They claim that their cartridges have a much lower rate of failure than generic cartridges and that their ink is reasonably priced. Independent tests have proven that there is actually not a very large difference in the quality of these HP and third party cartridges.

The Hardware Difference

In order to compete with the less costly generic cartridges, rather than lowering the retail price, HP made it a policy to only provide their ink with brand-new cartridge heads. So instead of simply paying money to buy ink, customers are paying big bucks for cartridge heads which do not really need to be replaced as often as HP insists they must, according to recent research. Newer cartridges are also fitted with unique chips, which further raise the cost.

The Real Reason

"Superior" quality ink and cartridges apart, the real reason that the cartridges are so expensive is simple: profit. Printer companies, including HP, realized that they could make a much larger profit by drastically lowering the cost of their printers and making up for it through repeated sales of their ink. As a result, the OEM ink industry is now worth several billion dollars, all because of smart marketing tactics. Smart as it may have been, more and more consumers are noticing that the only real difference between HP ink cartridges and generic models is in the price. Although HP ink definitely prints with better quality and has fewer problems, the extra money spent is only worthwhile for those who use intricate, high definition printouts in their profession. Otherwise-for home and office use, the truth is that there is hardly a noticeable difference between OEM and Remanufactured cartridges, despite what HP and other manufacturers might say in a bid to protect their profits.