Why Store Bought Brother Ink Cartridges Are Expensive

2011-11-10

Major printer companies are notorious for their high ink prices. While they often claim that high ink prices are due to the costs associated with developing new printer technology, this is only part of the reason for high ink costs. Brother, one of the world's leading manufacturers of printers, copiers and multifunction devices, is one of the best examples. Brother ink cartridges cost much more at the store than they do online and generic alternatives to Brother cartridges are much less expensive than their name-brand counterparts. There are several reasons for these higher prices.

It's true that one of the major reasons that Brother ink cartridges are expensive is that the company invests in new printer technology and advertising--these costs are significant and certainly drive up the cost of printer manufacturing. However, like most printer companies, Brother avoids raising the prices on their printers. Instead, Brother charges much more for ink cartridges than they cost to produce. As Brother holds patents on its ink cartridge designs, it can raise ink prices without worrying that customers will switch to a competitor. Many other major printer manufacturers use the same pricing techniques to charge more for their ink cartridges, as their customers are effectively locked into buying their ink cartridges. It's the same concept that modern razor companies use; the razor itself is inexpensive, but replacement heads can be costly. Some printer manufacturers even take a loss on printers and make up the money in ink cartridge sales.

There are also significant overhead costs associated with store bought Brother ink cartridges. Physical stores must charge for stocking and shelf space, which can quickly add up. This adds to the already high price of Brother ink cartridges and cartridges from other major printer manufacturers. Ink cartridges are often much less expensive online, as online stores don't have to deal with significant overhead costs. It's easier for online retailers to store and ship thousands of ink cartridges, and as the market for printer ink is much more competitive online, Internet-only retailers often sell ink cartridges from Brother and other brands at heavily reduced costs.

Generic printer ink cartridges and ink refill kits are an even less expensive option, despite the fact that they often use the same technology as name-brand cartridges. Generic ink manufacturers spend less money on advertising and use the same techniques to build their products. Buying generic ink refill kits and name-brand cartridges online can be much less expensive than buying cartridges from a physical store. Consumers are certainly aware of this fact, as online ink cartridge sales have increased dramatically thanks to savvy printer users looking for an alternative to big brands and high prices.