Printer Ink Cartridge Scam
By Glenn S.
Is HP scheming to boost profits from sales of ink cartridges? My recent attempt to resolve printer issues with HP support regarding my PSC 2355 printer is all too familiar. I don’t fault the techs of course. I have talked with many HP printer owners who have had problems and unresolved issues with their HP printers. The issues are basically the same. I bought my HP printer at a good price, and I felt I was getting a good deal. My good deal turned out to be a windfall for HP. I paid about $89.00 for an “all in one” PSC 2355 about two years ago. Shortly after my purchase, the printer sounded it first of many “replace ink cartridge” errors. The printer would not resume working until I replaced the cartridge. I was amazed at how soon the printer ran out of ink. Moreover, I was shocked at the cost of new ink cartridges.
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After replacing a black ink cartridge a few times I started refilling them. I could save on average $I0.00 per cartridge. I could refill a black cartridge with ink about three to four times before the printer would not accept it anymore, one of HP’s little deals to make sure you buy another cartridge. I read somewhere on the internet that you can trick the printer into thinking you installed a new cartridge if it is swapped out with three other cartridges. I tried the procedure; it didn’t work on my machine.
I never use the color cartridge, at $30+ who can afford to use it. I set the printer to print only in black, so I didn’t think I needed to be concerned (so I thought) about the printer not working because the color cartridge ran out of ink. To my surprise, the machine sounded “a replace color cartridge”, and the printer would not work. It would not print, copy, or scan. As it turns out, the ink level indications and errors are just estimates. Here’s where HP gets you again, the printer also estimates how long it’s been since the color cartridge was installed or replaced. Even if there is a valid black cartridge installed, the printer gives an error that requires you to change the color cartridge, and the printer will not work. So, as it turns out, that good deal was not such a good deal.
I called, emailed, and chatted with HP for about a week to find out why the printer wouldn’t work. HP sent me all these useless trouble shooting, new driver, and software updates. Nothing worked. I was sure that HP had a way to bypass the printing function so that the scanner would still work. No, there is no bypass. After hours and days of frustration, the final response I got from HP was to take it to a service center or buy a refurbished printer for $150.00.
Print cartridges are ridiculously priced. For example, refilling a black ink cartridge costs about $2.00, while buying a new one costs about $13.00. Refilling a color cartridge is possible, however most of the time it becomes messy, and the printer will not accept a refilled one, beware of remanufactured cartridges. If you need to buy a color cartridge, it is time to think about buying another printer. I told myself I would not buy another HP.
Nevertheless, after comparing prices for the options that I wanted, the new HP printers were the best deal. I figured that HP made some efforts towards customer satisfaction in the last year and I hadn’t read any negative reviews, so I bought a C4580 “All in One printer”. I haven’t had any problems with it so far. It actually prints a nicer copy and scans about 4 times as fast as a PSC 2355. It hasn’t run out of ink yet so who knows what will happen. One thing I do know is that my Canon color printer, not an “all in one” style printer, has warned me that an ink cartridge needs to be replaced several times. I have refilled the cartridge and the printer has never stopped working.
I’m not suggesting that Canon hasn’t adopted some of HP’s tricks, and I’m not promoting Canon makes a better printer. I can only surmise that HP is running a scam with the ink cartridges for their older printers. I hope it is not now the case.
Comments
I've had an HP for years, no problems until lately. It started telling me the cartridge was the wrong kind (I'd had it and been using it for quite a while!); then I started getting all those "out of ink" messages. I switched the black and the color and tried to print a few times, then switched them back and the black now works. I took out the color because it won't work and I can't afford anymore!
Hi, great story you have there..frustrating but very interesting and very well told. We had an HP printer before, I only used original cartridges twice because they were so expensive. I only go to ink refilling stations. The printer works well despite refilled ink cartridges. Unfortunately it was broken when it was soaked in flood water so we bought a new printer. This time it's a Canon, which hopefully will work fine as our old HP printer.
The HP scam is this. When using any non-HP cartridge it will not print. Instead you get a message like "remove and check cartridge". so, you do it, but it still repeats the message. Here is what I think they do. In some automatic or elected update they have downloaded software to prevent use of any non-HP cartidge. This is such a bad scam that I will never buy an HP product again. And is that the lady who wants to be elected to office, the prior CEO of HP, Fiorini. If so, she can keep her scam ideas out of my government
Yeah in the 1950's it was common practice to give away free coffee machines to businesses. In NYC this became a pandemic of coffee sales where each machine worked only with a specific type of coffee cartridge which cost an absolute packet.
Of course the machines were 'free' because once the machine was in the office you were almost 'obliged' to buy the coffee and no other cartridge wold work.
Well the printer companies cottoned on to this some time ago but so did the refill companies. My Canon ip1500 black cartridge refill costs me €8 for a black canon one. but if my Polish colleague buys them in Poland for me they cost him just €0.20c for the same quality ink but not 'canon' branded... The color ones are just €0.80 where they cost almost €45 in a retail store in Dublin.
There is absolutely no difference in quality, longevity etc. with the exception that the polish black cartridges last 20% LONGER than the Canon brand!
To counteract this when I went to update my Printer the later model (ip1900) had a full redesign of the cartridge and print head... this time the printer reads the cartridge which is chipped. Now why would a printer company do that if they were not monopolozing the situation? There is of course a software cheat for it!
Vote with your pocket people. Its a swizz and we are all way to clever to fall for it.
I have major printer rage as well!!! what a scam - it used to be you could print in black only or just ignore the color error messages but HP makes you buy new ones. I just priced it out, it will be $130 to replace all my cartridges, i can buy a new printer for less! what a scam! unreal!!!
Yes My Scanner HP G3010 is making me nuttsss
My HP PSC 1410v All-in-one ink jet printer uses HP 21 black ink cartridges. Will the printer also accept HP 27 or HP 56 black ink cartridges? They are they exact same size but hold a lot more ink. HP won't answer my question. Thanks.
ALL the printer makers are doing things to drive up the cost of ownership while at the same time claiming they are "Green". My original HP Deskjet was great because it had a black cartridge with a rubber bladder and it was very easy to refill for cheap. I used to buy bottle of black ink for about $10 and it lasted all year!
Then the printer companies caught on and started adding computer chips to monitor the ink. And the chips will say it's out when it's now. Furthermore the companies also REQUIRE color cartridges in the machines in order to print in black only... how is that "Green".
I'm with you on the HP disaster, they may sell a lot of printers but I no longer use one. I actually went to Costco one day and the cost of printer ink was more expensive than buying a new printer complete with cartridges!
My next printer will be a cheap black only laser printer.
Voting up.
PS: The latest trick from the re manufacturers is to use cartridges that are not filled as full as the original cartridges. Cripe! Ink costs next to nothing and even the re-fillers are in on the scam!
A lot of major companies that manufacture printers (HP, canon, lexmark etc.) put breakers inside of the cartridge to go off after a certain amount of time so it tells the printer the cartridge is empty, it's not the printer, it's the cartridge, one of the biggest scams in the tech industry.
that's very cool. nice observation to find the easy way which one provide the finest cheap ink cartridges is this types of hubs ,so please to be continued .thanks for sharing this. i found that the best cheap ink cartridges is available on http://www.uktonercartridges.co.uk.
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Replying to chris
The main reason that printer cartridges tell you that the ink is empty when there is still a small amount left is to stop you from printing and damaging the machine. There are two types of cartridges, ink tanks and inkjet cartridges, ink tanks feed the printheads that are built into the printer, inkjet cartridges have the printhead built into them. With ink tank printers the printer will tell you that the ink is out when there is still some left this stops the ink running dry and burning out your internal print head which costs more than the printer to replace. with inkjet cartridges you can print till all the ink runs out because when it is empty you just throw it away and buy a new one. also inkjet cartridges tend to print all the ink out and tend not to decive you.
From John: Visit http://www.cartridgeexpress.net
- Printer ERROR!
Lately my HP PSC 2355 all in one have refused to function. everytime i try to use the printer it locks up giving different results on the display screen of the printer. somet...
K Partin 2 years ago
Hi Glenn, great hub. I had an HP printer for years and the ink prices were killing me!! I finally went to the Kodak which I love, did a review here http://hubpages.com/hub/My-Review-Of-The-Kodak-526
I also use this place for my ink, very reasonable. http://www.swiftink.com/
Thanks for the hub. K.