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Photo Forum / Digital Photography / DSLR Cameras / May 2007Printer ink a major rip-off?
Most of us knew this LONG ago! Ink price stinks, says 'ThINK' tank Friday 25th May 2007 Chris Cheesman Kodak/Think survey The price of printer ink is far too high according to a survey of American consumers, many of whom choose to print at work to save cash. The Kodak-commissioned survey found that around 60% of people who own a home printer believe printer ink is expensive. Almost 50% of respondents said they would print 'more or differently' if ink cost less. 'Americans' ink problems stem from the fact that people believe the price of ink just stinks,' concluded Dr Will Miller, a self-proclaimed 'ink shrink'. To reduce ink use, a quarter of those polled say they print at other locations, such as a 'friend's house', instead of at home. What is more, 36% of parents surveyed admitted that they limit their children's printer access and use, to save on ink. The survey, dubbed 'thINK', refers to the habit of 'ink sneaking', described as a relatively new office phenomenon, 'reminiscent of the once common practice of stealing office pens'. The poll, by Braun Research, was conducted in March based on a 26- question, telephone-based interview of 1,000 people aged 18 or over. Analysing the survey results Miller concluded that the typical consumer fits into one of three 'ink personalities': squirrels, squids or snakes. The squirrels are consumers who are 'conscientiously concerned about conserving ink'. Squids are those unconcerned about wasting ink and with a 'strong likelihood to print whatever, whenever'. While, the 'snakes' are described as those who print personal documents away from home or 'having others print for them'. For those curious about which category they fall into Kodak has set up a quiz at www.inkisit.com Kodak commissioned the survey to help publicise its claim that its new all-in-one inkjet printers will save consumers 50% on their printing compared to 'similar consumer inkjet printers'. Of course printer ink is a rip-off, just like gas, bottle water, soda pop, and many other things. Until consumers come together and put a stop to it these things and more will continue to be a rip-off. This is what greedy corporations are all about. That's what America's and unfortunately a growing number of other countries problems are, greed. =(8) > Of course printer ink is a rip-off, just like gas, bottle water, soda pop, > and many other things. Until consumers come together and put a stop to it [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > =(8) Well, on the other hand, shouldn't there be a reward for coming up with something that people will buy...even if it is overpriced? That is why I by my printer in in bulk. I purchased my last printer, which I bought specifically to do photos, with the the idea that I was going to use bulk ink with I. I purchased an Epson printer. Canon would have done as well if I used Windows. I use Linux. I the past I have used CIS (Continuous Ink System) with good luck on one an Epson printer. However when I replaced the printer I went back to refillable ink cartridges I may be moving in the next year. The CIS is not a very portable system. Have a good day. William > That is why I by my printer in in bulk. I purchased my last printer, > which I bought specifically to do photos, with the the idea that I [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > William I, too, use an Epson because the ink cartridges cost $1.70 USD for maybe 500 pages of mixed text/graphics. 1/3 cent/page isn't too bad. Color's 3x more expensive but lasts somewhat longer.  SignaturePhil >> Of course printer ink is a rip-off, just like gas, bottle water, soda pop, >> and many other things. Until consumers come together and put a stop to it [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Well, on the other hand, shouldn't there be a reward for coming up with > something that people will buy...even if it is overpriced? Yes - there should be a reward. I don't know how much $$$ Epson makes on ink. I do know that HP made ~ US$4,500,000,000 from ink and toner sales last year. That's some pretty big reward. The thing that really annoys me about Epson is knowing that they sell ink cartridges in Japan - identical in every way apart from being "zone-chipped" - for about 2/3 of the US price, and less than half the European price. The Japanese consumer can use a high-end output quality but still "consumer/semi-pro" duty cycle machine like an Epson R1800 or 2400, with cost of ink per print lower than a user of a production 4/7/9 800 series machine in Europe. That sucks. >>I do know that HP made ~ US$4,500,000,000 from ink and toner sales I believe the bulk of HP's profit comes from ink and paper sales. Everyone invests in HP thinking its a "tech" company. It should really be treated as an "office supply" company and valued accordingly. -dickm >>Of course printer ink is a rip-off, just like gas, bottle water, soda pop, >>and many other things. Until consumers come together and put a stop to it [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Well, on the other hand, shouldn't there be a reward for coming up with > something that people will buy...even if it is overpriced? Regrettably "reward" is very material based in a world where resources are dwindling, the climate and environment are deteriorationg and the population is growing. Signature-- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch. > Of course printer ink is a rip-off, just like gas, bottle water, soda > pop, and many other things. Until consumers come together and put a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > =(8) I presume, then, that you use none of these things. SignatureWaddling Eagle World Famous Flight Instructor >> Of course printer ink is a rip-off, just like gas, bottle water, soda >> pop, and many other things. Until consumers come together and put a stop [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > I presume, then, that you use none of these things. Never said I did or didn't. Just pointing out a fact of life and saying I don't think its right and it happens because of corporate greed and because consumers aren't smart enough to force changes enmass. If people stopped buying ink for their printers and let the companies know that they won't be buying any more until the price drops drastically you can be Epson, Canon, HP and the others would have no choice. But, like with gas as long as the lemming like consumers continue to jump of the high price cliff companies are going to continue to f.ck the over. Plain and simple. Right now I have an Epson R2400, Epson PictureMate Snap, a Brother black and white laser printer and an HP B9180 the Epsons and the HP are out of ink for more than half their cartridges. They sit powered off and they will continue to do so until ink prices become fair. If they don't then the printers will be recycled. It makes no difference to me if I print my photos or not. There are many other ways of sharing, showing and saving them. As for bottled water I haven't bought a bottle since I did the math on what it actually costs per gallon. Add to that that a great deal of the bottled water is just filtered tap water and it becomes even more of a consumer screwing. =(8) >>> Of course printer ink is a rip-off, just like gas, bottle water, soda >>> pop, and many other things. Until consumers come together and put a [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > =(8) If consumers stop buying a product, most corporations stop making it. The employees there usually have this funny idea that they don't want to work for free. They are consumers, too. "Corporate greed" is too often bandied about by people who have no idea what the profit margin is for most corporations. No one makes you buy anything -- if you don't want to pay the asking price, don't buy it. It is the simple law of supply and demand. SignatureWaddling Eagle World Famous Flight Instructor Just like gas if everyone used just a little less they would have to reduce prices. The easy fix for ink is to refill. If you are willing to spend a little time ink can be very cheap. I have A Canon I960 which I have to admit are the easiest to refill. They cost around $12 each in the store. I can refill for about $1 each. If everyone did this it wouldn't take very long for prices to change. > Just like gas if everyone used just a little less they would have to > reduce prices. The easy fix for ink is to refill. If you are willing to > spend a little time ink can be very cheap. I have A Canon I960 which I > have to admit are the easiest to refill. They cost around $12 each in the > store. I can refill for about $1 each. If everyone did this it wouldn't > take very long for prices to change. I have tried refills and 3rd party cartridges on a Canon I used to have and have always found the ink sub-standard compared to the real ink made by the printer maker. So I don't see that as a very worth while alternative if the prints only last 1/10th as long, you end up having to do reprints more often which kills the cost savings and can actually increase your cost because you also have to factor in the paper. No consumers just need to stop buying ink until the printer makers understand that we are in control. They need us and our money far more than we need them. =(8) |
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