Should You Buy Original HP Ink Cartridges?
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) of printers also manufacture the consumables for their devices. HP ink cartridges, for example, are designed and made by the company to fit a specific printer or range of printers that they manufacture. There is a commonly held perception in the marketplace that OEM printer consumables are expensive. The obvious questions are: “What contributes the cost of printer consumables?” and “Are HP ink cartridges more costly than they should be?”
Nearly all the leading brand printer manufacturers sell their printers at very small margins or even at a slight loss. This results in any profit having to come from the sale of the consumables used to produce prints. Manufacturers control their proprietary technology, designing and manufacturing the print consumables to only fit printers that they manufacture. HP ink cartridges will only fit one of their machines and will not fit a Canon printer or an Epson.
Manufacturers can therefore limit how much competition they have and ensure more elasticity in the price of their consumables. The leading printer manufacturers such as Canon, Brother, Epson, and others rely on the sale of replacement consumables over the lifespan of the printer to recover their research and development costs and make a profit.
Non-OEM HP Ink Cartridges
This practice creates an opportunity for third-party manufacturers to provide compatible or generic replacement units for leading brand printers. These companies do not make printers and consequently have very little or no research and development costs. They simply take one of the genuine HP ink cartridges and copy it. This allows compatible consumables to be sold at a lower price point than their OEM equivalents.
Is Cheaper Better?
There will inevitably be a compatible (copy) unit made by a third-party manufacturer designed to be a lower-cost alternative to genuine HP ink cartridges. Compatible units will always be cheaper than their OEM counterparts or there would be no incentive to purchase them at all. One needs to be cautious when deciding to start buying compatibles over the OEM product. Taking cost out of the equation, original HP ink cartridges are manufactured to the highest standards and are guaranteed to function perfectly in the printer for which they have been manufactured. HP designs the printer and the HP ink cartridges for it. They have a fundamental understanding of how to make the two components work in unison to provide the best end user experience regarding both yield and print quality.
Leading brands work continuously to improve their position in the rankings of best companies and jealously protect their brand. They conduct exhaustive quality and performance testing before bringing any product to market. Only products and consumables that deliver exemplary performance reach the shelves and then the end user. They, typically, also commit substantial resources to providing their products with the least possible environmental impact and with the smallest possible carbon footprint. Third-party manufacturers of consumables are usually not household names and are far more likely to release something less stringently tested into the market.
Get the Best Advice
If you own or lease a printer or multifunctional device that is covered by a service contract, typically only OEM consumables will be provided for it. If not, you will be buying consumables from time to time and will face the choice of OEM or compatible. At Raydian, we supply all multifunctional device and print consumables, as well as parts for most leading models. We stock a choice of original cartridges made by the manufacturer of the device and also offer compatibles made by third-party companies. Our compatible cartridges may be offered at lower cost than genuine, OEM units but still offer excellent print quality and good print yield. Where the assurance of consistently high yield, best fade resistance, superior print quality, and trouble-free functionality, are required, we always recommend going with an OEM consumable. If you Have an HP device, get HP ink cartridges for it.
We will help you save time and costs by giving you the best solution and the best consumables for it. At Raydian, we will provide expert advice on which printer and consumables will best meet your needs. Get the peace of mind that comes with getting professional advice. We provide a vast range of OEM consumables for all the leading brands and models. Speak to us today for information on anything to do with printers and print consumables. We will be able to provide OEM HP ink cartridges or quality-compatible replacements for HP ink cartridges that are fully compliant with OEM standards.