Compatible ink

Overview

Compatible inks and toners (also called consumables) are manufactured by third party manufacturers and are designed to work in designated printers without infringing on patents of printer manufacturers. Compatible products are generally priced lower than OEM (original equipment manufacture) brand consumable products. While there has been considerable debate and litigation involving the ink and toner patents of printer manufacturers, third party manufacturers continue to thrive. Manufacturers of compatible ink and toner products currently control about 25% the ink and toner market well over $8 Billion annually.

Types

Compatible ink is manufactured for several types of machines including fax machines, laser printers, inkjet printers, multifunction printers, and copiers. Aside from compatible products, three other sources of consumables are also available to supply these machines, including OEM brand ink and toner, remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, and refilled ink and toner cartridges. Compatible ink manufacturers differentiate their product by using all new parts, whereas other ink replacements recycle used OEM parts.

Quality

Part of the debate surrounding compatible consumables is about the quality of compatible products. Third part manufactures defend the quality of their products vigorously. Independent tests conducted on compatible ink, such as the one that ink manufacturer Media Sciences (www.mediasciences.com) conducted with Industry Analysts, INC show little or no difference in quality between compatible and OEM products. However, many critics of compatible ink say the colors (especially yellow) on prints are not as bright as genuine ink, and that finished prints appear to be less glossy. Critics also say that color prints made with compatible ink are less durable than OEM ink and toners as well. A cited example is that while Epson OEM ink can produce prints that last for 92 years, while compatible ink prints generally fade more quickly.

Cost savings

Many proponents of compatible consumables cite the potentially substantial cost savings that compatibles offer as reason enough to buy them. Compatible retailers regularly list prices that are 15-30% lower than OEM brand prices. With very large printers, or those used in a demanding office environment, the price disparity can be even greater. Some compatible retailers offer compatible toner costing as much as $500 less - or 60% - than OEM per full set of CMYK toner (the four main colors used in color printing: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black).

External links

Business Week
Concord Supplies
PC World
Media Sciences
Xerox
The Supplies Guys
Ameritoner

References

Rivals Say HP Is Using Hardball Tactics. Business Week, 2007, (February)
Ink Inc. San Francisco Chronicle 2004, (July)
Cheap Ink Probed. PC World 2003, (August)