retail store cartridge refillers

[Burt]

Business Week magazine had an article, this week about Cartridge World, a
company that was started in Australia and is now franchising stores in the
US. One item of interest is that HP makes 80% of its profits on the sale of
inkjet ink cartridges and toner supplies although they only account for a
quarter of their $80 billion in sales. Although we've known all along that
the profit margins on inkjet inks are excessive, this little statistic
really tells the story. The link for the article (which I'll put on a
separate line in hopes that it will stay intact) is:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2005/tc20051028_769763.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech

If you can't simply click on it you can Google "Business Week Cartridge
World" for the October 28, 2005, article. Another interesting link is for
another chain store operation similar to Cartridge World.

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/PRNewswire/2005/06/21/903254

Those of us who have been refilling our own cartridges have essentially cut
out the middle man and save 90% on our inkjet costs instead of the 50 - 60%
that one can save at one of these stores. If a franchisee can learn to do
this in a retail environment with a bit of coaching, it is certainly
something anyone can do after reading the instructions, picking up a few
tips here on this NG and on the Nifty Stuff Forum, and just doing it. If
you use one of the three inks touted by many users - Formulabs, MIS, and
Hobbicolors, you will probably be using the same inks as these retail
refillers.

Maybe the Troll will try one of these places now that they have a retail
outlet and a company name.

 

[Jim McColl]

Business Week magazine had an article, this week about Cartridge World, a
company that was started in Australia and is now franchising stores in the
US. One item of interest is that HP makes 80% of its profits on the sale
of inkjet ink cartridges and toner supplies although they only account for
a quarter of their $80 billion in sales. Although we've known all along
that the profit margins on inkjet inks are excessive, this little
statistic really tells the story. The link for the article (which I'll
put on a separate line in hopes that it will stay intact) is:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2005/tc20051028_769763.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech

If you can't simply click on it you can Google "Business Week Cartridge
World" for the October 28, 2005, article. Another interesting link is for
another chain store operation similar to Cartridge World.

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/PRNewswire/2005/06/21/903254

Those of us who have been refilling our own cartridges have essentially
cut out the middle man and save 90% on our inkjet costs instead of the
50 - 60% that one can save at one of these stores. If a franchisee can
learn to do this in a retail environment with a bit of coaching, it is
certainly something anyone can do after reading the instructions, picking
up a few tips here on this NG and on the Nifty Stuff Forum, and just doing
it. If you use one of the three inks touted by many users - Formulabs,
MIS, and Hobbicolors, you will probably be using the same inks as these
retail refillers.

Maybe the Troll will try one of these places now that they have a retail
outlet and a company name.

If you have one of the printers that determines the amount of ink left via
an imbedded chip. you also need to buy a chip re-setter

I don't have a need for very high quality printing such as photographs, but
I do a lot of printing. I buy cartridges from http://www.atlanticinkjet.com/
for my Epson C84 at $8.10 for a high capacity black and $6.30 for colour. I
have used these cartridges for 2 years and am extremely satisfied with the
result. True enough I do have the occasional head clog, but I understand
this is a problem with these printers anyway. I have always been able to
resolve these clogs just by running the Epson head cleaning utility.

The first time I went to replace the 4 cartridges in the printer at a local
Staples, they wanted $105.00, which was more than I paid for the printer
with 4 full cartridges in it.
That's when I decided not to buy OE cartridges ever again if I can avoid it.

 

[Burt]

If you have one of the printers that determines the amount of ink left via
an imbedded chip. you also need to buy a chip re-setter

I don't have a need for very high quality printing such as photographs,
but I do a lot of printing. I buy cartridges from
http://www.atlanticinkjet.com/ for my Epson C84 at $8.10 for a high
capacity black and $6.30 for colour. I have used these cartridges for 2
years and am extremely satisfied with the result. True enough I do have
the occasional head clog, but I understand this is a problem with these
printers anyway. I have always been able to resolve these clogs just by
running the Epson head cleaning utility.

The first time I went to replace the 4 cartridges in the printer at a
local Staples, they wanted $105.00, which was more than I paid for the
printer with 4 full cartridges in it.
That's when I decided not to buy OE cartridges ever again if I can avoid
it.

Jim - I should have added that I use a Canon i960 and a Canon ip5000, both
of which use unchipped carts and are the easiest to refill. The newest
Canon printers now have a chipped cart. I understand that it can be
refilled and that it just won't give you a warning when the ink is low.
Since these carts are made of clear plastic it is easy to see the ink level.
Today I decided to hedge my bets and bought another ip5000 to just put on
the shelf and save til one of my printers malfunctions. I just want to have
a spare that can easily be refilled with no hassle re chips, etc. It was on
a closeout for $100 US. I'll save that with the second set of refills!

 

[Mike Louis]

Jim - I should have added that I use a Canon i960 and a Canon ip5000, both
of which use unchipped carts and are the easiest to refill. The newest
Canon printers now have a chipped cart. I understand that it can be
refilled and that it just won't give you a warning when the ink is low.
Since these carts are made of clear plastic it is easy to see the ink level.
Today I decided to hedge my bets and bought another ip5000 to just put on
the shelf and save til one of my printers malfunctions. I just want to have
a spare that can easily be refilled with no hassle re chips, etc. It was on
a closeout for $100 US. I'll save that with the second set of refills!

Fry's Electronics is having a Canon ip6000D refurb'ed for $69.95 now. Immediately
picked up a couple of them at no time with a same mind as yours, to shelf them up
for future use so that I can refill with no hassles. Opened one and put a set of
refill carts into it directly without touching the set of 6 OEM carts. The result
is simply fantastic!!!

This Canon printer uses 6 photo ink carts just like your i960. But it has fewer
nozzles than i960. So it is slower but it has a duplex core and the printhead is
FINE technology based. This printer allows you to plug in the memory card from a
digital camera and print photos without using a computer. It has a small color
LCD for previewing before printing.

I now plan to retire my s900 and put the ip6000D to work immediately. I will be
using strictly ink and refill carts from Hobbicolors from which I have bought
a few refill kits to use on my s900.

People who are against refilling on this forum will not change the fact that I
have been extremely satisfied with 3rd party supply so far. No surprises at all
that I get beautiful photos right out of this new refurb'ed ip6000D with a set of
used and refilled (many many times) carts from Hobbicolors. I did not even top up
the carts before putting them into the printer.

Mike L

 

[Burt]

Fry's Electronics is having a Canon ip6000D refurb'ed for $69.95 now.
Immediately
picked up a couple of them at no time with a same mind as yours, to shelf
them up
for future use so that I can refill with no hassles. Opened one and put a
set of
refill carts into it directly without touching the set of 6 OEM carts. The
result
is simply fantastic!!!

This Canon printer uses 6 photo ink carts just like your i960. But it has
fewer
nozzles than i960. So it is slower but it has a duplex core and the
printhead is
FINE technology based. This printer allows you to plug in the memory card
from a
digital camera and print photos without using a computer. It has a small
color
LCD for previewing before printing.

I now plan to retire my s900 and put the ip6000D to work immediately. I
will be
using strictly ink and refill carts from Hobbicolors from which I have
bought
a few refill kits to use on my s900.

People who are against refilling on this forum will not change the fact
that I
have been extremely satisfied with 3rd party supply so far. No surprises
at all
that I get beautiful photos right out of this new refurb'ed ip6000D with a
set of
used and refilled (many many times) carts from Hobbicolors. I did not even
top up
the carts before putting them into the printer.

Mike L

Great buy on the ip6000! I had purchased my second i960 for $100 (new) when
they first started to close them out last November so I had a "spare"
standing by when my first one gave up. The one that just died had some sort
of electrical or electronic glitch. It produced banding, even with the
print head from the good printer and with known good carts. No regrets as I
worked it really hard doing color photos for the last year. AND I saved
enough with MIS inks to buy several replacement printers. By the time the
i960 I'm presently using gives up I am hoping that we will be able to refill
the newest line of six or eight color printers. If not, I can unpack the
extra new ip5000 that I just put on the shelf as a spare and use it til
something better comes along. Even though our resident troll puts us down
for buying "old technology" and refilling the carts, we have the last
laugh --- all the way to the bank!

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Last fiscal year, ink, toner and paper sales literally saved HP. While
most of their other divisions reported either break even or losses, the
company still delivered a profit exclusively due to their printer division.

There's gold in them there inks. ;-)

Art

 

[measekite]

Last fiscal year, ink, toner and paper sales literally saved HP.
While most of their other divisions reported either break even or
losses, the company still delivered a profit exclusively due to their
printer division.

There's gold in them there inks. ;-)

YEP AND THERE IS CRAP IN DEM DERE AFTERMARKET INKS

 

[measekite]

Fry's Electronics is having a Canon ip6000D refurb'ed for $69.95 now.
Immediately
picked up a couple of them at no time with a same mind as yours, to
shelf them up
for future use so that I can refill with no hassles.

NOT AS GOOD AS THE IP4000 AND IP5000. REFILLING IS A MESSY PAIN AND THE
RESULTS ARE WORSE.

Opened one and put a set of
refill carts into it directly without touching the set of 6 OEM carts.
The result
is simply fantastic!!!

I WOULD NOT BELIEVE THIS.

This Canon printer uses 6 photo ink carts just like your i960. But it
has fewer
nozzles than i960.

THE PHOTO QUALITY IS SOMEWHAT WORSE THAN THE IP4000 AND THE BUSINESS
DOCS ARE MUCH WORSE.

So it is slower but it has a duplex core and the printhead is
FINE technology based. This printer allows you to plug in the memory
card from a
digital camera and print photos without using a computer.

THAT IS NO BIGGIE

It has a small color
LCD for previewing before printing.

I now plan to retire my s900

CLOGGED HEAD

and put the ip6000D to work immediately. I will be
using strictly ink and refill carts from Hobbicolors from which I have
bought
a few refill kits to use on my s900.

People who are against refilling on this forum will not change the
fact that I
have been extremely satisfied with 3rd party supply so far.

SOME PEOPLE WERE HAPPY WITH A YUGO

No surprises at all
that I get beautiful photos right out of this new refurb'ed ip6000D

HE THINKS REFURBISHED IS NEW

 

[Bob Headrick]

Last fiscal year, ink, toner and paper sales literally saved HP. While most
of their other divisions reported either break even or losses, the company
still delivered a profit exclusively due to their printer division.

http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/investor/financials/quarters/2005/q4presentation.pdf
page 5 shows results for FY 2005, all business units except Software had an
operating profit, with software having a small loss. IPG (the Printing and
Imaging business accounted for about 60% of the overall HP profits. IPG had an
operating profit margin of 13.6%, pretty respectable but hardly excessive.

- Bob Headrick

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Looking at the numbers:

Enterprise, storage and Servers: $810 million in profits, half of which
in the final quarter, or 4.9% of revenues.

Services: brought $1.151 billion in profits at 7.4% of revenues

Software: lost $59 million or 5.5% of revenues, and it would have been
much worse had the final quarter had not brought in $27 million in
profits from that division

Personal Systems Group: brought in $657 million, or 2.5% of revenues

Financial Services brought in $213 million, which was 10.1% of revenues

And finally, the image and printing group brought home $3.413 billion at
13.6%

So, Bob is correct that the other divisions did bring in about 40% of
the profits, but cost quite a bit more to get it.

The other divisions cost $62 billion to bring in $2.77 billion, or about
4.5% profit.

The image and printing division cost $25 billion, and brought $3.4
billion in profits, or about 13.6%.

Art