| Over the last several years the battle over | | | | is where the new industry comes in. |
| high price ink/cartridges is beginning to | | | | |
| solidify. The lines are slightly clearer and | | | | Chemistry |
| alliances have formed here and there. Ink | | | | |
| replacement, replacement cartridges, discount | | | | These days it is not all that difficult to |
| printer ink cartridges and just plain OEM | | | | figure out the chemistry of just about |
| cartridges have found themselves vying for | | | | anything. Patents are even more difficult in |
| position with their option being the best. | | | | this area. So, other manufacturers figured |
| They are almost all winners and OEM the only | | | | out the chemistry of the OEM printers ink and |
| loser as consumers look to cut costs on | | | | were able to replicate discount printer ink |
| printer ink. | | | | and replacement ink. Then they got to play |
| | | | the real fun game. The OEM printers had set |
| Solid savings | | | | their prices for a captured market and a |
| | | | fairly high price at that. The new |
| OEM manufacturers are most noticeably not | | | | manufacturers had a ready made price ceiling |
| giving up the fight but are ultimately going | | | | apposed to OEMs shooting darts at what the |
| to be forced to play nice with the new | | | | market would bare. |
| industry they brought upon themselves. In | | | | |
| July 2007 savings of up to 50-70 percent can | | | | What is the right price? |
| be found by using replacement ink or | | | | |
| replacement cartridges. Although the savings | | | | It may be a little misleading to say discount |
| are there, the buyer must beware because the | | | | printer ink. Perhaps attaching a company to |
| quality of the ink needs to be compatible to | | | | it like, discount ink for Epson would be a |
| arrive at; not only a quality print job but a | | | | better idea. Since the OEM manufacturers were |
| safe print job that does not damage the | | | | setting pricing fairly high, to make as much |
| printer itself. | | | | money as possible before new replacement ink |
| | | | companies came along, the original price was |
| The basics | | | | not the real price but rather a starting |
| | | | point. Where the price goes after replacement |
| What brought on this new industry of | | | | ink and replacement cartridge companies |
| replacement ink and discount replacement ink | | | | settle in is when discount printer ink can |
| was the original strategy that the printer | | | | actually be called discount. |
| companies decided to follow. A valid pricing | | | | |
| strategy by any means the printer | | | | The evolution of the printer and printer ink |
| manufacturers would offer the printer itself | | | | market is just one of several economic plays |
| as a loss leader and make their profits on | | | | being carried out in a very new emerging |
| the ink. This strategy is no different than | | | | market. Computers and printers have not |
| any other of its type. The printer companies | | | | really been around that long. A pricing |
| did their best to differentiate their | | | | system is still working its way through the |
| particular inks so that the chemistry would | | | | marketplace for all products. Saving money on |
| require a specific ink for just their | | | | printer ink today will, in all likelihood, |
| machines. For the most part this has worked, | | | | not mean anything in a year as the savings |
| but only to a degree, and original pricing | | | | will be even more as prices continue to |
| starts to get in the way as it is now. This | | | | settle. |