Brand Name Ink Cartridges are More Expensive because?

Let’s face it, when you go to a computer store, it seems weird that printers are cheap but printer inks are expensive. Does this make sense? Well, a single cartridge does not cost as much as a single printer unit but if you’re buying two to three cartridges, you’d probably be surprised that the cash register shows a bigger price than when you buy a printer.

Which brings us to the question: why are branded ink cartridges so expensive?

Browsing through the Internet, there are a lot of explanations or articles posted regarding this. The most common explanation from printer manufacturers is printer ink cartridges are expensive because they use state-of-the-art technology and expensive raw materials to create the perfect ink that will match not only their printers but also their signature line of paper products (like photo papers).

Frankly, this explanation is not very convincing. It is an obvious marketing technique. Notice how this post or press release indirectly tells the public to purchase not only new ink cartridge but also their line of photo papers because these match perfectly. Also, printer ink does not have to be so expensive to produce. In fact, there are a lot of third-party ink cartridge manufacturers (or remanufacturers) that produce their own ink, put it into cartridges that resemble the branded ones or cartridges that are used and cleaned and voila, a compatible or remanufactured ink cartridge is produced that is almost half the price of its branded counterpart. This goes to show that branded printer ink cartridges are not really expensive because inks are hard and expensive to produce.

The second most common explanation given to justify the branded ink cartridge prices is that cartridges are expensive to produce. Printer manufacturers tend to say that cartridges are made from special materials and contain microchips to keep the ink in good condition. However, this is not entirely the case. Again, third-party manufacturers can produce these cartridges and they sell these for cheaper prices. Try to trace the cartridge manufacturers of branded inks and those of compatible inks and you’ll most likely find out that they are made by the same manufacturer. This means that the raw materials and design of both cartridges are also the same. If this is the case then printer cartridges are not expensive to produce so their cost is not the source of high printer ink cartridge prices.

The third most common explanation is that branded or new cartridges give better printouts and print quality. Some even say they’re more economical because they can print more sheets. This may not be entirely true especially since these are most likely a part of printer manufacturers’ marketing strategy. There have been several tests and testimonies conducted by technology-related groups and consumer advocacy groups which show that compatible and remanufactured cartridges perform as well as new or branded cartridges. For their affordable prices, consumers tend to find compatible or remanufactured ink cartridges more practical since they still give printouts the same vibrant colors and print quality.

So why are branded printer ink cartridges more expensive? Well, this is probably because there are some consumers who are still willing to pay the hefty price tags. They trust the printer manufacturers’ products more because these are authentic and more compatible. Admittedly, remanufactured cartridges were less reliable before but years of experience have taught these third-party cartridge manufacturers how to perfect their craft so their quality has improved tremendously. Some consumers attest to the difference in print quality but the disparity is not very significant to justify the price difference.