Here’s a funny experience I had just today.
I went to Staples to return a USB cable that I picked up last week for an emergency and didn’t need after all. It’s not where I would usually buy supplies.
As I’m walking into the store a man is walking out with 2 ink-jet printers in a buggy, heading for his car. Now normally there’s nothing really unusual about that, I mean, they sell printers all the time, right?
This time was different. When I approached the counter the girl behind the till was shaking her head, staring off into space. I said my hellos and plopped the cable on the counter and asked for a return.
“No problem,” she says, “at least you’re not like the last guy”.
Here’s the scoop:
This guy apparently comes in every couple weeks and buys a new inkjet printer. Not because it is broken, but because the ink-jet cartridge has run out!
They’ve talked to him repeatedly and advised him that the ink-jet cartridges are not the full version, they don’t last that long, and you have to replace them when they run out.
This guy however just will not believe them, won’t listen, and so what does he do? When the ink-jet cartridge runs out he comes back and buys a new printer. He throws away the old printer, doesn’t even recycle it, and just buys a new one.
They can’t convince him otherwise and he’s been churning through printers!
Truth is stranger than fiction!
What would YOU do to try and get this guy to understand?
(need inkjet printer cartridges? Get them for less at Tech for Less)
You know, with the pricing of Inkjet Printers, maybe that’s not so weird.
Often, a new cartridge or cartridges if it’s color, are more than the price of the printer.
You’re right Stephen, often inkjet printers are sold as a loss, much like razors. However the toner that comes with the printer when you purchase it is often not full capacity cartridges and doesn’t last that long. For cost-per-page it’s probably still more effective to just get the toner.