Ink Cartridges: Why Brand Name Ones are so Expensive

We can talk about sticker shock for cars, groceries, and even real estate, but for many of us, perhaps the biggest sticker shock we ever experience is when we go to our local computer supplies store to purchase a replacement ink cartridge for our oh-so-affordable printer. That's when we find out that two or three replacement cartridges cost nearly as much as a brand new printer! With online sites and an increasing number of office supplies stores selling generic cartridges that are compatible with most printers, we no longer have to pay the brand name price for our cartridges. Still, we're left to wonder just why brand name cartridges are so expensive.

Is it because they use superior ink? No. The ink in OEM printer ink cartridges is distributed onto a page during the printing process. This high quality ink is richly-pigmented, and a huge variety of color shades and tones can be achieved. But here's the thing. The ink in generic ink cartridges is high quality too. It can also produce printouts containing a myriad of shades and colors. So it's not the ink.

Is it because the components are better quality? No. The components used to manufacture compatible ink cartridges are, in many cases, almost identical. In fact, OEM cartridges and compatible ones are often produced in the same facility. So literally the only difference is that one has a brand name sticker on the cartridge and comes in a brand name box.

Is the quality of printouts superior? No. Even sceptics usually change their minds once they try compatible ink cartridges. Most people find that the quality of their printouts is just as good with discount ink cartridges. There are those that swear the quality is superior with OEM cartridges, but there are also a lot of people out there who like paying more for things when they don't have to.

So, what is it? It's a combination of things really. One reason why they're so expensive is that the printer companies have to make money somewhere. The price of printers is so low now that pretty much anyone can afford one. The companies aren't making much by selling them, so they make money by selling ink cartridges. Another reason is because, well, they know people will buy them. Up until a few years ago, nobody really had a choice. Now, they're depending on people to associate a brand name box with better quality and spend more when they don't have to. As more people discover that generic cartridges work just as well, however, those big printer manufacturers just might be forced to rethink their strategy in the near future.