Discount Printer Cartridges

by John Synder

Discount is a word that tends to get thrown around quite a bit, indicating a special sale or that particular consumer is receiving a particular price brake. Most of the time that’s not the case at all, yet there are still websites and other vendors advertising discount printer cartridges.

It’s enough to make you wonder why there’s a discount. “What’s wrong with it?” is usually the first thing that goes through your mind, along with, “How much of a discount is it?”

Discounted ink cartridge because it is recycled?

Many discount printer cartridges are discounted because they have been recycled by the original manufacturer. The discount may not be substantial because they are effectively “like new”, but there is a small price brake simply because it is used.

Manufacturers collect used printer cartridges, clean them up, refill them and sell them back to the public in an effort to make more money off the very same cartridge! Yes, it does sound shady in a way, but when you think about how many cartridges are being recycled instead of dumped into the Earth’s soil recycling doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.

Printers are not unlike cars in a few ways. When you repair a vehicle, you have the option of using brand new parts, which are often called OEM, salvaged - or recycled - parts, and finally aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts are made by a third party to fit a specific vehicle or, in this case, printer.

For example, if someone with an Epson printer purchased the print cartridge specifically made for that printer by Epson, they would have purchased an OEM part. It is more expensive but it is also known that it came from the very same company as your printer.

Some discount printer cartridges are considered discounted because they are aftermarket parts that were made by a third party. If you owned a Toyota and needed a new bumper but instead of buying a bumper made by Toyota you purchase one made by Rubbermaid, you’re purchasing an aftermarket part.

Aftermarket parts for printers are discount print cartridges made by a company other than the company that built the printer, in this case Epson. Most of the time, whether it’s a car or a printer, the aftermarket parts work perfectly fine because they were made FOR that particular product. All in all, you shouldn’t discount discounted printer cartridges until you know exactly why they’re discounted. You may find a better deal than you think.