FAQ

Frequently asked questions:

Question- Where do we get our retails prices from?

Answer: We get our retail prices from big box stores like Staples on line (if we can find the product) and we always refer to the price of the ORIGINAL (OEM - Original Equipment Manufacturer) cartridge prices. It is true that Staples does carry their own branded product, which is usually good in quality and we are lower in price then their Staples branded product. If you do find a product that is lower, please let us know and we will adjust the prices . Our margins are low and so is our overhead and we will strive to match or do better. In many cases we are about 20-35% lower then the Staples compatible branded products.

Question- Where do we get our page yields from?

Answer: Page yields are the trickiest and most complicated part of our business. We do go on our supplier specifications and in the very great majority the actual page yields tend to be the same or higher then the OEM product. We do write the page yield as a guide where possible and they are approximate yields. Since our suppliers produce such large volumes, we must leave it to the professionals to make sure that you will get the proper yield. Should you require a particular manufacturer's technical yields ..please do ask. 

Question – Does a laser printer have to be regularly cleaned and maintained and will this make any difference in print quality and page yield?

Answer: Yes!    As with any product that contains moving parts, the printers and fax machines must be maintained regularly. Due to accumulation of paper dust and toner particles, the efficiency of all laser printers decreases as time passes. A regular maintenance program will provide a higher page yield and higher print quality from every cartridge.

Question – Does the remanufactured cartridge give the same page yield as the original cartridge?

Answer: Yes!   The cartridges are remanufactured properly and the testing of the remanufactured cartridges are based on the identical 5% page coverage criteria used in the original equipment manufacturer’s (O.E.M) testing methods. It is even possible to have a higher page yield, since most toners used in remanufacturing are formulated for HIGHER page yields where possible. It is also possible to produce modified cartridges that are designed to give higher than normal yields. Please keep in mind that most true testing is done with high quality brand new (3rd party) drums that are manufactured to promote proper transfer rates.

Question – How is page yield calculated ?

Answer: Most companies calculate page yield at 5% page coverage. This does not mean that 5% of the page is covered in a big black patch of baked on toner. It means that you must use regular text without any bold characters or underlines and type on 5% of that page. It is highly unlikely that anyone types or prints this way! Please keep in mind that graphics use a tremendous amount of toner. It has come to our attention that some companies may be using new testing methods that do show higher page yields then the original products. In many cases this is not true, unless the company does use standard industry testing methods that are ISO based. It is interesting to note that we have some customers who always pass the standard suggested page yield because they print many pages but very little text and absolutely no graphics.

Question – If the remanufactured cartridge saves me so much money, then why should I bother with the original cartridge?

Answer: 1)

This is really the million-dollar question!

On the positive side: The quality of the toner used in the remanufacturing industry is very high, and will produce very consistent results on a regular basis. These toners are formulated to provide excellent print quality and a high page yield.   So, recycle!   Not only is it good for the environment, but it also saves you money. Who needs the originals? They cost too much!

On the negative side: All original toners have so many patents that it is almost impossible to make an exact match. The original toner is matched specifically for the machine and the cartridge. It must be noted that the non OEM suppliers are constantly increasing quality levels in toner. It is also a fact that very large manufacturers tend to buy toner in bulk and are able to supply a higher quality toner at a better price, thus increasing print quality and yield. Many large manufacturers tend to use "universal toners" that work with top end cartridges and all the way down. Since different cartridges need different types of toner as a "minimum" quality it pays to be able to buy in huge quantity and supply a very high quality toner accross the entire product line. It is also true that the print quality of the original cartridge can be better at a microscopic level. However .. REGULAR maintenance will ALSO help improve print QUALITY dramatically!

Answer: 2)   If you are the type of consumer who does a tremendous amount of graphics and high-end desktop publishing and you do not care about the cost savings or the recyclign aspect of this industry, you may chose to stay with the original product. A good start would be to consider an ISO rated product to see if it can work for you. Whatever the case, it is well worth your while to consider the trying remanufactured item. If you cannot use it, then please do send your cartridges to a remanufacturer! Do not throw them away in the garbage!

Question – Is there a higher defect rate on the remanufactured cartridges than the original cartridges?

Answer: A small percentage of original (OEM) cartridges are defective. That percentage is relatively low (between 1% - 2.5%) due to the optimum conditions when the cartridge is built. The return rates with remanufactured cartridges are slightly higher, however most remanufacturers do invest in electronic and manual testing machines. Machines like the sophisticated LT777 as well as many hand held testing devices are part of the equipment needed to remanufacture properly. Large concerns use various testing methods at their facilities while smaller concerns may carry simple small hand held devices that will print special test patterns or they may do no testing at all. Most GOOD remanufacturers will normally be able to achieve 1.5% to 3.5% return rates if they test properly and insitute viable and ongoing testing methods. Taking apart and putting a cartridge back together is more then just filling it up. It requires skill and knowledge. As a rule of thumb , if your corner recycler has been around for about 5 to 10 years and he/she produces between 3,000 to 5,000 cartridges per month, he or she should know their business and should be practicing proper production methods. If they do not, customers will get fed up and leave for greener pastures. The lowest possible return rate is good for all of us.

Question – Will the remanufactured cartridge damage my printer more than the original?

Answer: According to the recycling industry standards, the remanufactured item should not cause any more wear on your printer than the original cartridge as long as the cartridge is remanufactured properly and the machine is well maintained. As with any toner/powder product that is rebuilt properly, it is extremely rare that a major leakage may occur. This could cause inconvenience, but not irreparable damage to the machine.

Question - Ribbons and inkjets - Should you buy the original products?

Answer: We are acutely aware that Epson, Okidata, Lexmark etc. do produce high quality products at HIGH prices. It is also true that many of these products can be duplicated (within reason and according to law) to either match or come quite close to the original product and in some cases even exceed the original product’s specifications. YES, the OEM is very good but, why should you pay 2 or 3 or 5 times the price for a similar product that will do very well?

Ribbons
Ribbons are simple products that can be manufactured to meet OEM specifications with little difficulty. In the old days people used to refill/re-ink ribbons, however the high cost of transport and labor has almost eliminated this niche industry. Today companies like NU-KOTE (among others) have joined forces with large retailers to offer an alternative to the original while allowing the large retailer to extract huge profits from small, low cost items.

Ink Jets
HP, being the leader in this market has managed to create so many patents on their products that it has been almost impossible to produce a (LEGAL) compatible product. The basic strategy of providing good printers at very low prices, while forcing the consumer to buy original consumables at inflated prices or reverting to messy refill kits has worked exceedingly well. The compatible cartridges are available in certain countries at a fraction of the original price. Alas they are illegal in North America.

Inkjets- What we want to do?
HP, being the leader in this market has managed to create so many patents on their products that it has been almost impossible to produce a (LEGAL) compatible product. The basic strategy of providing good printers at very low prices, while forcing the consumer to buy original consumables at inflated prices or reverting to messy refill kits has worked exceedingly well. The compatible cartridges are available in certain countries at a fraction of the original price. Alas they are illegal in North America.

We can supply HP remanufactured inkjets, however we prefer to supply local customers only, since the liquid ink on a refill does tend to have a shorter shelf life and will tend to dry up faster. If you are a high volume user it is a worthwhile consideration, however as a one or 2 cartridge per year customer we do not recommend it until such time as a true HP new compatible product exists.

We want to educate you, the consumer as to how to make an informed decision. It is true that you can refill your own product with a kit and they do work quite well, however they are messy. It is also true that the original ink is better formulated then all the refils (due to patents etc.). The remanufactured inkjet tends to dry up faster then the OEM. It is also true that the brand new compatible inkjet products (for Epson and Canon among others) are (in most cases) extremely good and more then acceptable for printing. We want to provide you with a headache free solution when possible.

Inkjet- What you can do?

You might consider the option to buy a new printer that will allow you access to brand NEW compatible cartridges (many Canon and Epson models, among others). They are VERY good and cost so little in comparison to the original cartridges!

We can supply brand new Inkjet compatible cartridges (Canon and Epson) when requested, however this is not our main product for the time being.