Mike Miller wrote:

> On Tue, 26 Oct 2004, John Meier wrote:
>
>> <Snip>
>>
>>> but I would not be surprised if HP makes more total on the
>>> ink-jet cartridges than on the ink-jet printers!
>>
>> </Snip>
>>
>> yeah - I set up direct deposit to HP from my paycheck - as my wife 
>> just *loves* printing out photos and mailing the off to relatives....
>
>
>
> I've heard that it is sometimes cheaper to buy a new HP printer than 
> to buy the HP cartridges for that printer!  Could that be true - sale 
> pricing and rebates accounted for?  I think it might be.  If so, that 
> shows you their business model!

It isn't just HP that uses that strategy on the low-end inkjet market. I 
recently grabbed a Lexmark on close-out at Target for $18 and paid 
another $20 to Best Buy for the black cartridge (the printer only came 
with a color cartridge).  And usually the cartridge that comes with the 
printer is fairly low yield. I think my HP Photosmart printer 3 8x10 
photos on the included cartridge but could do 50+ with the refill.

This is why Lexmark was suing 3rd party cartridge manufacturers. The 3rd 
party guys were implementing chips for the cartridges to identify 
themselves to the Lexmark printers and Lexmark claimed the 
cartridge->printer interface was covered under DMCA. The money is in the 
'usables'.

--rick




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