As if the last couple of years haven’t been hard enough for businesses, some found themselves unable to print a simple document during the pandemic.
We’ve heard so many stories from customers who were using their printer one day, then were simply unable to print anything.
On further inspection, the culprit usually turns out to be a firmware update from the company who has made the printer.
Why would a printer manufacturer want to stop people printing, though?
Simple – they want people to buy their ink.
HP, Canon and Epson ink cartridges in particular have chips installed that communicate with the printer. Some firmware updates are designed to identify those chips to see if the owner is using their ink.
If the printer has a third-party ink cartridge installed, then the firmware update can stop the printer from printing if it can’t identify official ink cartridges made by the manufacturer.
In response to such a firmware update a few years back, a HP spokesperson said:
‘HP printers and original HP ink products deliver the best quality, security and reliability. When ink cartridges are cloned or counterfeited, the customer is exposed to quality and potential security risks, compromising the printing experience.’
HP has a point here; some inferior cartridges could indeed affect print quality.
We don’t believe it’s fair, though, for manufacturers to potentially limit consumer choice for ink cartridges for some models through firmware updates under the guise of security, and making them pay a premium for official inks.
Businesses could save money with an ink subscription service
There are so many quality third-party ink cartridges out there that perform just as well as official cartridges, quality-wise, and are compatible with a huge range of printer models.
HP even has a page on its website about how to remove its dynamic security firmware on certain printer models so they can use non-brand cartridges.
At a time when inflation is high and energy costs (alongside other commercial bills) are rising, using third-party ink cartridges can represent significant business savings when compared against the high price points of official brand cartridges.
This is especially true for businesses – both small and large – that find themselves printing documents in high volume on a daily basis.
That’s where UPRINT’s printer subscription service can help brands of all shapes and sizes by helping them bring their printing costs down with our cost-effective business solutions.
Our printing experts will work closely with you to discover your monthly printing budget and tailor a subscription plan that works for you, allowing you to receive monthly ink deliveries and print high-quality documents for a flat monthly fee.
Our team will also work with you to identify where other savings can be made in regard to your printing set-up, and can also offer cutting-edge services including cloud-based printing solutions. Working with an experienced printing specialist on a subscription basis can help brands to access high-quality printer ink in more affordable ways, and help to beat high ink cartridge prices at retail.