Buying Ink Cartridges Online

At first, many internet customers are a bit wary of purchasing ink cartridges online, especially non-OEM cartridges like remanufactured or compatible cartridges. Indeed, although the cost savings of buying discount ink online can be substantial, what good is a defective or poorly performing ink cartridge?

For that reason, picking a trusted retailer with a good reputation for selling quality ink and a history of positive customer feedback is essential. Today, I'll talk about some of the factors that I look at when deciding whether or not an online printer retailer is trustworthy enough to buy from.

1. Strong positive customer feedback

Does the site have good feedback on services like BizRate? How easy is the site to navigate? Has the site provided an easy way to contact customer support?

2. A history of successful operation

Is the site accredited by the BBBOnline (Better Business Bureau)? BBBOnline is a program that verfies the information of a business and makes sure it is operating within standards in areas like customer support.

3. Return policy and moneyback guarantee

How long does the return policy extend to? What are the conditions of return? Do I pay shipping for a return? Does the moneyback guarantee have any restrictive terms?

4. Must have HackerSafe seal or equivalent displayed on site

When I buy items online, I need to be sure my credit card information will be kept safe. Is the site protected with an SSL security certificate?

5. Competitive pricing

Of course, I love saving money buying ink. I compare prices using services like InkHunt, a ink pricing comparison site.

Examples Of Retailers That Meet The Above Criteria

123Refills

Well established, trusted supplier with tons of great customer feedback.

4Inkjets

Another supplier with lots of positive feedback and excellent customer support.

The above factors are a great starting checklist when choosing a reliable retailer for ink cartridges. There are more I look for to make sure I get a good deal, and I will be sharing those in a later post.

A frequent question of those new to buying ink deals with the difference between alternative ink options (remanufactured and compatible) and the term OEM. I'll do my best to make the differences clear here:

OEM cartridges

Standard brand-name ink cartridges that you can buy at your ordinary Staples, Office Depot, etc., are referred to as original equipment manufacturer (abbreviated as OEM) cartridges. These types of cartridges are made by the original manufacturer of your printer. OEM cartridges are by far the most expensive option. Before I did my research, I used to believe that buying OEM was the only way to go. On to the alternative options...

Remanufactured cartridges

Remanufactured cartridges are made out of the exact same parts that OEM cartridges are. How it works is first people send their used cartridges in to be recycled. Remanufacturers then thoroughly clean the cartridge print heads and then refill them with premium ink. Lastly, a testing stage involving pressure and an actual printing run is performed to make sure everything is fine, and the cartridge is repackaged and ready for use.

Compatible cartridges

Compatible ink cartridges are effectively the generic counterpart of OEM cartridges. These cartridges are considerably cheaper than either OEM or remanufactured cartridges; however, quality and performance certainly can be a concern. When purchasing compatible ink cartridges, it is important to select a supplier that conforms to industry ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standards.

Luckily for you, I've had my fair share of experience in buying compatible and remanufactured ink online, so in some coming posts I will recommend the retailers I have had success with. I will also show you who to stay away from, and why.