There is always a way to get a better deal on paper and ink, but not every knows the how to do it. Similarly, finding discount toner supplies may sound like a great idea, but prove to be very difficult in practice. It probably seems to most users that there is not much price variation from one retailer to another when it comes to buying accessories made by their original printer manufacturer.
But what about examining products made by other companies? Most big printer businesses like Lexmark and Epson warn against using units that are not made by them, but never really explain why this is a bad idea. It does not invalidate your warranty nor does it cause the performance of the machine to lessen. So why all the doom and gloom associated with third party providers?
It is primarily because those larger corporations want your money, and they are banking on you buying accessories that go with their printer in order to make it. Most desktop printers are actually sold for less money than they cost to product because the manufacturers know they will make their costs back and profit on cartridges and branded paper that are needed for its operation.
Do not be a slave to this system. There are thousands of other smaller businesses you can give your money to that do not charge nearly as much as brand name firms and still provide a reliable performance. The same is true of toner cartridges that can easily be produced by smaller providers who are just as focused on customer satisfaction and support as their counterparts.