While using non-original printer cartridges has the immediate appeal of bringing down your business’s printing costs, in the longer term, this practice could end up costing your business. I chatted to Tarsus Distribution’s Bernice Hynard, Manager of Print Solutions, and Drikus van der Walt, Business Unit Manager at Print Solutions, about the real costs of using counterfeit, grey or remanufactured print cartridges.
Van der Walt breaks down the three different types of non-OEM cartridges that are out there. “There are counterfeit cartridges, which are brand new cartridges that look like the real thing but are completely fake. Then there are third-party cartridges, which are sold under a different brand name but are ‘compatible’ with certain well-known brands of printer. Finally, you find remanufactured items, where empty cartridges are filled with third-party toners or ink and sold as though they’re the original product. Of the three, third-party cartridges are proving the bigger challenge in South Africa.”
The trend has escalated of late, according to Hynard. “We’re seeing so many third-party products coming into the country, marketed as low-cost alternatives to original cartridges. In contrast, costs are rising for OEMs because shipping has become so expensive during the pandemic, resulting in a significant increase in the cost of imported items.”
The manufacturers of counterfeit products identified an attractive business opportunity during lockdown, with more businesses setting up shop to sell third-party or remanufactured cartridges since the pandemic started. In fact, manufacturing plants have been set up specifically to manufacture third-party cartridges for the SADC region.
1. More expensive printing systems
While the end-user may think that they’re saving money by purchasing these items, in the long run, manufacturers will be forced to put up the price of their machines. Hynard explains: “Currently, manufacturers try to keep the cost of the device relatively low and rely on total cost of ownership to make up the difference, which includes consumables. However, we’ve seen quite a few OEMs implementing considerable price increases lately. Naturally, some of this is owing to shortages of components, including chips, as well as escalating shipping costs. But increased use by consumers of non-original cartridges is also a contributing factor.”
2. Non-compliance with e-waste legislation
If these cartridges aren’t disposed of ethically, everyone in the supply chain can be held accountable, incurring fines and even jail time. New rules around the disposal of e-waste were added to the National Environmental Waste Act of 2008 and came into effect on 5 November last year, stating that manufacturers and producers are responsible for the end-of-life management of their products.
Hynard says: “In this instance, e-waste covers consumables, print cartridges and even the packaging. The majority of counterfeit cartridges end up in landfills because their manufacturers don’t have a proper recycling programme.”
OEMs invest a huge amount of money on constant R&D to ensure that their products are environmentally friendly and also have programmes to recycle their cartridges. The producers of remanufactured and third-party cartridges don’t do that, so their cartridges tend to end up in landfills.
3. Higher print costs
In addition to poor print quality, non-original print cartridges also produce a lower number of pages per cartridge. Van der Walt says: “You get poor quality prints, so have to reprint pages, raising your print costs. Then on top of that, you run the risk of damaging the printer itself by using these cartridges. This pushes up your service calls, which also costs your business even more.
These unauthorised cartridges fail to comply with international standards such as Blue Angel specifications, aren’t endorsed by the printing systems manufacturers and may even violate their patents. He explains: “While they may be compatible with your device, they could pose unknown health hazards because you have no idea what was put into the product. Then, a very high percentage of clone or compatible cartridges fail out the box.”
Hynard adds: “If the cartridge manufacturer does offer some form of warranty against damage to your printing system, should your machine fail and you can prove it was their cartridge, who will repair the printer? Often the manufacturer is unclear or offshore.”
The solution?
With it becoming increasingly difficult to differentiate between fake and real cartridges, how can you tell whether the item in front of you is a legitimate print cartridge?
Van der Walt says: “If you’re buying print cartridges and are unsure whether they’re OEM or not, some manufacturers have an app that allows you to scan specific markings on the packaging and it’ll tell you if it’s a legitimate product or not. Also, if the cartridge is half of the normal price, that’s a red flag. You should also check the packaging and examine the cartridge itself. Most manufacturers have hints and tips on their websites on how to check for OEM packaging, some even enable the user to scan the QR code on the packaging to check authenticity.”
Leading manufacturers have also set up websites for customers to report counterfeit items. Van der Walt says: “There’s been a big drive globally by OEMs to limit counterfeit cartridges, although it’s difficult to monitor in Africa. We urge people to recycle their print cartridges instead of letting them end up in the hands of someone who will remanufacture it into a lesser quality product.”
An interesting development in the fight against unauthorised print cartridges is ongoing innovation that’s seeing smarter printing systems that are managed remotely, able to immediately flag if a remanufactured cartridge is put into a machine.
Finally, some manufacturers reserve the right to invalidate the dealer status of a vendor found to be supplying remanufactured or third-party manufactured items. “That’s quite a serious consequence,” points out Hynard.
“It’s just not worth saving money upfront on the cost of print cartridges when compared to the bad consequences that your business could face in the long run.”
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