#1 priority is knowing what your customer needs. Your customer needs a cartridge and they need it now (or probably yesterday). Priority for every dealer is to have a trained staff that can easily figure out what cartridge their customer needs, quickly and efficiently. For a great, easy to use, cross reference resource - go to the Genuine Supply Source webstore and apply today for an access account. GSS will give you login credentials and a password to their user-friendly cartridge search engine:
http://store.genuinesupply.ca/landing.asp?autopage=/Default.asp
The default for most dealers is the OEM - or original equipment cartridge. What could be simpler than just getting the exact same cartridge for the printer that the user is using? Hassle free with a good probability that it will work and that you won't have any problems. Most sales people don't like problems - so they steer their customers in this direction.
Just one problem - are you making any money with this solution? Most dealers are in the business of turning a profit - not just shipping boxes. Have you checked your average GP on your sale of OEM cartridges? What does that look like?
What would your bottom line look like if you could guide your customer in another direction? Say a compatible or remanufactured solution, such as Fuzion brand cartridges from Genuine Supply Source? A product where the price difference is as much as 40% less in price - allowing you to save your customer $$$ but earn you more profits. Dollars to Donuts - I think your bottom line would look a whole lot better is my guess.
What types of cartridges are available for your customer:
So why don't more dealers go in this direction? Fear and lack of knowledge!
Fear - that somehow they will lose customers if they sell their customer a product that does not work or breaks the customers equipment. Truth is that the success rate on alternative cartridges is very high and the chances of a cartridge damaging a printer is very slim. In my 25 years in the cartridge business, and after tens of millions of dollars in sales - I can count on one hand the number of complaints that I had regarding a cartridge damaging a printer. In most cases, if there is a problem, just replace the cartridge. As for Fuzion cartridges - GSS has a 100% guaranteed customer satisfaction for every cartridge.
Lack of knowledge - many sales people and customer service staff are not properly trained in the cartridge business and thus fall back on the "default" OEM every time. After 25 years, I have a number of strategies that can help you overcome these barriers to increased, profitable cartridge sales.
So what does the market for cartridges look like and who are the major players:
Worldwide, the imaging supply market is worth $8 billion dollars with the alternative market making up 23% of those sales. What % of your sales are divided between OEM and Alternative brands?
If you are not getting market share on both the OEM and the Alternative cartridge market - then you are leaving $$$ on the table. And after all, we are all in business to turn a profit.
For more information on Genuine Supply Source, Fuzion cartridges and the Ink & Toner market, feel free to contact John Fullerton Sales - I am happy to assist you in implementing an Ink & Toner program that will help you make money - not just ship boxes.
