The marketing departments at top printer companies have been trying to scare their customers away from using non-OEM printer cartridges for years. "They don't work," they might say or, "Remanufactured cartridges will break your printer." Why would big companies like this say such things if there weren't a legitimate reason? Well, there is a reason why big printer brands want to discourage you from buying refilled or remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, and it's a pretty obvious one. If you buy ink and toner from generic aftermarket third party manufacturers, you won't need to buy the more expensive printer supplies from the company that made your printer, meaning they lose money and profits.
I started out in this business with Ko-Rec-Type in 1988 and my main focus of business at that time was printer and typewriter ribbons. Every week I would hear from someone that compatible ribbons would damage the equipment. However as the years passed and fewer of these machines were being introduced and the business was transitioning to ink and toner, these issues faded. To the point where the quality of these products were never questioned. Why? Because the OEM manufacturers were no longer interested in the ribbon business and had stopped with their "fear" messages about the quality of non-OEM ribbons. In essence - they had already made their $$$ on the aftermarket supplies. The quality of the ribbon products from KRT were no different than they were in previous years - yet the previous concerns were gone.
Printer companies will definitely try to talk you out of buying remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, but they will never outright tell you that you can't. Buying recycled and compatible cartridges is not illegal. In fact, thanks to the Magnuson Moss Warranty Improvement Act, it's actually against the law in the US for printer brands to void your printer warranty for buying or using compatible printer cartridges. The Magnuson Moss Warranty Improvement Act is an actual US law that protects consumer rights in regards to manufacturer warranties, including desktop inkjet and laserjet printers. (“Magnuson Moss Warranty Improvement Act United States Code Annotated Title 15 Commerce and Trade Chapter 50 Consumer Product Warranties 15 Sections 2302.” ) Here's an excerpt from the law that specifically applies to the use of generic or third party parts in name brand appliances.
“No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumer's using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name.”
Using remanufactured or compatible printer toner cartridges is legal and cannot invalidate your printer warranty, no matter what the brand.
For more information on Ink, Toner and Ribbon products - visit the Genuine Supply Source website at: http://www.genuinesupply.ca/home.php . Feel free to contact me directly if you would like more information.
