Printer Ink Cost Comparison5.051

Say Goodbye to Expensive Printer Ink

If you are burning through ink cartridges and purchasing them from Staples, Office Max, or even Walmart, then you better think twice about how much money you are throwing away on this commodity. The only reason to ever buy ink from a brick and mortar store is procrastination.

There is no excuse for procrastination when you can simply click a button on your computer and have cheap ink sent to your door within a couple of business days. It is so easy to save money on ink that a total couch potato can do it.

Save A Whopping 30%-60%

Refurbished ink cartridges typically cost 30%-40% less online than store brands from Staples and Office Max. What is even more, they cost 40%-60% less than brand name products from Lexmark, Epson, HP, Cannon, and many other printer brands.

Some online ink retailers say that you can save up to 80% on their products, but lets be realistic. 30%-60% is generally the discount you will find on most of their merchandise and it is still a great deal!

Free Shipping & Extended Warranties

The cheapest online ink retailers offer free shipping if you spend about $50 and have product guarantees ranging from 90 days to 1 year from your purchase date. The cartridges cost less and their guarantee are much better than you will get in a chain office store.

I personally had a good experience with 123 Inkjets when I received an ink cartridge that did not work. They sent me a new one immediately with a postage paid envelope for the return. It was no hassle and it had been a few months since I made the purchase. I assume that it dried out from sitting so long, but they took care of it.

I also use Price Grabber, but have never had to call customer service. They usually have the best price if you purchase several cartridges at once.

Buy Bulk Ink and High Capacity

You will often times find cheaper ink online because there is a better selection of high capacity cartridges compared to what you can find in retail stores. If you want to save money then buy high capacity ink cartridges whenever possible.

From my experience, I have found that Ink Grabber and 123 Inkjets have the best deals. 123 Inkjets always sends out coupons and I have gotten a few in my e-mail for up to 25% off my order. Ink Grabber usually has the lowest pricing and even better deals for bulk purchases.

What About Ink Refill Kits?

This is one thing that I do not recommend, but maybe you have had better luck than me. I have tried ink refill kits 2 times with 2 different print cartridges and all that I got was a huge mess!

If you can actually get one of these things to work, then go for it. You are even better at saving money than me and you have valuable print cartridging skills (; I’m happy with the discount I get on the refurbs.

Prices: Online vs Physical Stores

I randomly picked one cartridge from Lexmark, Cannon, and HP and compared prices at the 5 stores listed below. 2 of the stores are brick and mortar retail outlets and 3 are online printer ink retailers.

Note the enormous price differences in the price comparison charts below. It’s time to stop throwing your money away at the retail chain stores and start saving money by purchasing cheap ink online!

1- Ink Grabber

	Free Shipping on orders over $55
	90 day product guarantee
	Best deals on bulk ink purchases
	Get 10% OFF + Free Shipping on orders over $75 via code: 10OFF75(excludes OEM & Media items)
	Refurbished Lexmark #16	Refurbished Cannon P-50	Refurbished HP 60XL
1 Black Cartridge	$18.99	$18.99	$19.99
5 pack (3 black cartridges, 2 color)	$72.99

 

 

2- 123 Inkjets

	Free Shipping on orders over $55
	365 day product guarantee
	Great Coupons
	15% Off Compatible Inkjet Cartridges + 10% Off All Other Products (excludes OEMs) Coupon INKBLUE72 Expires 3.31.09
	Refurbished Lexmark #16	Refurbished Cannon P-50	Refurbished HP 60XL
1 Black Cartridge	$19.99	$20.99	$18.99

 

 

3- Carrot Ink

	Free Shipping $45
	Unspecified time frame “no questions asked return policy”
	No sales tax outside of Texas
	Refurbished Lexmark #16	Refurbished Cannon P-50	“New” HP 60XL
1 Black Cartridge	$22.95	$18.95	$34.95

 

 

4- Office Max

	Refurbished Lexmark #16	“New” Cannon P-50	“New” HP 60XL
1 Black Cartridge	$29.99	$43.99	$34.99

 

 

5- Staples

	Refurbished Lexmark #16	“New” Cannon P-50	“New” HP 60XL
1 Black Cartridge		$40.29	$34.99
1 Black/1 Color Cartridge	$60.99