Digital BW, The Print

Actually there are a few business models that parallel ink jet. One 
is razor blades- very similar- give the razor away at cost and make 
money off the replacement blades = give the printer away at cost and 
make money off the cartridges. OEMs try everything in their technical 
and legal power to keep you from doing exactly what the B&W and 
refill market is doing. They will often threaten to void warranties 
if you use anything other than their ink and cartridges and warn that 
non OEM ink will ruin their printers. If they aren't selling carts 
they aren't making money and that's all the big three are really 
intersted in. And it's not that bad a thing anyway. When the oems do 
something it's usually in a way that they think is best and it's your 
place as a customer to shut up and be happy with it-"they know best". 
You get much more verstility to smaller aftermarket interests who 
care and will respond to a groups needs.

Jeff

 
> I find the lack of parallels to the inkjet market interesting! We 
don't buy
> a Kenwood kettle and expect to only be able to use it with Kenwood 
tea and
> kenwood water. We don't buy a Ford with Ford-tyres (that all the 
mechanics
> know are made by xxxxx) and a Ford-brand starter motor. We get a 
list of
> parts that says it's a Lucas xxx motor (or whatever), and when we 
buy petrol
> (gas) we might be told to look for 98RON unleaded, but not 'Ford 
unleaded'.
> PlayStation games may have to be Sony approved, but they are 
not 'Sony'
> games (well I'm sure Sony do rebrand like this, but, they don't 
expect to do
> it all the time).
> 
> This is getting all a bit esoteric and probably not very B&W 
oriented... but
> it still is just us wishing for companies to allow us to do easily 
for
> ourselves, what they can't be bothered to do themselves!
> 
> Best,
> nij
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Editor P.O.V. Image Service [mailto:editor@p...]
> > Sent: 21 April 2002 11:59
> > To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y...
> > Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Canon printers Print-Heads
> >
> >
> > Nij,
> >
> > Can you ask your user what the spare printhead cost him, and 
which Canon
> > division ?
> >
> > I need the info for a piece I am writing for Euro Distribution..
> >
> > Canon has been in no rush to get me the Euro pricing info... or 
to tell
> > me whether the printhead return policy applies there..  No 
surprise, if
> > the info from your user and the suit filing are correct..
> >
> > [Keith]
> >