Digital BW, The Print

Andrew Rodney wrote:

>on 11/27/02 10:31 AM, Jerry Olson at jerryolson@rrv.net wrote:
>
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>>Can't Epson realize that photographers simply don't WANT to use Epson
>>inks only?  
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>You  must be under the impression that Epson is in the business of selling
>printers. In actuality, the printers make virtually no money and they are a
>company that sells ink and paper (that¹s where the real money is anyway).
>Why would Epson want anyone to put anything in their printer but Epson inks?
>
>Andrew Rodney 
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Agreed Andrew...

But, at their price points (and with their sales model of cost shifting) 
they aren't likely to EVER kill off third party inks.. (unless they can 
introduce new product and inksets faster than 3rd parties can keep  up. )

As many of us know, there are really only about three major 
international firms developing/producing the colorants in these  inks. 
EPSON is NOT one of them.  In a sense, if you accept the model of them 
 really being an ink and media sales firm, then they are also simply 
rebadging the colorants made by others..

Look at the 2200.  Ultrachrome colorant based inksets are coming from a 
bunch of 3rd parties.. Several sources have working CIS/CFS systems 
already (in which one can use the 3rd party versions of the UC colorant 
based inks)...  The fact is, UNTIL EPSON can compete on a reasonable $$ 
for  $$ price footing, there will always be a significant 3rd  party 
consumable market in inks (in media, well they simply can't 
realistically carry/rebadge  every media people might want to utilize).  

In fact, quite to EPSON's consternation, the larger the inkjet market 
gets  and the more mainstream penetration it has, the GREATER the 
incentive (and potential profit) from 3rd party inks and media.  The 
razor/blade analogy may work in:

1)    Small markets

2)    Large markets in one of the following cases:

A)    small individual price differentials between OEM and 3rd party 
consumables (made up on high volume)

B)    instances where the OEM can use trademark or patent to  prohibit 
3rd party consumable use (unfortunately, for EPSON, the more developed a 
market becomes the LESS likely courts are to allow and OEM that leverage 
and inkjet is clearly near 100% mainstream now)

The reality is that EPSON's model was well-designed for a niche product. 
Now, they have moved into the mainstream, which means the rules are 
different, and scrutiny is much higher.  In fact, as the market expands 
the potential profits to 3rd party manufacturers increases exponentially 
and the knowledge base developed among those manufacturers increases in 
step with EPSON..  Is it any surprise then, that 2200/2100 CIS's have 
appeared faster than 1270 CIS/CFS did?  Or that MediaStreet has been 
able to introduce a universal desktop EPSON chip resetter?

Moreso, the more the market develops, the larger the niche markets will 
develop.  It's like aftermarket car parts: Some people will want value, 
come will want performance, some will want specialty products.  That's 
why we see dye sub inks, pigments, quads, etc. for inkjets.  The 
printers are simply tools and the market will develop unique media for 
the tools to use..  OEMs don't control the aftermarket auto parts market 
and they won't control the inkjet consumable market over the long term. 
 If anything, that should give EPSON pause when they review the sales 
model they rely upon. In any case, I don't much care anymore that EPSON 
uses this model of sales.. It is what actually allows SERIOUS 
professionals a wide range of ink and media choices..  It's not fair to 
the average consumer and that sucks, but, as an old saying goes  
"knowledge is power."  Consumers have other options for media and 
consumables, the law protects those options -- if consumers are too lazy 
or stupid to research those options, so be it (the job of neither the 
market nor gov't is to protect lazy or stupid consumers). The 
information is out there and quite readily available these days.
 
Keith

 

"Just some guy," and founder of the Multiverse's largest EPSON printer 
User Community (highly recommended by Vogon Poets and MegaDodo 
Publications), at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EPSONx7x_Printers/
 
"For the rest of you out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together 
guys"




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