2002-11-28 by Editor P.O.V. Image Service
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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