The Razor and Blades Model

I shave a lot. Twice in a day at the very least. Obviously, Gillette knows that there are millions of folks like me so they sell cheap razors with blades that seem to lose their edge in two weeks. They’re savvy enough to price a pack of blades at about twice the price of the razors. Imagine what a tidy profit that brings in for the shaving industry. Oh  I can live with that. Better to squeeze a few dollars than look like a hobo at work.

Now, what I can’t stomach is how the Print industry plays this same business model to the hilt.

You see, I’ve purchased dozens of printers in the past years. They’re cheap, mind you, especially after getting them on rebates. I go for the $50 to $200 models – I’ve found that there’s little in output quality between an entry level unit as against a punchy $400 model.  The most noticeable difference perhaps lay in printing speed. But who cares, print quality is groovy and even photos look like they came out of a lab.

And that’s where the love affair with the print industry ends.

It’s Like Printing Money

Did you notice that after printing a few webpages and a couple of pictures, your printer grinds to a halt? A warning light goes on reminding you to change cartridge.  It doesn’t matter that your Cyan is still full. You got no more Magenta, so you have to chuck the whole thing into the bin. A trip to the store and you have a new cartridge. Less $60 in your wallet, of course.

Then it hits you. $60??! That’s the price of a new printer!

Epson, Canon, etc are aware of this gripe, so prices for  ink have been slashed by up to 60 percent as manufacturers struggle to get to terms with greater competition and savvy price-aware consumers. The most whopping price cuts are shifting regional markets, but this hasn’t propped up sales. More folks like myself have begun to shun “original” inks in favor of continuous ink systems and refills. Who believes the dire warnings of Epson anyway ?

“Use of refills will damage your printer.”

Yeah right. They’ve built obsolence into their units anyway. I’ve had printers that used nothing but original inks and they never lasted longer than those guzzling off  refills or continuous ink systems. Like robots with self-destruct switches, they ALL die within two years- orig or not.

Printer users are becoming increasingly cognizant that cheap inkjet printers – from manufacturers like HP,  and Canon – do not equal cheap printing. I tend to finish an entire cartridge in a week. New cartridges would have cost me as much as a new printer. Does it make sense to purchase a new cartridge for $60 or a new Printer with free cartridge for $60??? You tell me!

Consumers are Pissed

As printing companies see their market share erode, they surely realize that the razor and blade model will no longer work. You can’t sell folks a cheap printer then milk em dry with ink even costlier than the printer. Poor sales indicate one damning thing: either people aren’t printing enough, or they’ve gone to alternative sources for their consumables. Either way, it’s bad for business.

Are you from the printing industry? What would you suggest to appease both your company and your valuable consumers?

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