Independent Technology Review Website Rates Cartridge World Ink Ahead of Manufacturers' Own and Helps Disprove Claims of Inferior Quality



    Inks supplied by third party suppliers such as Cartridge World
    have produced better quality results than higher priced inks supplied
    by printer manufacturers, according to an inkjet 'shoot-out' arranged
    by www.TrustedReviews.com, an authoritative, UK-based technology
    review website.

    The test findings help disprove claims made by printer
    manufacturers regarding the supposed inferior quality of third party
    ink and should help convince European consumers that they can reduce
    their print costs without sacrificing quality.

    The test was carried out by TrustedReviews' resident printer
    expert, Simon Williams, with the results conveyed in a feature
    entitled 'The Inkjet Investigation' published in April 2007. Simon
    tested four printers (from Canon, Epson, HP and Lexmark) most commonly
    used by PC users at home and in the office and compared print results
    using the printer manufacturers' own branded inks and paper against
    those supplied by third parties such as Cartridge World.

    A judging panel made up of typical print users was then asked to
    rank and score the 230 different print results that were produced
    using the different combinations of printer, ink and paper.

    Despite the printer manufacturers' claims that print quality may
    be impaired if consumers use unbranded consumables in their machines,
    the test panel found the opposite. According to the report's author
    "Our panel preferred prints produced with ink from a third-party
    provider over those produced with manufacturer's own products".

    Other key findings to emerge from the test were:

    -- With each printer manufacturer, third-party ink and paper
    combinations won more top scores than prints produced with
    own-brand inks and papers

    -- In the case of Canon, none of the prints produced on photo
    papers with its own ink got a top score

    -- Cartridge World inks outperformed the printer manufacturers'
    inks in the Canon, Epson and HP printers

    -- Across the full range of papers, taking an average of the
    scores from the different print samples, Cartridge World inks
    perform top in three out of the four categories

    Www.TrustedReviews.com carries out hundreds of in depth tests each
    year on a range of consumer electronics and IT equipment in an attempt
    to help consumers sift through the competing performance claims made
    by manufacturers. The test findings are published on its website
    (www.trustedreviews.com) which has become a valuable reference source
    for consumers and IT journalists in the UK.

    According to Duncan Berry, Cartridge World's Director of European
    Franchising, the test results represent independent verification that
    consumers are being forced to pay high prices for their consumables
    without justification.

    He said, "TrustedReviews has done us a favour. Consumers have long
    known that they can achieve savings - of up to 60 per cent- when
    buying printer cartridges at Cartridge World but have been put off by
    the manufacturers' claims regarding inferior quality. These test
    results make those claims appear hollow and unfounded".

    Note to editors

    The independent survey entitled 'The Inkjet Investigation' was
    carried out by TrustedReviews.com in April 2007. The findings can be
    downloaded from here:

    http://www.trustedreviews.com/printers/review/2007/04/21/The-Inkje
    t-Investigation/p1

    (Due to the length of this URL, it may be necessary to copy and
    paste this hyperlink into your Internet browser's URL address field.)

    About Cartridge World in Europe

    Cartridge World is the fastest growing retailer of refilled
    printer cartridges in the world. It stocks over 200 high performance
    inks that can offer printer users the same performance as achieved
    through using 'original' branded cartridges, but at prices up to 60%
    lower. And by reusing existing cartridges, as opposed to disposing and
    replacing them, consumers can make a positive contribution to the
    environment.

    Cartridge World operates a franchise business model. It was first
    established in Australia in 1988. Since then, it has expanded into 47
    countries and now has nearly 1500 franchise outlets worldwide. The
    Cartridge World franchisee network is currently one of the fastest
    growing franchisee networks in the world.

    Cartridge World has been present in Europe since 2001 and has over
    580 stores in seventeen European countries. Master Franchisees have
    been established in ten European countries and the company expects to
    appoint four more within three years. These Master Franchisees are
    supported by a European Franchise support team based in Harrogate,
    England.

    The company recently won the 'Best International Franchise
    Expansion Programme' award at the Franchise Marketing Awards 2007,
    held in March on behalf of the British Franchise Association by the
    Venture Marketing Group.

    For further information, visit www.cartridgeworld.eu