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
