Debunking remanufactured toner cartridge myths

1. Debunking remanufactured toner cartridge myths September 2004

2. Top myths about remanufactured toner cartridges • Reman toner cartridges always save you money. • Reman yields always equal HP cartridges. • Reman print quality consistently meets HP cartridges. • Remans always meets HP technical specifications. • Remans are better for the environmentthan HP cartridges. • Reman reliability is equal to HP. • Remans save you money.

3. Myth 1: Remanufactured toner cartridges always save you money • Remans reuse critical cartridge components that may be damaged or near the end of their usable life. • Cause more print quality issues • Generate higher failure rates • Increase “hidden” costs • Based on extensive reliability testing conducted by QualityLogic, every 100 reman toner cartridges generate: • 5 extra support calls • 3.75 additional cartridge repurchases* • 23,000 extra reprints • The extra labor cost for reprints alone, at $.50 per page, is more than $11,000 for remanufactured cartridges. • Greater HP reliability means lower costs over the life of the cartridge. Example based on U.S. data. Test results provided by QualityLogic. Tests were performed under laboratory conditions, and actual performance may vary. *HP customer research shows that only 3 out of 5 (60% of) defective cartridges identified are returned to the vendor for refund or replacement.

4. Myth 2: Reman yields are always equal to HP cartridges • Many remanufacturers recommend turning down the printer’s density dial to achieve greater page yields. • The lower the number, the lighter the toner coverage. • Turning down density settings to achieve higher yields creates misleading comparisons. • HP bases its cartridge page yield estimates for its newest platforms on certified ISO standards using default toner density dial settings. • Remans often charge more for “higher yield” cartridges, which may deliver a higher cost per page than HP. • Remans often overfill their cartridges to achievestated yields. • Overfilled cartridges can leak into the printer and damagecritical components.

5. Myth 3: Reman print quality consistently meets HP cartridges • Remanufacturing is a complex, manual process subject to damage and human error, which can lead to performance problems and print defects. • Remans use low-quality toner with irregularly shaped particles and impurities that can cause print quality defects. • QualityLogic found that, on average, remanufactured toner cartridges tested were eight times more likely than HP toprint a high number of pages with unacceptable quality.* • Lyra Research found that 96% of U.S. HP Color LaserJet users who tried non-HP cartridges experienced printer problems.** *In a 2003 independent testing study performed by QualityLogic, Inc. (Reliability Comparison Study) and commissioned by HP, performance of original HP monochrome toner and black and color inkjet print cartridges was compared to leading remanufacturer brands on a broad spectrum of reliability issues. Cartridge models tested were the ones with the biggest aftermarket for which new printers could be acquired for testing. Samples of 100 HP LaserJet print cartridges, 151 black HP inkjet print cartridges, and 110 color HP inkjet print cartridges were compared to 390, 363, and 429 remanufactured cartridges, respectively—from 8 leading remanufacturer toner cartridge brands and 7 leading remanufacturer ink cartridge brands. QualityLogic, Inc. is one of the world's largest, most qualified independent quality assurance organizations, providing testing services to every major printer manufacturer. **Lyra Research, Inc. September 2003.

6. Myth 4: Remans always meet HP technical specifications. • Remans try to mimic HP technology, but are always playing catch-up. • HP invests more than $4 billion a year in R&D for its printing systems. • HP has more than 9,000 patents worldwide on its printing andimaging technology. • Remans refurbish older model cartridges and can lag several months to years behind HP. • HP LaserJet print cartridges feature advanced technology designed to work precisely with HP printers and toner. • It takes two to five years to develop a new HP LaserJet cartridge. • HP LaserJet print cartridges are responsible for up to 70 percent of the imaging system. • HP LaserJet print cartridges deliver Smart printing features. • Remans can damage or disable HP cartridge features.

7. Myth 5: Remans are better for the environment than HP • Remanufacturers are unable to refurbish many of the used print cartridges they acquire—and many likely end up in landfills. • Through its Planet Partners program, HP makes it free and easy to return empty HP LaserJet cartridges for recycling. • Remanufacturing creates waste that must be disposed of, including worn parts and residual toner. • Many remanufactured cartridges are overfilled with toner to compensate for their inefficiency.

8. Myth 6: Reman reliability isequal to HP • QualityLogic found that genuine HP LaserJet cartridges were, on average, more than nine times more reliable than remanufactured cartridges tested. • 4% of reman mono toner cartridges tested failed either out of the box or prematurely. • 25% of reman cartridges tested produced more than one in10 pages that had to be reprinted. • In its annual printer report card, PC Magazine awarded HP the top grade of A+ for the 12th year in a row for superior reliability, service, support and satisfaction.

9. Myth 7: Remans save you money • A failed reman cartridge wastes supplies and drains time and productivity—hidden costs to the user that won’tbe reimbursed. • HP LaserJet print cartridges are exhaustively tested, ensuring consistent yield and quality, which minimizesthe need for returns, repairs and technical support. • When a reman cartridge fails, a customer’s first call will often be to the supplier. • Reman users chase the lowest price and have little brand loyalty—generating less repeat business.