The False Economy of Cheap Toner

The costs of running a business can add up, so whenever you can snag a great deal on office supplies, it may seem like a great way to save. When it comes to printer toner, however, toner at too-good-to-be-true pricing might save you a few bucks now, but just might cost you in the long run. Here’s why...

You Get What You Pay For

Part of the reason toner can be found for less by off-brand manufacturers is because the quality of the product itself is greatly reduced. As a result, bottles are prone to leaking. Not only do leaky toner bottles make a giant mess, but it’s also hard to clean-up and can cause printer malfunctions. Now you have to pay to fix your machine and you don't even get to sue the toner company!

Even if the damage is limited to just a small leak and spill, before you try to use it again, be sure to:

• Fully inspect the bottle for any and all leaks
• Wipe the bottle down with an alcohol-based solution, cleaning off any loose toner
• If you can locate the leak point, patch it with a smooth piece of tape
  

If the leak is larger than a small piece of tape can repair, chances are the existing crack will expand and cause further leakage. The best way to avoid this issue is to purchase manufacturer recommended toner bottle refills designed specifically for your device.

You Never Get a Second Chance to Make a First Impression

Another characteristic of cheap toner is poor image quality. Documents may come out smudged, faded, cause banding, or even distort some images. As any business owner knows, the way your documents look is a major factor in any presentation.

Whether you are pitching an idea to an investor, working on a partnership, or seeking to expand your customer base, first impressions count. Your business documents must play their part in showcasing your professional image. Cheap print jobs on mailings, business proposals or meeting agendas can take away from the impression you intend to make.

Distractions and Downtime Means Your Teams Aren’t Working

The amount of time it takes to deal with all of the potential problems you might incur from buying low-quality office supplies can also affect your teams (not to mention your machine is offline throughout all of these pitfalls).

While your employees are busy taking care of leaky toner bottles and paper jams, they are being taken away from mission-critical projects. So now not only are your employees distracted, but your machine is also down. Until it’s back up, you may need to find another way to continue printing your business documents. Hopefully you have a back-up device, or else you might be sending one of your employees down to the local copy shop.

When it comes to toner supply, play it safe. Stick to manufacturer tested and approved supplies for all of your office devices. Consumable products like toner are tested for a reason—to ensure optimum performance and maximum uptime for your fleet. While buying the off-brand deal-of-the-day today may seem fiscally smart, it’s not worth the risk and may actually cost you more in the long run.

Got a big print job coming up? Give us a call for assistance planning the amount of toner you may need. We have manufacturer certified service professionals standing by to help so you can have total confidence in all the supplies you buy.