Printer Ink Cartridges FAQ

OUR PRODUCTS

What is the shelf life of your products?
Our cartridges' shelf life are comparable OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). It is usually 24 months for all the OEM and remanufactured laser cartridges and compatible, cartridges and refill kits. If properly stored (kept in original packaging in a cool and dry location), cartridges may last longer than 24-36 months.

What does OEM mean? What is an OEM cartridge?
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEMs, such as HP, Canon, Epson and Lexmark are the companies that manufacture your printers. OEM cartridges are cartridges that are branded under your OEM's brand. We offer both OEM and less expensive non-OEM products. All our products are compatible with their respective OEM printer models.

What does remanufactured cartridge mean?
Recycled cartridges that are disassembled by third parties (other than OEMs) and have their worn parts replaced are called remanufactured cartridges. To guarantee print quality, remanufactured cartridges are refilled, tested in the factory and repackaged.

Our competitive advantage is that we only sell the remanufactured toners where the drum has been changed in each toner. Most of our competitors sell cheaper remanufactured toner cartridges without changing the drum inside.


What does compatible cartridge (replacement) mean?
Compatible cartridges (replacements) are manufactured by third parties (other than OEMs) and fully compatible with OEMs. Compatible cartridges are the imitation of the OEMs and costs up to 70% less than the OEMs, They are also plug and print, just like the OEMs unless they are stated otherwise. Due to market conditions and product availability, PrintCountry reserves the right to ship high quality remanufactured cartridges for compatible products orders.


What does refilling my cartridge mean?
Refilling is simply the process of injecting the ink from a bottle into your existing cartridge using a syringe (all the necessary tools are provided in our refill kits). OEMs usually do not tell their customers that cartridges may be reused or recycled many times before you need a new one. The manufacturer of our refill kits tests each refill process and have the most current instructions included with each kit. Please do not try to refill without consulting the directions (especially the diagrams) before refilling.

How do I install a new cartridge I bought from you?
Always follow the printer manufacturer's guidelines for installing new cartridges. You may find directions in your printer user manual. Our cartridges are made to follow the specifications of the original equipment manufacturer, so they will install exactly the same way.


Why are some cartridges (especially inkjet cartridges) so expensive?
Unfortunately some cartridges are very expensive and might even cost more than the printers that they are used in. As resellers, we don't have any role in this, and in fact we have only very small margins in the new OEM cartridges. Almost all the proceeds from the sale price go to the Manufacturer of your printer.

We would recommend you use our refill kits or compatible cartridges to decrease the overall cost of your printing.


Where can I find the manufacturer's contact information and user manuals?
Please refer to the following table:

Links to Manufacturers' Websites
APOLLO	Apollo Homepage
APPLE	Apple Driver Downloads Apple Homepage Apple User Manuals Contact Apple
BROTHER	Brother Driver Downloads Brother Homepage Brother Support
CANON	Canon Driver Downloads Canon USA Homepage Canon User Manuals Contact Canon
COMPAQ	Compaq Homepage
DELL	Dell Homepage
EPSON	Contact Epson Epson Driver Downloads Epson Homepage Epson User Manuals
FONOTEC	Fonotoec Homepage
HP	Contact HP HP Driver Downloads HP Homepage HP Support and Troubleshooting
KODAK	Kodak Homepage
LEXMARK	Contact Lexmark Lexmark Driver Downloads Lexmark Homepage Lexmark User Manuals
MINOLTA	Minolta Homepage
NEC	Nec Homepage
OKI	Contact Oki Oki Homepage Oki Support and Driver Download
PANASONIC	Contact Panasonic Panasonic Driver Downloads Panasonic Homepage Panasonic User Manuals
PITNEY BOWES	PitneyBowes Homepage
PLANTRONICS	Plantronics Homepage
RICOH	Ricoh Downloads Ricoh Homepage
SAMSUNG	Samsung Downloads Samsung FAQ/Support Samsung Homepage
SANYO	Sanyo Homepage Sanyo Service and Support
SAVIN	Savin Driver Downloads Savin Homepage
SELEX	Selex Homepage
SHARP	Sharp Homepage Sharp Support
SIEMENS	Siemens Homepage
XEROX	Xerox Driver Downloads Xerox Homepage

Would the use of refill ink or compatible cartridge void my printer's warranty?
Absolutely NO! Federal Trade Commission - Magnusson-Moss Warranty Federal Commission Improvement Act (Subparagraph C, section 101) - regulations specifically states that "No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumer's using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name".

In-English: The manufacturer of the printer you are using cannot void the warranty on your printer because you use a cartridge or refill kit manufactured by someone other than the printer manufacturer. This prohibition includes the use of compatible cartridges, clip-ons, continuous feeding mechanisms, refill kits, ink, etc. For more information on the act, you can contact the Federal Trade Commission at (202) 326-3128 or click here to learn more.


What if my Epson printer doesn't recognize the new cartridge(s) or it shows the ink levels wrong?
Cartridges with SmartChip may cause recognition problems, even if they are brand new. You may also see cartridges reported as empty when they are actually full. Those problems are usually caused by the "smart" chip on the cartridge. You can use a chip resetter to resolve SmartChip-specific problems.