Epson is piloting a consumables free inkjet printer that comes pre-loaded with enough toner to produce 8,500 colour pages, a strategic move that would effectively cut out third party toner cartridge manufacturers that have encroached on sales. The EC-01 device comes with a sealed unit attached and when the ink runs dry the Japanese vendor will pick up the box, replace it and send it to be recycled. Epson reps say the product was being quietly introduced “to market test the idea of a printer that contains consumables for a reasonable amount of time”.
“We are trying to establish the principle of whether this business model will pay back the customer and ourselves,” says one of the vips of the company.
In recent years Epson has brought several court cases against third party suppliers alleging patent infringement in the UK and USA.
According to the company the new printer should lock out third party cartridge providers because it changes the nature of the business model.
Source: www.microscope.co.uk
Key words: new technology, Epson, aftermarket supplies
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