Fear Mongering At Staples

[nanosec]

I don't know if there's a standard line that printer manufacturers are giving to Staples, but this amused me.

I was buying a ip4700 to replace a failed ip4500.

As I was handed the printer off the racks, the associate told me there was only starter ink and how would i like to buy ink, at which point I told him I would be refilling, and IIRC the cartridges come full?
(I think he was thinking laser printers)

So then he tells me how I won't be able to refill because of an "error code" I told him I owned an ip4700 already and had no problem with "error codes" when I refilled. Then he starts in with how non oem ink will cause problems with the nozzles.

I then tell him 3 refills or better and the savings will more than pay for the cost of a printer. He then said "true" and that seemed to be the end of it. This is the 2nd time I have gotten the non oem ink
and printhead speech by a staples employee.

On an aside, as i was checking out I was informed of a service plan that would allow me to not deal with Canon and get a failed printer replaced immediately through Staples. I was thinking "GREAT!"
This means anytime a printhead dies within their service plan coverage, I can just pack the printer up and get a new one?

Has anybody tried this? It's be great having an insurance policy that would allow me to trade my dead printers for new ones. (with oem carts and no indication that I have been refilling of course)
I didn't get the insurance plan, because I figured they must have a loophole to get out of giving me a new printer every time a print head fails or if I refill.

 

[stratman]

I don't think the salesman was fearmongering. I think he was giving good advice for 90+% of people who buy printers and are not printer mavens like yourself, nanosec.

Not meaning to swell your head or puff my own, but you are in an advanced consumer printer hobbyist class and know a great deal about refilling compared to the average Joe. There are so many crap inks out there that most people that try to refill on their own without the wisdom of Nifty-Stuff or some other printer forum to guide decisions WILL end up with clogged printheads and error codes they will not know how to remedy.

You still have time to read a copy of Staples extended warranty program and see if the terms will be of benefit to you. While they may notice OEM cartridges with non-OEM holes in them, I doubt they will do spectroscopy to determine if the ink is non-OEM. Of course any mods to the body of the printer or the firmware to enable CD printing might be dead giveaways.

Maybe his job or paycheck depends on selling stuff like ink. There might be a nice markup that helps keep the store afloat in these difficult economic times. Regardless, if you want it, Staples wants to be the one to sell it to you, hence steering you away from "bad" aftermarket inks and ominous error codes.