Local Plug
One of the things I won't have to miss when I move, because they're online, is the store here in Nashua where I buy my ink cartridges dirt cheap. The good people at Got Ink 4U have been supplying me with $3 black and $5 color cartridges for a couple years now. I was skeptical at first, but they print just as well and last just as long as the much pricier brand name inks. Turns out ink is the printer manufacturer's cash cow. They lock consumers into their brand with a $100-200 machine, and make their real money selling proprietary refills. Chalk one up to the power of advertising. The whole scheme would be a miserable failure if Americans didn't equate generic with substandard. I imagine corporate distribution agreements have something to do with it too. Staples sells its own version of my printer's cartridges for $25, the manufacturer's version for $30, but doesn't stock the $3 brand at all.
If you want to try them out, Got Ink 4U is offering 15% off most products now through June 21st if you enter DAD in the redeem coupon field.
