Maximum PC

Normally, I don't purchase printer ink from Staples, but had to this time because I had to print something out.

I paid $22 for the cartridge. After 1 print (8 page, double-spaced typed paper, 12 font) the printer said the cartridge was almost out of ink. In fact, one more print and it's out. I just bought this the other day. Only printed once.

My mom also bought one from Staples a while back, same problem.

So anyone thinking about buying ink from them, avoid at all costs. In my opinion, they are trying to scam people on ink.

HM, did you check any expiration dates on the boxes?
What brand of printer?
Was this Staples brand ink or ink from the printer manufacturer?

Only mentioned because I've never had a problem with Epson ink for my Epson C88+ bought at Staples, but if this is some new crap they're pulling, then we do need to know.

HM, did you check any expiration dates on the boxes? No, I did not. The box was enclosed in a hard case which is not accessible to a regular person.

What brand of printer? It's a Lexmark Z600

Was this Staples brand ink or ink from the printer manufacturer? Lexmark branded ink

Got it. Thanks, sir.

I would say this is something to do with Lexmark.. Not Staples..

Take it back and tell them the problem, they will happily exchange the cartridge for another one..

did you check the ink capacity printed on the box? some carts have more ink than others.

dont go by what the driver tells you. my HP tells me my carts are low and I get another like 100 pages from them.

HP prints the expiration date on the external retail box so you can see it.

Don't go around saying that the reseller sucks because a product they sold you sucked. it could of been a bad shipment of cartridges, which is not their fault, but lexmarks.

Yet this happened with TWO different brands of ink.

This isn't the only thing that has made me think Staples sucks. Everything I have bought from there has died in one way or another shortly after I opened it. And guess what, the Staples here will not take it back once opened.

Also look at the majority of Newegg reviews, people blame Newegg for things that UPS did.

They said they won't take it back because it's opened.

Then you have bad luck, me and Denis63 have both worked for Staples in computers and business machines sections and this is not a common issue. What two brands of ink were they, and for what printer, be specific.

To think Staples goes out of its way to have faulty products shipped to their stores is silly, and if your buying cheap crap and beating the hell out of it then it is not Staples fault (I've seen that card played so many times with returns its not even funny). What is it that is always dieing immediately on you anyways?

So because Newegg reviewers blame Newegg for UPS screw-ups you can blame Staples for Lexmark's screw-up?

They probably won't take the cartridge back because they think you used it up and want another one.

well, that is Teh Suck.

whats the expected life of the cart? my standard black HP carts give about 250 pages, XLs 750. "starter" carts, the ones that come with the printer, give maybe 50.

my driver always underestimates, after it says my carts are out it still prints like 100 pages (XLs).

keep printing till it drops. maybe your driver is out of whack estimating yields.

If this is happening to more than one brand of ink then I would suspect that the cartriges are being exposed to some kind of heat source either during shipping or at the store.

Defiantly NOT a Staples thing. This is a problem with the Mfg.

If they don't take it back, it's time to talk to a manager or even higher especially if you have a receipt that is only a few days old.



Sorry you lost me on this.
Do you mean because knuckleheads reviewers at newegg blame Newegg for UPS mistakes, it's ok to blame Staples for Mfg's mistakes?
That's just crazy talk.

I bought a stapler from Staples, and it hasn't broken yet.

Perhaps I didn't explain myself properly.

I'm using the Newegg example purely as an example. Go look at the majority of Newegg reviews, most refer to their shipping. I'm not saying it's an excuse to blame Staples because other people blame Newegg. Please don't put words in my mouth.

The ink was HP branded and Lexmark branded. Official ink. Every other ink cartridge purchased has been fine.

Anyways, as for what I bought that has died almost instantly:
Toshiba A105-S4384 laptop
Epson All-in-one printer
The battery on my UPS
Two 120mm Antec case fans (the clear ones)

Obviously I can't remember everything, but that's what pops out at me.

Not to mention, this is my opinion. If you don't like my opinion, that's fine. Some people don't like Newegg, ZipZoomFly, Best Buy, Fry's etc.

And Denis63 and Defiant, don't get so hostile when I say a store sucks. I'm not the only one that thinks so, look here. Maybe the Staples in other cities are better, who knows. All I know is, the Staples in my city is not good.

I normally get around 250 pages out of a cartridge or around there. I don't count every piece of paper though .

It wasn't a starter cartridge by any means. Was supposed to be a new, full cartridge. Hopefully just my printer driver lying to me. That would be a first since I got the printer in early 2006 though.

Wow. This thread is ridiculous. He got a bad printer cartridge from Staples, and they won't take it back. He has a right to be angry with them.

Ex-employee? You're biased. It's not like he's going to sue Staples. He didn't abuse the product he bought from them. You're right, it's NOT a common issue. That would give hack even more right to vent. Those carts have expiration dates too. If Staples let it sit on the shelf past it's expiry date, that would be Staples fault. There are other reasons where it could be Staples fault just as much as Lexmark's.

I've bought stuff from Staples before too. Most of it is overpriced, but you deal with it if you have to have it now and they have it.

Now, since there ARE ex Staples employees here, maybe they should be trying to help Hack out with his problem instead of getting their panties in a bunch over a bad ink cartridge and an opinion. Hackman2007 is trusted in these forums. He doesn't just spout off about crap because he can. Maybe the ex Staples employees can give him some advice on talking to a manager about his ink cartridge?

Guy has a bad experience, and all you can do is tell him that he's wrong. Sounds to me like you're better at fueling the anti-Staples crowd instead of fixing the issue. Whatever happened to this thing called customer service and respect?

This is what through me off....

I mean if you want to complain about Staples return policy cool, I can understand that, but to blame Staples for sell crappy ink cartridges?

Unless someone can prove Staples purposely buys low grade ink from the MFG's and resells them, why blame Staples?

Please for the love of God, explain how Staples is scamming people on ink?

And sorry bud, you brought up the comparison of Staples and Newegg.
I just don't see the comparison.

Maybe the last sentence of my first post was a bit harsh saying they are trying to scam people with their ink.

I was pissed (obviously) when I wrote the original post.

I feel scammed by such a crummy cartridge.

And yes I do blame Staples for having crappy cartridges since they are selling them. I bought it from there, I expect it to work. Not die on me shortly after.

Regardless this thread is going in a total wrong direction.

I feel as if I shouldn't have even posted this. I just offer my opinion and get told "I'm wrong". Whatever, I don't care anymore. I'm locking this thread, there is nothing that anyone can do to help. And just posting my opinion here of Staples obviously leads to people being hostile.

It's a shame I have to lock my own thread.