Ink cartridges and laser cartridges are an essential part of office life and everyone who has a printer at home will also need to restock regularly.
It can be expensive to buy cartridges, which is why it’ a good idea to shop online for supplies, as there are big discounts to be had if you look in the right places.
It’s always best to stick to branded cartridges, as this helps to keep your printer safe and sound. If you ruin your printer by using generic cartridges, you may invalidate your warranty.
If you’re shopping online for ink cartridges, here’s a few tips to bear in mind to help you to get the best deals.
Note down which cartridge you printer uses. You’ll need the model number and whether it’s black and white or colour. You’ll also need the brand name that the printer maker uses for the ink cartridges.
Spend a bit of time on the internet to find out more about buying ink cartridges. There are plenty of reviews out there, as well as forums where you can ask for further advice.
Find an online store that has a good reputation – you can’t be too careful here. Again, read reviews and perform a background check on the retailer. This effort will pay off in the end.
You can make sure that the store is reliable and trustworthy by finding out of they have a valid, verifiable postal and contact address, as well as a working phone number. The store should also have at least one security banner.
You should also do some price comparisons to find out how much the bundles you need will cost from each store. A lot of online retailers have comparison tools that will show you quotes from several manufacturers.
Always be on the lookout for discounts and special offers. If you’re making a few purchases at once, or if you become a regular, you might be able to get your shipping fees reduced or waived altogether. If you buy in bulk you might be able to get meaningful discounts as well.
Make sure you ask for a refund guarantee on your cartridges so that if they arrive damaged or faulty, you’re protected.
When it comes to checking out your order, make sure that the retailer accepts several types of credit cards, as well as PayPal. The gateway should be very secure and have SS; look for various forms of authentication like VeriSign and avoid any retailers that ask for cheques.
Don’t buy anything from a retailer that asks for your bank details, especially the three-digit security number on the back of your card. Online fraud is very real and very common and isn’t restricted to big-ticket items like jewellery.
If you follow these tips you should have no problems when buying ink online. You should, however, only buy as much ink as you’ll use in six months to a year, as cartridges can occasionally dry out or leak, making them unusable.
