Updated: 2021-08-03
Let’s face it – life is hard.
Between rent, food, clothes, phone bills, car payments, medical expenses, etc., most of us have our plates full without leaving any room for luxuries.
We don´t want to pay for something that is of poor quality or durability. We want to be able to know what we are buying before we pay a high price for it. However, the same applies the other way around. If we get a high-quality product that exceeds our expectations, then we will be more than happy to pay a higher price for it.
There is a lot of news nowadays about compatible toner cartridges and inks that are not really what they say they are. Online ads push and push and you might already feel some doubt for those third-party stores that market their compatible products.
You have some questions. Do the compatible cartridges work? Are they secure for a daily operation? Do they have more problems than regular inks or toners? How will you know that you are buying from a trusted store?
How to make sure that the compatible cartridges that you buy is compatible with your printer? It’s easy. All you have to do is ask your supplier.
Look, when you buy ink or toner, there are three things you have to know:
- What type of cartridge it comes in,
- How many pages the cartridge will print, and
- Whether or not the cartridge is compatible with your specific printer.
If someone tells you they don’t know about the last two items, you can be sure that what they are selling you is NOT the ink cartridge or toner you need.
By the way, if they can’t tell you the answers to all three of these questions, they are NOT the person you should be dealing with. You see, the people who work in a store like this one have very little knowledge about the products they are selling.
The shop that you are buying from should be able to give you all the details of the printer cartridge that you are going to buy and the cost of every printer cartridge that they have.
Well, here are some of the things that you have to search for when you have spotted a compatible printer cartridge shop.
Shopping Site Seals
Most reliable online stores will have those shopping site seals that assure the shoppers with security in giving information and purchasing as well as shipping on the net.
It is a symbol of trustworthiness and guarantees that you are in a safe place. To make sure the seal is valid, make sure that the website is secure and has an SSL certificate. If you have any doubts about the reliability of the site, check for the seal.
Years in Business
If the store has been in the business for several years, it simply means that the compatible printer toners and ink cartridges that are sold there are of high quality and are guaranteed good performance.
Aside from that, compatible printer toners and remanufactured cartridges sold in a reputable online store are very much affordable and of course, they are of great quality. There are also online stores that offer free shipping for the compatible printer toners and ink cartridges that you order.
Warranty and Return Policy
When you are shopping for that compatible toner and you are given at least a one-year warranty with the return policy, this only shows that your satisfaction is the top priority of the store. If the store does not have even one of these, beware because you might be fooled by that item.
The return policy proves whether the store is really confident about the product or not. If the site does not have a return policy, you might be tricked by that product.
Privacy and security of personal information
Shopping sites must have a privacy policy that can assure the security and safety of the personal information of the shoppers. The privacy policy should be clearly stated and visible.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), an independent agency of the United States government, has jurisdiction over the use and protection of personal information of shoppers and has the authority to prosecute privacy violations.
Even more strict personal information rules apply in the European Union. The so-called GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) is effective from 25 May 2018 and as the name suggests it applies to all companies that process the personal information of EU citizens. The GDPR rules are significantly stricter than older EU or US rules.
Shopping Details
Placing an order online can be very convenient for everyone; however, you have to make sure that all the shopping details are given to you and added information on how the product was made is also a good thing to look for.
It is also important to check the shipping conditions (and cost!) before you make the purchase. You need to be careful when you are shopping for a product that is coming from another country. The product may be cheap, but you could end up paying a lot for the logistics. This will stop you from worrying that you are going to the wrong store.
These are just some of the basic ideas that you can use to know that you are really having that premium compatible toner for your printer. So next time you decide to go for that third-party store, look at every detail first before placing an order.
And, by the way, if you do find a reliable dealer, you should think about becoming a “regular” customer. This means you will be entitled to special deals that are not available to “walk-in” customers. It may also mean that they will be prepared to let you try before you buy so you can make sure the product is right for you.
