How I saved £737 on Ink Costs in 6 months WITHOUT using Chinese Compatibles

I used to sell compatible inkjets – indeed I used to run Europe’s largest master distributor of compatibles, importing a 40 foot container a week.  Over the years I’ve probably sold 25 million of them!

But in recent years in a drive to be competitive the quality has gone down: cheaper components and above all cheaper ink.  Some products ar OK but is there a better solution.

For the past six months I’ve been using the Fotospeed Quill Inkflow Continuous Ink System  - it works like a dream and when I think what I’ve saved I really wonder why every serious mid range printer user doesn’t use these cartridges.  Especially in these days of ‘austerity’.

Of course as you know I sell the system – but I only sell products which I use, and would have been happy to buy at the full market price had I not been selling over the web. So the following is based on the price had I bought from FOPUSalbums.com as an end user.

So my Experience

I am not a really heavy user – but I reckon over the past six months I would have consumed roughly 99 cartridges for my Epson R2880.

Epson original – that would have cost £1140 – or £995 at web prices – including VAT

If I had bought the system there would have been a one off cost of £169.70 plus the same for a set of ink.  – total £339.40.  Allowing £70 for unused ink and £49 for the bulk feed system had there not been ink in it, then the cost of my ink was £220 – plus VAT = £258 .  So on ink alone I’ve saved £737 or 74% against the web price.

Put it another way I recouped the cost of the bulk feed system in two weeks. 

Had I used G&G/Ninestar Chinese compatibles I would have still saved £367.  And I think the Fotospeed ink is better.

So what about ink quality?

Fotospeed have given me some profiles – but to be honest I haven’t used them.  I use either the Epson archival matte setting or Innova’s profile.  Some colour purists might point out a difference, but on the basis of ‘Are the people I show or give the photos too happy?  Sure they are!  I happen to  know the ink manufacturer – a well respected but low profile company in the USA, run by a German chemist who has been at it – and always perfecting his work for 20 years to my knowledge.

And is it easy to install and use.

Installation is straightforward.  It took me a couple of hours though I’m sure if you did it regularly you could do it in 30 minutes.  After that it is so easy:  when the printer thinks it needs a new cartridge you just release the bulk feed ‘cartridge’ and put it back – 2 seconds.  Then it is just a question of keeping the tanks filled up using the syringe: and a tank takes about 5 cartridges full of ink.

Why did we choose Fotospeed?

We could have bought a cheaper solution – and possibly made more money on it.  But we felt (1) you needed the best ink (2) that you needed a product which was fully supported by the manufacturer.  If you have a problem we give you the Fotospeed number.

Amateur Photographer magazine said “I found the Fotospeed Quill system by far the quickest and easiest to set up”.

Then why buy from OPUSalbums.com

As customers have said -  We really care for photographers.  And our prices are good too, but I would hate to think that you chose us just for price.

What Printers are Covered?

Sorry we just do Epson at the moment.  Fotospeed systems are available for the following Stylus Photo products.  Sorry, we don’t have systems for lower end products.

R800 – click here for more

1290  – click here for more

R1400  – click here for more

R1800  – click here for more

R1900  – click here for more

R2100  – click here for more

R2400  – click here for more

R2880  – click here for more

R3800 – click here for more

Or get the full story by visiting http://www.opusalbums.com/fotospeed-inkflow-coninuous-ink-system

Want to know more about the economics of Inkjet printing

Read my blog

The Economics of a Continuous Ink System

http://www.opusalbums.com/cis-economics