| Most, if not all, businesses use printers and ink | | | | cartridges. Their technology has since improved |
| cartridges in their day-to-day operations. This is why | | | | tremendously such that the demand for their low-cost, |
| the desktop printing market is a multi-billion dollar global | | | | good-quality printer cartridges has increased multi-fold; |
| industry. Wouldn't it be great to have even just a sliver | | | | thus driving up the buying price for used printer |
| of that lucrative business? Nowadays, this is possible | | | | cartridges on a global scale. |
| by becoming a trader of recycled inkjet cartridges. | | | | From Mere Consumer to Business Operator |
| What's even better is that you can do this business at | | | | As a consumer, you can earn a few dollars by |
| home! | | | | returning empty cartridges to a vendor with a |
| The printer cartridge recycling business is part of what | | | | cash-back offer for cartridge recyclers. However, you |
| is called the aftermarket for printer cartridges. A | | | | already know by now that there's more money |
| printer's ink cartridge is essentially the cash cow of the | | | | involved here than what is made available to mere |
| major printer manufacturers like HP, Epson, Brother, | | | | consumers. |
| Lexmark, and Canon, just to name a few. It is | | | | The object now therefore is to increase the volume of |
| estimated that over 2 billion units of printer cartridges | | | | cartridges that can be exchanged for cash in order to |
| are sold worldwide on an annual basis. The printer | | | | make the business a viable one. At first, you may get |
| consumables aftermarket is just as big and | | | | away with simply asking friends and neighbors to just |
| economically viable. | | | | give you their used ink cartridges. Eventually, however, |
| The Business of Recycled Ink Cartridges | | | | your operations would entail that you put up enough |
| Most printer manufacturers will encourage end users | | | | capital to enable you to offer rewards to your |
| to send their used cartridges back to them, mostly | | | | end-user sources for recycled cartridges. In this sense, |
| through mail. However, such recycling programs do not | | | | even if you are home-based, you need to evolve into |
| usually provide any monetary benefits for the | | | | a full-fledged cartridge recycling or collection office. |
| occasional package of recycled inkjet cartridges that | | | | This is especially true when you start dealing with |
| they may receive from consumers. It is more likely that | | | | companies. Whether big or small, these businesses will |
| manufacturers would deal instead with bulk recyclers. | | | | be your biggest sources for used ink cartridges in the |
| These bulk recyclers are the ones that purchase | | | | long run. Write to these companies and establish |
| cartridges directly from consumers or through | | | | goodwill early on, since this will help in maintaining your |
| market-based channels and partners that have direct | | | | business even when prices for cartridges become |
| contact with end users. To illustrate the relationship, a | | | | volatile. |
| printer vendor may put up a drop box at their store for | | | | Keep in mind that you may need to negotiate for good |
| used cartridges, or perhaps offer a rebate promotion | | | | prices from your bulk buyers in order to maintain an |
| for buyers of new printer ink cartridges who will turn in | | | | operating margin profitable enough for you and enticing |
| their old cartridges upon purchase. These collection | | | | enough for your sources of recycled cartridges. This |
| channels then earn substantial rewards from the | | | | juggling act can be frustrating at times, but don't just |
| turnover of recycled cartridges to bulk recyclers and | | | | give up easily. |
| sometimes to the manufacturers of printer | | | | It will take some time before the desktop printer will be |
| consumables themselves. | | | | replaced by a better printing technology. Before that |
| There is another segment of the printer aftermarket | | | | time comes, you should get on board and take the |
| that has a need for recycled printer cartridges. These | | | | opportunity into printer cartridge recycling. You too can |
| are the ink refillers and the so-called ink cartridge re | | | | make your mark as a businessperson, help the |
| manufacturers. In previous years, the alternative printer | | | | environment and earn a decent income for yourself |
| consumables offered by these businesses were | | | | and your family. |
| sub-standard and cannot compete with original printer | | | | |