Ensure your ability to choose fully functional aftermarket cartridges: what dealers need to know

Static Control is a global cartridge manufacturer committed to providing the highest quality imaging solutions delivering award-winning, localised customer support, global logistics, combined with our relentless pursuit of quality and unmatched expertise in cartridge research and development

Managing a print fleet using aftermarket cartridges is a win-win situation for your business. Your customers reap the cost benefits of using a premium solution at an improved price point, while your business benefits from generating higher profit margin. 

OEMs are feeling the pressure of the aftermarket and to not lose market share, are trying to block the use of fully functional third-party cartridges by any means necessary. Many new printers, such as the HP W series use dynamic security features, developed to block the use of aftermarket cartridges that use non-OEM chips. The impact of this is it won’t allow you to offer the cost savings and full functionality that premium third-party cartridge can provide. 

These updates can lead to lost business and confused end users who don’t understand why third-party cartridges no longer work in their printer. 

Managing the firmware updates on your customer’s printers is the most effective way to ensure the printers will always be able to use third-party cartridges. In recent years, some printers have an automatic printer firmware upgrade function that is a default setting. Customers don’t realize their printer has been updated until they install a new compatible cartridge that will not work or the printer shows an error message stating it is blocked.

Customers need to know the implications of firmware updates. To keep using fully functional remanufactured and compatible toner and ink jet cartridges with no issues, they should say NO to automatic printer firmware updates. 

Static Control recommends the following: 

• Disable automatic firmware updates, along with carefully pushing out any firmware update
• Disable the cartridge policy and protection options in HP printers  
• Enable firmware downgrades in the printer settings 

Static Control is the global leader in providing firmware-resistant chips to the aftermarket. Our chip solutions are installed on all our toner and inkjet cartridges and provide accurate page counts and toner low/toner out messaging. In the event of a firmware update, Static Control have the in-house capabilities in the UK to rework all existing stock with the new coding ensuring the impact to our customers is minimal. 

For more information about firmware, dynamic security, or Static Control’s solutions, please visit us at www.scc-inc.com. 

This is a sponsored article on behalf of Static Control Components