Following positive responses from customers on its first generation of ink tank system printers, Epson is set to stop selling consumer and small business ink cartridge printers in Kenya and some other African markets.
This move forms part of Epson’s new ‘low-cost, high-quality’ ink tank system strategy and will allow it to focus on expanding its ink tank system printer range. The plan is intended to provide home and office users with affordable and reliable printing, without the problems often associated with non-genuine inks or other refill systems.
Epson Regional Sales Manager for East Africa Mukesh Bector says the new direction is aimed at providing home and office users with affordable and reliable printing solutions.
“We’ve listened to customer feedback on our current ink tank system printers and what they want from their printing. By stopping the sales of ink cartridge printers in markets with strong ink tank system sales, we will be able to strengthen our commitment to offering ultra-low-cost printing, while maintaining the kind of print quality that our customers expect from us,” he said.
Last year saw Epson bring its vast experience in inkjet printing, including its Micro Piezo technology, to Ink Tank System (ITS) printers making it the first inkjet manufacturer to create a range of printers with ink tanks built in. This year sees eight new models being added to the range, offering even more ultra-low-cost printing with Epson-quality results. The models include Epson L series (L550/L355/L300/L210L/L110), which are colour printers that consists of Epson WorkForce M series (M200/M105/M100).
For the ITS Colour printers (L series), each set of high-volume ink bottles can print up to 4,000 pages in black and 6,500 pages in colour, and offers a low running cost of 0.85Ksh per page, or just 425Ksh per ream of paper (500 sheets)[2]. In addition, two extra black ink bottles included in the box increase the combined print output to 12,000 pages.
On the other hand, for ITS Monochrome printers (WorkForce M series), Epson genuine ink is available in a high-volume 140ml bottle, which can print approximately 6,000 pages, and offers a low running cost of 0.34Ksh per page, or just 170Ksh per ream of paper (500 sheets). All the printers come with two black ink bottles – one starter bottle and one standard 140ml bottle – that offer a large combined page yield of 11,000 pages for ultra-low-cost document printing. Epson’s fast-drying genuine pigment ink ensures business documents are water and smudge resistant.
Each model has an ultra-high-capacity integrated ink tank with high-volume bottles for refilling. All feature Epson’s fast ink top-up technology that includes specially designed air-tight caps and filters, which minimise ink wastage. Unlike other refill systems, all models are covered by an Epson warranty, offering reliable printing and peace of mind.
Mukesh adds: “2013 is an important year for us, as we strengthen our range with more ink tank system models, offering more features. Wireless connectivity and Epson iPrint, for example, are just a few that we’ve included, as well as offering our very first mono ink tank system printers.”