The Overlooked Running Costs of Printing Equipment

Every business should always know exactly where their money is going. Many companies overlook the running costs of printing, which is incredibly worrying considering it is one of the highest monthly expenses for the average office. A business’s printing costs include more than just printer repairs and supply costs. Here we discuss some of the hidden costs associated with office printing.

Upfront vs Long-Term Running Costs

As a general rule, the lower the upfront cost, the higher the long-term running costs of printing are. This is a basic function of the razor and blades model: sell the razor cheaply and make money on the blades. Applied to printers, this would mean selling the machine at a lower price and making money off the ink cartridges and toners.

However, this is also a result of design decisions. It will cost more to make parts that hold up better over time. A cheaper printer will generally have some elements that require frequent replacement, potentially costing you more money on the back end than you initially saved at the time of purchase.

Cost per Copy

When it comes to the running costs of printing, the most expensive part is always going to be the cost of replacing ink and toner cartridges. If you want a cost-effective printer, you need to look at the cost per copy.

The cost per page is calculated based on the cost of consumables divided by the number of copies you produce. As you would expect, cheaper printers have shorter consumable replacement cycles than high-end machines. Keep in mind the simple rule of thumb when purchasing a printer:
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• Lower initial cost = Higher cost per page
• Higher initial cost = Lower cost per page

Going for the cheaper option may save you a bit of a coin initially but will always cost you more in the long run due to the high cost per page of cheaper machines.

Cost of Repairs

Like most office equipment, printers and copiers must be properly maintained to ensure they function correctly. However, as you most likely know first-hand, even with the most diligent management routine, your machine will undoubtedly falter at some point. This will obviously cost you in replacement parts and potentially require purchasing an entirely new printer.

Holding on to an old Machine

While it may seem more cost-effective to hold on to your old printers rather than upgrade, frequent repairs will quickly eat away any savings you had. Then there's the downtime that this can cause a business and the tendency for older or broken printers to use far more ink/toner, again upping the running costs of printing.

Don’t Get Caught Out by Unexpected Printing Costs

Cost management should be a top priority for any business, big or small. By identifying the hidden running costs of printing, you can better manage and address these issues head-on. At Copier Services, we can supply you with high-quality printers and photocopiers for sale that are sure to cut running costs.