HP Settlement
Yesterday I posted on the HP Class Action Lawsuit Settlement. Today I would like to provide my thoughts on the topic. Take them for what they are worth, but definitely let me know how you feel.
Suit #1 – The ‘Low Ink Message’ confused customers in to purchasing cartridges when they didn’t have to. Huh? To me this is a large reach. Since when does the term ‘low on ink’ mean the same thing as ‘out of ink’. Low in ink means just that, your cartridge is running low on ink and it will run out soon. How soon? No one knows for sure, but your best bet would be to make sure you get some spare cartridges on hand for the day it does run out. So yes, HP is guilty of promoting the purchase new cartridges, but confusing you in to throwing away cartridges before you had to. No way! I’ve been in the printer cartridge business for over 10 years and the vast majority of customers I have spoken to work hard to get every last drop of ink out of their cartridge before replacing it. The vast majority also have no faith in the low ink warning. Perhaps this is just a way for those that are unhappy with the price of printer cartridges to get a little revenge.
Suit #2 – Certain HP printers used color cartridges, along with black cartridges, when printing black text and graphics. Definitely possible! Logic says that if I am printing something that is black and white I should only be using the black ink cartridge. Because of the amount of proprietary information within HP printers and cartridges, we have not way of knowing, for sure, if HP was indeed programming their printers and cartridges to use color and black. It’s their word against those of their accusers. All I can do is hope HP is an honest company on this one.
Suit #3 – HP printers and cartridges are programmed to stop working on an HP selected expiration date. Definitely possible! This is one I have heard before. Many HP cartridges come with expiration dates stamped on their boxes. It has been shown that these dates are also programmed in to some of their cartridges. When this date hits, the cartridge stops working. HP’s reason is that ink quality begins to degrade after this date and they are preventing potential problems with your print outs. Sounds logical, but what about those folks that are willing to take the risk of a bad print because they still have ink in their cartridge. Shouldn’t they have the final say? They spent the money to buy the cartridge, right?
Here’s the real kicker though. These suits were brought by lawyers who were representing a group of clients, and are supposed to do the right thing by those clients. Does the settlement agreement really represent this? These cases won’t go to court becasue they have been settled to avoid potential risk and expense on both sides. Is HP just protecting itself from having to fess up to some of their actions?
Why did the lawyers for those of us that own HP printers decide to take the settlement. This is the most interesting thing to me. Customers with printers that meet certain criteria will be reimbursed with e-credits to HP’s online store. That’s right, HP is giving you credit to buy more of the same cartridges and printers you are already unhappy with. Does this strike anyone else as strange?
Who is in the right here? Who is in the wrong? I guess the true measure will be the consumers level of satisfaction with their e-credits.
What’s your reaction to this? Let me know what you think. Thanks!
--- Top Selling Printers ---
November 19th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Shame on HP. They are (were) a class company and doing this sort of thing should be embarrassing.
Two days ago, this is the problem I had. I had loaded a new black cartridge in my HP Photosmart 8450 and within a matter of days, a message came up saying the “certified” genuine cartridge had malfunctioned and to replace it. I had purchased one of the big ones so I was not very happy.
November 20th, 2010 at 9:39 am
I’m fed up with HP! Their ink prices are unreasonable, and the proposed e-credit is up to a measly $6.00! In other words, the settlement will not even provide one ink cartridge! Please tell me I’m mis-reading the settlement provisions! I’m pretty much determined to never buy another HP product.
November 20th, 2010 at 5:00 pm
i have a hp printer all in one c309n photo smart web,this is the four’th hp i have bought and it will be the last!shame on you for betrying my trust!
as far as e-credits i did not pay in e-credits.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:49 am
I’ve got 4 $50 black, blue, yellow ink cartridges that are full sitting on my desk right now. They were each inside my printer and “stopped working” because 6 months into using them the HP printer suddenly said “They’re not official HP ink cartridges”.
They did this after each HP software update.
This is obviously intentional alteration by HP to force people to buy ink.
$200 worth of ink cartridges unusable because of a “software update”.
November 21st, 2010 at 1:10 pm
This class action benefits no one except the lawyers. The e-credits are not worth the effort to get them. I have a HP Photosmart D7260 that eats ink. Work quality is fair but ink costs are excessive. This is the last HP ink jet I will ever own.
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:58 pm
I’m on 2nd all-in-one HP, this a F4180. The 1st, 1210 was great & did not have this prob. This is the bottom rung, no frills-used-to-be-great basic printer/scanner. I’m not a big user, small home office, but it’s used about 4 times the old printer–I thought something was hinky…. Got the email–BUT $2, $5 and $6 ecredits are not worth the time filling in the info. This looks like a one-sided “arbitration” gizmo. The ecredit just sucks you into more of their product & lets HP off the hook for fraud.
November 27th, 2010 at 11:42 am
Once again, we see that it is more profitable for a company to rip off consumers and settle a class action suit by offering the consumer coupons to buy MORE of the same product they were ripped off on in the first place.
The only ones prospering are HP and the lawyers. If HP wants to be “fair” in their settlement, it should be determined how early the ‘low ink” warning came on (i.e, at only 70% depleted) and then allow their customers to supply receipts for the ink purchased for the specific printers ib question. At that time, HP should write checks to the consumer for the remaining ink (i.e., 30%) that consumer tossed, based on HPs “low ink” warning.
THAT would be fair… not a coupon that entitles us to buy more of the same product we were ripped off on in the first place.
HP makes MORE money off this lawsuit… proving once again how profitable it is for a big company to screw their own customers and settle in a class action lawsuit that ONLY benefits the lawyers and the deceptive company.
The system is broken.
November 30th, 2010 at 10:56 am
As someone who runs a cartridge refilling operation, I like to think I have a better-than-average understanding of how these printers work. Here’s a breakdown:
1. HP printers are designed to start giving the “low ink” warnings at roughly 20% ink remaining. They will typically show “out of ink” messages at about 5% remaining. HP would say this is because they want the print quality to be the best possible throughout the entire life of the cartridge. What they’re likely doing is playing on the psychology of people’s urgency to purchase new cartridges by giving early “low ink” warnings.
2. All inkjet printers, regardless of manufacturer, will use all of the cartridges to print black text. The reason is that the printheads cannot run dry, as this can potentially damage and ruin them. So, even when just printing black, small amounts will be drawn from each color cartridge in order to lubricate the printhead.
3. This gets a bit technical, but only ink cartridges with microchips on them have expiration dates pre-programmed into them. Examples would be the HP 02, 88, 920, etc. Cartridge with integrated circuitry, i.e. the HP 74XL, 96, 97, etc., do not have expiration dates programmed into them, but rather have an expiration date printed on the packaging. In both cases, the expiration date is typically two years from the date of production. Contrary to popular belief, ink does have a shelf life. Over time ink will congeal and begin to gel up, which can play havoc with printheads; thus the expiration date.
While I don’t disagree that all of these things appear fairly back-handed on the part of HP, there actually is a somewhat legitimate reason for all of them. The long and short of all of this is that HP does not make money selling printers. They make money selling cartridges, plain and simple.
November 30th, 2010 at 11:27 am
Well put, Jim! Thanks for taking the time to leave your thoughts.
What you are saying here is that HP is in the business of selling printer cartridges. That is where there money is made. In order to sell those cartridges, they need to sell printers. By getting the printers in to the consumer’s hands, the need for printer cartridges is created. HP (or insert the name of any other printer manufacturer) has created this need, but who is responsible for taking it to the level it is at? Who does the printing? Sure HP may have taken advantage of the public’s desire to print (and print, and print, and print), but in the end isn’t about being a responsible consumer?
Just a little something else to think about.
December 27th, 2010 at 6:43 pm
I have had 3 officejet printers and all of printers indicated
Low Ink levels, when I was able to print 100′s more copies with out having to changing ink. I believe they did it on purpose!
Lots of money was made at $30.00 or more per cartredge. I had to do alot of printing.
Tom Oakes
Atlanta Ga
December 30th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
My printer quit working, this is how I am able to print with a “low ink” cartridge: My hp printer quit working saying the color ink was low. I disconnected the printer fom my computer and set my computer clock back a few months. Then restarted my computer and connected my printer. My printer changed it’s date back too, and now I can print again. (My computer and printer are not connected to the Internet.)
January 7th, 2011 at 5:11 am
This is the last HP product I will ever purchase. HP is corrupt as well as any business that is less than completely honest.
January 8th, 2011 at 7:24 am
Tom,
Excellent point. We’ve all got to remember that it is called a ‘Low Ink Warning’ indicator. Back in the day it meant just that, you were low on ink. In some of today’s printers it still means the same. In others the manufacturers have taken advantage of the public’s propensity to go out and buy new cartridges when they see this indicator and make the printer useless until the cartridges are replaced. Bummer!
January 8th, 2011 at 7:34 am
Jean,
I’ve heard of this workaround so I asked a customer to try it. It did not work for her, but her computer was connected to the Internet. I will follow up and ask her to try with it disconnected. Thanks for sharing!
January 8th, 2011 at 7:37 am
Gary,
I can hear a very large group of people saying ‘Amen to that’ right now. Which brand of printer are you going to try next?
January 19th, 2011 at 10:43 am
Is any one else having a hard time getting on to the settlement website? I’ve been getting “problem loading page” since first notified of the suit…
January 19th, 2011 at 11:05 am
Is any one else having a hard time getting onto the hp settlement website? I keep getting “problem loading page” since first notified of the suit…
January 19th, 2011 at 10:56 pm
Carol,
You need to go to http://www.HPInkjetPrinterSettlement.com. I just checked this URL and was able to access the website. Good luck.
February 20th, 2011 at 4:15 pm
I can not tell you how many people I suggested buying an HP printer too while I still had my old HP-Got a C6380 and thought it was going into a convulsion when I turned it on. I have to wait several minutes just to run a black and white copy. Shame on HP-I never run colored copies, but my colored ink get used and the printer will not work unless all the ink cartridges are in place. What a scam! I will not by another HP and I am telling as many people as possible what a piece of c–p it is! You should be proud HP!
March 23rd, 2011 at 6:25 am
Still by far Hp is the best company for computers, Printer and Supplies. Yes, they are expensive but you get what you pay for because if you try some other brands they lie too. My only problem with Hp is that they will not own up to their mistakes. I have been buying HP since the 80′s. I have given then money. Just in this suit alone I had six printers that qualify. I will still buy their product because of the quality.
I personally think that HP is wrong with the ecredit because like one person said we didn’t pay in ecredit when we brought their products. I also think that the credit is bolony. When I purchased my printers I had to pay more than six dollars. I think as customers we should do another lawsuit and make HP pay us at least one year ink supply for at least one printer and some ecredit for those who have more than one printer and I am not talking about six dollars with. Everyone doesn’t use the internet to purchase either. So does anybody want to join me in another class action for some real action. I am sure Hp doesn’t want word of mouth bad publicity that will hurt their company cause I will go to every world know newspaper with my story about their printers. I just brought and Hp laser color jet printer. I printed out 100 color flyers and was out of one of the toner cartridges that are surpose to yield 1300 pages. Yes, I am mad but to get even I am going to buy refills with chip for it and come out much cheaper.
March 23rd, 2011 at 6:45 am
It saddens me that companies can do what ever they want but the coumsers have to pay for it. What ever happen to the customer being right. If it weren’t for us you would not have a company. It is time for HP to give back. They don’t want me to pull out from them because someone would lose their job cause I buy so much HP. I know I have brought at least 20 computers in the last 15 years.
December 28th, 2011 at 6:43 am
Very deep shame to a company whose policies, ethics and commitments should be far reaching to their customers satisfaction and service. HPs continued failure in its awareness of how important it’s customer base is reflects an ignorance which is ineffable. HP your business practices are without conscience, add to our carbon imprint on the planet and defraud your customers of product that was not only paid for but excessively so.. Your wireless touchsmart Premium printer, (a piece of junk and not worth the money it’ll take to recycle it), has been the cause of many a disruptions in this household,.. ink costs and run out within very few prints, constant malfunctions, strange messages that appearing randomly, a real jerk of equipment to get to work! Hey, you guys lap it up richly though!… and no thank you to any further discontent by bringing your products into my home.