Fry's Electronics Fires Up Inkjet Cartridge Refilling
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Fry’s Electronics is offering an inkjet cartridge refilling service, which will offer Fry's customers significant savings versus new cartridges without sacrificing quality. Customers bring in their empty cartridges to the Service Department for on-site inkjet cartridge refilling while they shop. "Once we found a solution that delivers like-new quality, it was an easy decision to offer this service to our customers," said Jeff Staat, director of service operations at Fry's. Fry's is rolling out the program nationwide in the first quarter of this year.
Staat noted that they tested the leading cartridge refill equipment providers before selecting Retail Inkjet Solutions (RIS). "RIS was the winner, hands down. With more relevant cartridges especially single color tanks, sales jumped dramatically once we installed the RIS InkCenter,” Staat continued.
The RIS InkCenter, designed by inkjet cartridge engineers, is the only refill system that exceeds a new cartridge's printed page count. With its patented technology, RIS provides more pages at a fraction of the price of a new cartridge. A recent study conducted by Quality Logic, an independent testing laboratory, concluded that RIS refills deliver 10 to 20 percent more pages than a new cartridge. The InkCenter is the only UL Listed refill system available.
Fry's expansion may signal the resurgence of retail on-site inkjet refilling, which got off to a quick start and then stagnated after poor quality issues surfaced. "Our page counts and print quality provide customers with the like-new experience they expect, setting RIS apart from competitive refill solutions,” noted Cecilia Gonzales, CEO of RIS. "Customers love the quality and the savings they get at Fry's and have responded by becoming repeat refillers."
As one of the major consumer electronic chains, Fry's is considered a leader in spotting trends. "The fact that Fry's is going all in for refilling indicates that the category may have finally overcome its initial problems and Fry’s feels it has found a quality solution," said Charlie Brewer, president, Actionable Intelligence. Brewer continued, "Fry's wouldn't invest in this market without proven customer demand.”
Reusing inkjet cartridges by refilling them reduces their negative environmental impact. A single cartridge takes a thousand of years to degrade; more than a million are disposed of every day. Refilling is an easy, cost effective way to go green.