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General Information
What does OEM mean?
OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. In the case of ink cartridges and laser toner cartridges, OEM refers to the product made by the manufacturer of the printer. Examples would be companies such as HP, Epson, Canon and Lexmark.
What does Generic or Compatible mean?
Generic or Compatible inkjet cartridges or laser toner cartridges are manufactured by a company other than the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) of that specific printer. There should be no difference in the quality or performance. In fact, if an OEM manufacturer produces cartridges that are compatible with printers other than its own, it is also considered a "Generic" or "Compatible." Cartridge Technologies and Vibrant Ink sell generic and compatible cartridges using inks and toners that are manufactured in the USA. Our cartridges are assembled in Asia or the USA.
What does Replacement or Remanufactured cartridge mean?
Replacement ink cartridges and toner cartridges are manufactured by a company other than the original manufacturer of the printer. The replacement cartridges should be of the same quality and performance as the OEM version.
A Remanufactured cartridge is the original OEM inkjet cartridge or laser toner cartridge that has been professionally cleaned, refurbished, refilled with quality ink or toner and tested by the manufacturer. Remanufactured inkjet cartridges are only used one time. A toner cartridge which has been properly remanufactured, with crucial components, such as drums and blades, replaced and which has been properly tested, may be remanufactured several times.
Will using a replacement or remanufactured laser toner cartridge or inkjet cartridge void my Warranty?
The warranty on your printer cannot be voided by the manufacturer because you use non-OEM inkjet cartridges or toner cartridges. The United States Congress passed a law called The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act, United States Code Annotated “ Title 15 Commerce And Trade “ Chapter 50-2302, et.seq. This law means that the printer manufacturer cannot void the product warranty because you choose to use a non-OEM brand inkjet cartridge or toner cartridge. A consumer has the right to purchase less-expensive cartridges without intimidation from printer manufacturers. If your printer manufacturer threatens to void the printer warranty for this reason, it is subject to legal action by you, the consumer, by the replacement cartridge manufacturer or by the government.
For more information on the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act Click Here
Is the quality of Cartridge Technologies' inks and toners the same as the original manufacturer's?
Cartridge Technologies and Vibrant Ink use superior quality inks made in the USA. Our inks are all printer specific and are thoroughly tested at the factory with brand name printers to insure vibrant color output...yes.
Cartridge Technologies produces high quality toner cartridges. We disassemble, replace parts, refill with toner and test each cartridge to ensure that it equals or exceeds OEM standards...yes.
Why do brand name "OEM" inkjet cartridges and laser toner cartridges cost so much money?
Brand name companies generate very little profit from the sale of their printers. In order to make up for the small profits on printer sales, these companies establish high pricing for inkjet cartridges and laser toner cartridges. Most brand name printer companies generate most of their profits from the sale of printer consumables such as ink cartridges and toner cartridges.
Through market research, the brand name companies realize that the average consumer will spend $150 - $900 or more each year on cartridges. As an example, a color printer may only cost $129, but purchasing 1 each black and color cartridge could cost $50 or more.
What is a "drill" and "fill"?
Exactly what it sounds like - drilling a hole in a toner cartridge and refilling it with toner. Cartridge Technologies does not "drill and fill." Our technicians professionally test, clean, replace major components and test again before packaging to ensure a product which meets quality standards. We purchase our ink cartridges from major manufacturers. Our quality is why corporations, school districts, local government and U.S. government offices buy Cartridge Technologies products --again and again.
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Ordering
How can I place an order?
You may order on-line 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.
To order toll-free call us at 1-800-354-2233 – Monday thru Friday from 9:00 A.M.–5:00 P.M. MST.
Shipping
How do you ship? How much does shipping cost?
Cartridge Technologies pays standard shipping and handling costs for shipments over $49.00 sent within the continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii and shipments to APO and FPO addresses). The shipping cost for orders under $49.00 within the continental U.S. is $3.95. Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and APO or FPO orders are $4.95; Canadian orders are $8.95, regardless of amount of the order. We ship via the United States Postal Service ("USPS") first class mail, Priority Mail or UPS Ground, depending on the weight of the package. Normal shipping times are one to five days, depending upon distance. We ship to U.S. Military APO/FPO addresses via USPS. We provide expedited shipping UPS shipping options at for customers who need immediate delivery. Please call our office at 800-354-2233 to place your order if you need expedited shipping. Expedited shipping costs are based upon UPS rate sheets.
To view Cartridge Technologies shipping rates and policies Click Here
We do not operate a retail store. However, customers in our local Tempe Arizona area may pick up their cartridges at our offices at 402 South Perry Lane, Suite 3, Tempe AZ 85281 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday.
Do you accept orders from or to locations outside the United States?
We do not accept international orders via the web. However, you can place them over the phone. If you cannot reach our toll free number from your location, call us in Arizona at 480.829.8182.
Call toll-free: 1.800.354.2233
Do you ship to U.S. Military APO, FPO, AE and AP addresses?
Yes, we ship to those addresses for a fixed price of $4.95. We must ship to APO and FPO addresses via the U.S. Postal Service. USPS does not provide us with accurate delivery confirmation information for these deliveries. In addition, if the military customer's actual location country requires customs forms to be enclosed with shipments, please inform our office so that we can comply with these requirements.
Do You Ship to Hawaii, Alaska?
Yes, we ship to Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico at a cost of $4.95 per shipment.
Discounts
Do you offer discounts to Schools, Churches, governmental entities and Corporations?
Yes, we offer discounts for Schools and Churches, to governmental entities and to Corporations placing large orders. We issue coupons and discount numbers to governmental entities which have qualified for discounts. See our discount policies on our School and Corporate discount pages.
Payment Options
Cartridge Technologies accepts VISA, MASTERCARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS and DISCOVER credit cards.
We also accept check orders.
To place a check order on our website, select “check or money order” in the “choose payment option” when you are ready to check out. All check orders are held for shipping until payment is received and then for up to 5 business days to allow checks to clear.
Sales Tax
Orders shipped to the States of Arizona and New York will be charged sales tax according to state law.
Security and Privacy
Is it safe for me to use my Credit Card? Is your site secure?
At Cartridge Technologies, we are committed to protecting your personal information. To make sure your information is safely guarded, we use a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) with 128-bit encryption software for security and fraud protection measures. 128-bit is the highest level of encryption and is commonly used across the Internet for secure online transactions. When you give us your order, SSL encrypts all personal information including your credit card number, name and address. This encryption scrambles your data so that it cannot be read as it travels over the Internet. When your data arrives at a Cartridge Technologies or Vibrant Ink™ server your information is descrambled and your order is placed.
How can you be sure any connection is secure? Simply look at the lower left-hand corner of your browser window after accessing a server. If you see an unbroken key or a closed lock (depending upon your browser), the SSL is active and your information secure. You can also double-check by looking at the URL line of your browser. When accessing a secure server, the first characters of the site address will change from 'http' to 'https.' Some versions of browsers and some firewalls don't permit communication even though the server is secure.
What is your privacy policy?
Cartridge Technologies and Vibrant Ink believe in protecting your privacy. To view our privacy policy Click Here
Returns-Warranties-Cancellations
How Do I Return/Exchange a Defective Product?
The products that we sell at Cartridge Technologies are of the very highest quality. In the event that you receive a defective product, you may return the product for replacement. Because ink is perishable and can deteriorate over time and due to environmental factors, returns must be made within thirty days from receipt.
If you wish to return your defective inkjet cartridge or toner cartridge, please contact our customer service department by calling toll-free: 1.800.354.2233 or by e-mailing us at info@cartridgetech.com.
Our customer service representatives can assist you in both troubleshooting and exchanging your product. If an exchange is necessary, the customer service representative will issue a return authorization to be enclosed in the return package.
How do I cancel my order?
Cartridge Technologies processes orders generally within 1 or 2 hours after you place your order. Packages are shipped the same afternoon.
You can cancel orders by calling 1-800-354-2233, 1-2 hours after placing the order. It is impossible to cancel orders by after the order has been processed.
What is your Return/Exchange Policy?
We will exchange any unopened inkjet cartridge or toner cartridge for store credit minus a $6 restocking fee within 90 days after the original order. Please contact a customer service representative for more information.
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Ink Cartridge Installation and Maintenance
Instructions for Changing To A New Cartridge:
1. Before changing a to new ink cartridge, perform a print head cleaning using the existing cartridge before it is used up.
2. For Epson replacement cartridges: Remove the yellow label on cartridge top.
3. For Canon replacement cartridge: Remove the orange cap. For BCI-3/5/6, also remove the sticker on the cartridge top as directed.
4. Install and leave the new cartridge in the chamber for 5 minutes. Perform a print head nozzle checking before normal printing.
5. If there are missing lines, leave the cartridge in the chamber for about 10 – 15 minutes.
6. If a printing problem persists, run the print head nozzle check again 1- 3 times according to your printer manual until it prints smoothly. If your printer cannot recognize the cartridge, remove and re-install it. You can also try to restart the printer if it still doesn’t work.
7. Epson printers may display a warning note when using replacement cartridges. It states, “Installing an inkjet cartridge different from the original cartridge may cause printout problems, do you still want to continue?” In this case, just click “yes” and carry on with your normal printing procedure.
Ink Jet Cartridge Maintenance Recommendations:
1. Use all ink within 6 months after unpacking to ensure optimum printout.
2. Do not take the cartridge out of the printer before it is empty.
3. Run your printer at least once a week to avoid any clogging problem.
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