Hard to get Pro 300 Cartridges

[stratman]

PFI-1300 or PFI-1700 carts

you can buy PFI-1700 at just over $200

A Google search brings up a number of prices in the sub-$300 range. I did see one color at $204 which comes out to ~$0.29 per ml, or, ~$23.90 for 82 ml. That's a potential 30% profit margin.

Are the PFI-1700 inks the same/identical inks in the PFI-1000 cartridges?

 

[palombian]

A Google search brings up a number of prices in the sub-$300 range. I did see one color at $204 which comes out to ~$0.29 per ml, or, ~$23.90 for 82 ml. That's a potential 30% profit margin.

Are the PFI-1700 inks the same/identical inks in the PFI-1000 cartridges?

Yes, PRO-1000/2000/4000/6000 are the same printers in different sizes

 

[stratman]

@palombian or @Artur5

You have heard directly from mikling in a post/email/video that the OEM ink he sells is from the PFI-1700?


Based on cost is seems logical to use the PFI-1700.

It also seems rational to just use the PFI-1700 cartridges yourself to get, as mikling says on his web site"

"... NO COMPROMISE refill solution that maintains the EXACT Canon OEM performance with savings with Canon OEM ink! No need to ask if it is. It is. This is the real Canon ink no need enquire if it is. OEM"

700 ml of PFI-1700 ink / 80 ml Retail PFI-1000 cartridge = 8.75 cartridge fills

$204 Retail OEM PFI-1700 Cartridge***/ 8.75 PFI-1000 Cartridge fills = $23.32 per PFI-1000 cartridge refill

Or, you can take the chance with mikling's not described "OEM" inks for $35 per 82 ml bottle.

+/- additional $12 One-Time Use Only chip

Estimate of your cost per cartridge:

$35 for your own sourced PFI-1700 ink and mikling's chip, vs
$47 for mikling's "OEM ink and chip, vs
$59 for retail OEM ink

Concerning ink performance:
Mikling states on his web site his aftermarket inks perform "95+% of the original ink performance". Does that include archival performance, too?

How about getting 100% OEM performance in all categories for ~$10 less per cartridge than what Precision Colors sells it because you sourced all OEM inks for yourself?

Concerning chips:
Alibaba has single use chips at $3-8 per chip, so do not fear mikling is not making a profit on the chips.

There are also ARC chips advertised that are ~$20 per chip. Mikling states he no longer sells ARC chips due to issues.

You are refilling to save money. Why not save even more by upping your DIY game?


*** Lowest price I saw on Google for a PFI-1700 OEM Canon cartridge

 

[palombian]

As @Artur5 stated, street prices for OEM ink seem to be much lower in Europe than in the States (ignoring the rest of the world...).
When I started refilling the ink I bought from octoink.co.uk or precision colors was 20% of OEM incl shipping.
This isn't the case anymore, so our approach maybe different.

 

[stratman]

As @Artur5 stated, street prices for OEM ink seem to be much lower in Europe than in the States

Artur5
$0.63 per ml (0.52 Euro per ml) for the PFI-1000
$0.44 per ml (0.36 Euro per ml) for the PFI-1700

Stratman
$0.74 per ml for the PFI-1000 in the US.
$0.29 per ml for the PFI-1700 in the US.

Even if the PFI-1700 were $300 per 700 ml cartridge in the US it would be less expensive - barely - than Artur5's price per ml.

Did you find differently?

Even if you do not want to purchase OEM ink, say, the PFI-1700, then why not purchase the chips for significantly less from Alibaba and not get ripped on Precision Color upcharge?

Mikling
Full set 12 Single Use Chips x $12 = $144.

Alibaba
Full set 12 Single Use Chips x $8 = $96 -> $48 savings

 

[royphotog]

I have always used aftermarket ink for printing, but I have never printed photos until recently. I decided that with the Pro-300 I would simply use the OEM Canon Inks. I am a studio photographer and I am making money from the prints. I wanted to be able to tell people the prints are archival, especially when I am doing restorations of people's old family photos. I just figure in the cost of the ink and paper for the final product.

 

[The Hat]

I am doing restorations of people's old family photos. I just figure in the cost of the ink and paper for the final product.

An excellent business practice. You’re sure to get customer satisfaction..

 

[palombian]

Artur5
$0.63 per ml (0.52 Euro per ml) for the PFI-1000
$0.44 per ml (0.36 Euro per ml) for the PFI-1700

Stratman
$0.74 per ml for the PFI-1000 in the US.
$0.29 per ml for the PFI-1700 in the US.

Even if the PFI-1700 were $300 per 700 ml cartridge in the US it would be less expensive - barely - than Artur5's price per ml.

Did you find differently?

Even if you do not want to purchase OEM ink, say, the PFI-1700, then why not purchase the chips for significantly less from Alibaba and not get ripped on Precision Color upcharge?

Mikling
Full set 12 Single Use Chips x $12 = $144.

Alibaba
Full set 12 Single Use Chips x $8 = $96 -> $48 savings

You have to add the shipping and import duties since the 2 reliable suppliers of Canon pigment refill ink are out of the EU.
Depending on the quantity +60-100% from the States (+ several weeks shipping).
In Juli the EU abolishes the minimum value for VAT but this will have the advantage web shops can charge the VAT at purchase and avoid additional custom charges and delays.
I hope this will make it easier for PC and octoink to ship competitively abroad.

 

[Artur5]

Artur5
$0.63 per ml (0.52 Euro per ml) for the PFI-1000
$0.44 per ml (0.36 Euro per ml) for the PFI-1700

Stratman
$0.74 per ml for the PFI-1000 in the US.
$0.29 per ml for the PFI-1700 in the US.

Even if the PFI-1700 were $300 per 700 ml cartridge in the US it would be less expensive - barely - than Artur5's price per ml.

I said that Amazon is not the cheapest place for getting Canon big capacity carts but, in general, USA prices are lower for these products. First because in Europe VAT is included (aprox. 20% depending on the country ) and second because Canon USA seems to have more competitive prices than Canon Europe.
The prices I mentioned for PFI-1000 and PGI-1700 carts are from a reseller in Spain. They have usually plenty of stock and shipping locally is free for orders above 30 Euro. Probably in Germany, Belgium or other countries better prices can be found but, in my case, not with free shipping.

 

[stratman]

My post was not meant as an exhaustive study of pricing. I gave a comparison of ink and chip costs based on Artur5's figures vs what I saw in a quick USA search on Google. Shipping, customs, VAT, tax - whatever - is a necessary calculation but independent of base cost of the supplies I presented. Maybe you can avoid your taxman and keep your costs lower using one supplier over the other.

For those in the EU it sounds like July is the month to do serious buying and avoid VAT. For Artur5, maybe a road trip in July both for vacation and to save on shipping is a consideration - two birds with one stone. Mrs. Artur5 might like this idea, too.

Still, why would you buy chips from mikling at a 50% upcharge when you can get them through Alibaba for $48 dollars less for a complete set? Are shipping/VAT/etc less coming from mikling than Alibaba?

This is about saving money without compromising further performance.