Ask HN: Has HP's an Alarming Shift Towards Corporate Greed?

3 points by eande 2 years ago | 2 comments

In the last days I had a sour experience with HP that compelled me to question their ethics. Four years ago, I invested in an HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 for my home office, and it served my family well. However, the trouble began when I purchased replacement cartridges, authentic ones from Amazon.

I don't mind the request to create an account and log in to use the software tool. But when I replaced the black cartridge just three days ago, the printer insisted it wasn't an original HP product, rendering my printer into a brick. Even with a second new set of authentic cartridges, I encountered the same error.

Some online search revealed they demand for a subscription — for $3.99, you're allowed a mere 50 pages of printing. I was not lucky to find a hack that worked and gave up. My daughter was "just pay for it", but I had to give her a nice speech about principle.

I firmly believe that everyday consumer products designed for occasional home use should not be held hostage by a mandatory monthly subscription. I understand the value of printer liquid, which is more worth than gold by weight, and the desire for businesses to control that market. However, I cannot support practices that stifle competition and hinder consumer choices ending up with monthly subscriptions fees, WTH.

Needless to say the next day that machine went in the dumpster and the new Canon TR8620a home office printer was a breeze to setup and works great.

Is it just me, or does this seem like another example of escalating corporate greed in America?

uberman 2 years ago |

Yes.

Though it seems common practice to "discount", I use that term lightly, the thing then make up the difference by charging outsized amounts for the refills. What ever those are be they ink or coffee cups or games. Hell even luggage.

We have been conditioned to buy what seems like a cheap thing only to be micro transacted, monthly surcharged and create an account bs-ed to death. My last toasted wanted to know my wifi password!

ssss11 2 years ago |

I believe HP has been on that spiral for a very long time… since maybe the mid-2000’s.

In general though, cheap printers suck because they’re so cheap the vendor needs to try and milk money out of you somehow after you purchase. I’d expect most if not all sub-$300 printers to have vendor trickery included (unfortunately).