HP Instank Ink replacement cartridges

[saiwong]

Hello,

I am currently with HP Instant Ink  and would like clarification on how it is supposed to work.

My impression is that cutomers should always have a new cartridge on-hand for when the printer informs you that ink levels are low and to replace the corrisponding ink cartridge. Since the printer now identified low ink level it would trigger an order to send out a new replacement cartridge for the next time. So customer always have ink to replace into printer.

However, the situation I am in is that I have replacement colour ink for when my colour cartridge becomes low and needs replacing. However, I have no replacement black ink cartridge. So when it runs low & printer asks me to replace the ink cartridge I cannot do anything but just sit and wait a few days for HP to send me replacement ink. IMHO I don't think this is how it is supposed to work.

I tried to explain this to HP support staff on telephone but I don't think she understood what I was trying to say and we just kept going around in circles. She believed that when my black ink runs low , the system will notice and send me replacement cartridge. However, this assumes I don't have a large document to print and don't run out mid-printjob. I tried to explain , but she didn't seem to understand.

So could I have some clarifiation. Should I always have replacement black/colour ink cartridges to replace when printer tells me ink is low, or should customers have no replacement cartridges & printer will just detect when ink is low and send replacements at that time.

[Kumar0307]

@saiwong, Welcome to the HP Support Community! I’m here to help.

I understand your concern. When the printer is low on ink on any one of the ink cartridges, it will send a message to the Instant Ink server so that a shipment for a replacement ink cartridge is processed.

If you have enough ink in both ink cartridges, you will not get replacement ink cartridges. It is only when the Instant Ink server detects the ink level as low, a shipment will be triggered. 

For more info on how Instant Ink works, refer to this document. 

I hope this answers your query adequately. Let me know.

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution.

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Have a great day! 

[saiwong]

With respect to the response, you didn't answer my question. 

HP want to make money out of the instant ink program & maybe want to encourage customers to use the higher tier monthly subscriptions. However, currently how I feel is very very cautious with regard to printer usage, thus resulting in a lower monthly printout count.

Lower number of printouts = lower cost subscription tier = less money for HP

Since I have no "safety net" in terms of a spare replacement cartridge, I find I am printing less each month for fear of running out of ink & having to wait several days for a replacement to be sent to me so that I can continue my print job.

With this system in place, I don't forsee myself changing my printout habit to increase printout numbers (which ties in to generating profit for HP). This seems like a very anti-profit model for selling ink (by discouraging printer usage through fear of running out of the ink).

[Kumar0307]

@saiwong

This is how Instant Ink works. You will get the ink when you need it. Instant Ink will not send you ink to store for future use.

Keep me posted for any other assistance.