Open letter HP Executives Re: Instant Ink & Online Requirements

[redwingtg]

I am writing to express my strong opposition to HP’s current business direction, specifically regarding the Instant Ink subscription model and the enforcement of online requirements.

I recently had a circumstance where my Envy printer was no longer connected to the internet. I had plenty Instant Ink but because I wasn’t connected to the internet, I could not print a simple pdf from the printer AND ink I had already paid for. I could not even print a diagnostic report to help me figure out the problem. Infinitely frustrating. HP support was no help. With AI help, I finally found a buried setting to enable Web Services. No clue as to why they became disabled. I could not print when I needed it, rendering my equipment useless.

As a consumer, when I purchase a piece of hardware, I expect to own it completely. Printer subscriptions destroy this dynamic by turning a physical appliance into a restricted service. The practice of remotely disabling perfectly functional ink cartridges the moment a subscription is canceled—despite the physical ink remaining inside—is incredibly wasteful and wreaks of corporate greed. Furthermore, using firmware updates to block reasonably priced ink alternatives strips away my choice and forces me into predatory subscription lock-ins.

Because of these restrictive ecosystem policies, I cannot recommend HP products to friends, family, or colleagues and I will not purchase another HP product unless this scheme is abolished. Consumers want reliable hardware, not monthly bills and corporate control of their ink. You must know the tide of consumer sentiment is quickly turning against subscription-based pricing. I urge HP to reconsider these aggressive subscription walls and return to prioritizing unrestricted hardware ownership. Otherwise, you’ll never again hear from me.

[NonSequitur777]

@redwingtg,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

As a fellow-user myself, I can certainly understand your frustration.

An internet-dependent printing experience can be especially frustrating when you have already paid for the Instant Ink service and physically have ink available, yet the printer is unable to function normally when connectivity is lost.

Your post also highlights an important distinction between owning the printer hardware and using a subscription-based consumables service. Instant Ink has requirements that differ from using conventionally purchased cartridges, and those requirements can understandably be surprising when they prevent printing during an Internet or Web Services issue.

If you decide to continue using the ENVY 5055, I would recommend reviewing HP's documentation for Instant Ink and Web Services so you know exactly what functionality depends on an active connection. For future purchases, you may also want to consider HP models (specifically "non-e" models) that use conventionally purchased cartridges rather than an Instant Ink-dependent arrangement.

Thank you for taking the time to explain what happened. Feedback about reliability, connectivity, and consumer choice is valuable, particularly when the printer is needed for something as basic as printing a document.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Paul_Tikkanen]

@redwingtg 

Since this is a peer-to-peer forum and we don't work for or represent HP, you may want to copy and paste your comments to the HP CEO at the following e-mail address:

[email protected] 

Executive Team | HP® Official Site

[Raj_05]

Hi @redwingtg,

Thank you for reaching out to the HP Community. I understand your concern and want to ensure it is properly addressed.

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