Price increase of HP Instant Ink

[Llanelliguy]

This subject has been viewed over 3000 times in 9 days, how many other customers have had the same increase as us, it must be thousands? As someone said on here, this is the tip of the iceberg.

No one likes to pay extra and we all know everything goes up in time (not 50% though) but, HP, treat us all the same, have the same prices across the board. If you increase my price, increase everyone else's. Its totally unfair. 

I would not normally comment on issues like this but, I knew I had to say something and it's about time HP also said something.

My contract ends with HP on the 8th February, my printer will be given away the day after, it can not come quick enough. 

[MsCookieMonster]

Like many others, I have just received notification of a price increase from £1.99 to £2.99. It looks like when you get this email is probably tied to billing date as I received it 1 hour after what will be my last billing at £1.99.

As others have said, a 50% increase is unreasonable. I will definitely be looking at my consumption to see if I can downgrade (I suspect most months I print fewer than 10 pages and I only really got the 50 page package for security). I’d be surprised if they make any more money given the number of people printing low volumes I think will do the same.

I’ve probably had my printer about 8 months, but only had to do a cartridge change for the first time a few months in…from that point on, HP’s service became a complete nightmare. It took weeks for me to convince them that there was a problem with the printer reading the Instant Ink cartridges (I’m a computing professional so I can identify malfunctioning hardware) and finally get them to replace the unit (which irritatingly meant I had to have a refurbished unit when I’d bought mine new). This problem also involved wasting at least 3 sets of cartridges. After all that nonsense, this price increase is a kick in the teeth.

Also, now some 10 days after this thread started, with people having specifically commented on it, they are STILL showing the old prices/print volumes for new sign ups/plan changes - very misleading.

[mjcuk]

In the same boat.  Had the printer for a number of years, was as high as the 300 pages a month plan in lockdown with all the school work sheets.

Have been on the £1.99 plan as a nice mid ground for the last year or so, but I won't pay £2.99 a month for it when I'm not sent cartridges more often than once every 2 years or so, its cheaper to go a la carte, plus we won't mention the irritation that is being charged the same for a full print of paper against a single line of text (and failed prints also). 

Wouldn't mind if they sent the paper too 😉

We generally print less than 30 pages a month, dropping down to the 10 page plan and will seriously be reconsidering the options going forward. 

[Jaytee888]

At the risk of my printer suddenly, mysteriously and inexplicably ceasing to function (it’s a risk we all take when we allow ourselves to be ‘connected’), I feel that this thread is one which needs to be kept at the top of the forum UNTIL we receive a satisfactory resolution from an authorised HP person, probably at VP level. 

Advising of IMHO unconscionable 50% price increases, and then NOT advising new purchasers until they have purchased and registered their printer, could be deemed to be ‘sharp practice’ rendering HP to be a company with which we should not be placing our business.

We haven’t had an acknowledgement from ANY HP employee for a few days since this thread gained traction, and in the absence of a contactable and responsible and accountable Customer Services department who will take such concerns seriously , this is really the only location where we can air what we believe to be our legitimate grievances.

For me a satisfactory resolution would be :

1.  Revoke all changes to the InstantInk plan charges (since Feb 1 or when the first notification of this latest increase was sent.

2.  An apology from a Senior Responsible HP executive for causing a tide of discontent … as if there isn’t enough discontent in this world.

3.  A synchronisation of the public facing website identifying the point in time from which an InstantInk price increase will be effective and individual notification to registered members.

4.  I think we all accept that prices will rise, and if a rise is necessary (having said that, of course it will be!!), the increase should be not more than, say, 10%.  In the UK, today we have been notified that our cost of living rose by 5.4% in the year to December 2021.

These are very simplistic asks and as a I don’t have a degree in Economics or Commerce I’m sure HP will easily dismiss them as frivolous, with grand statements about the global economy, when, in all probability, it is just another demonstration of corporate greed.  I will be very happy to be proven wrong. 

[shamps01]

Just got the email through myself raising my price by 50%.  Going to drop my subscription down - it is a shocking piece of behaviour by a global organisation.  

More and more customers should take the same action.   These needs to be listened to by someone senior in HP.  

50% increase in a time of growing cost of living increases is just unsustainable.  

Sort it out HP for the good of your customers. 

[merse1979]

Same here... just had my Email through this morning (21st Jan).  £1.99 increasing to £2.99.

Like everyone else, just debating whether to drop my subscription now.

At £1.99/mo it was a no-brainer and definitely worth it.  An increase to £2.99/mo is just diabolical and pure greed on HP's part.  I'll be looking around to source my cartridges elsewhere I think!!!

[thisisgil]

Just received email.

Subscription cancelled.

Go **bleep** yourself, HP

[fleetafoot]

My letter did not even try to justify - basically pay the 50% increase or get lost.

I print 33 pages on average per month and accordingly HP say I save £17 per year at £1.99/mo.  The instant ink will now cost £36/year so savings will now drop to just £5 per year.  One can safely assume they use full list price for the normal cartridges in their savings calculation, so real savings for 33 pages will be negligible or negative as you only need to buy at 14% below recommended retail price.

Using my 33 pages as a benchmark one could safely say anything below 28 pages means instant ink is definitely a bad financial deal and over 40 is probably OK as long as you never exceed 50 without a rollover buffer.

The 50% increase is so large maybe we could seek consumer law protection - any views?

something I found on the web: 

If you anchor people at a low price and raise it later, then no one will see it as getting new value. They’ll see it as gouging.
You will lose the customers you win when you try to raise prices because they will have been acquired on faulty premises.

[ValerieBH]

I received an email regarding a price increase from 2.99 to 3.99, a 33% increase.  I am cancelling before the increase.  However, new subscribers still pay  $2.99.  That is called bait and switch.  I am sure new users prices will increase after a year as well.  Beware that your ink will stop working when you cancel.  I will use up all my pages left, printing anything and everything, and cancel the day before my next monthly renewal.

Shame on you HP.  A ripoff!

[A1234FG]

Appalling increase. Apparently better delivery service & rollover but I don't need any more rollover & delivery is fine.

Just a money grab!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buy another makers printer (with ink included) or buy 3rd party if they don't change this policy.