Brand New HP 5230 and how to stop using Instant Ink

[printing_paul]

I am a final year student. I have just bought and installed my HP 5230 with the standard supplied cartridges.

Stupidly I signed up for the free trial on Instant Ink without understanding what it is. I have already cancelled it.

However I now have to printer off several final dissertations of 100s of pages but I can't because it still thinks I want Instant Ink, and says I have to wait a month!!

How can I print off 100s of pages with my own ink cartridges - I don't want anything to do with Instant Ink?

Have I got to send my printer back because I can't use it for a month??

I can't wait one month without using my printer - they are my ink cartridges and I don't want any more.

[sabretooth04]

What you did was turn on Instant Ink READY cartridges in your printer.  These are now converted to Instant Ink.  Now you have canceled and the printer stops using Instant Ink cartridges.

You will have go out and buy all new cartridges locally and replace them in order to print.   

[printing_paul · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Wow. That is incredible. I feel I have been completely conned!

"Buyer beware" - At least I understand how much HP cares though

I will make sure everyone else at my University knows about this and if they do buy an HP printer, that they know about the hidden dangers of Instant Ink.

Should have bought Epson.

[printing_paul]

I have just been out to buy 2 new cartridges so that I can throw away my almost unused Instant Ink cartridges (what a waste)

Can somone please confirm that these new cartridges will not somehow get incorporated into Instant Ink? I am frightened that I will add them to the printer and it will somehow take them on as Instant Ink?

My own new cartridges don't somehow get added to the Instant Ink account?

Thanks

[JillSa]

@printing_paul

Hi,

The ink cartridges that come with the printer can be used with or without Instant Ink service.  If you sign up for Instant Ink and then cancel before you use up the ink in the cartridges that came with your printer you should still be able to print with those cartridges.

However, if the Instant Ink service send you ink in the mail and you use those cartridges they are only good for as long as you pay for the service as you are paying for pages printed not ink cartridges.  (It's like a cell phone, the phone works as long as you pay for the service.)  Once the service stops, the Instant Ink cartridges will not work and you will have to buy standard ink.  The Instant Ink service offers up to 50% in ink savings and free delivery, but it is a printed page service.  I hope that explains it better as we do want to keep you as an HP customer!

Thanks

[printing_paul]

I now understand all of that. 

However its a really cheap trick to make it so hard *NOT* to start using Instant Ink. The way you set it all up for 'default sign up' for the service is not clear and transparent - I understand why you do it but its not for me.

I prefer a company who is clear and up front in their dealings. Yes I know they can be used with and without the Instant Ink Service, but why is it so hard to start using the printer *without*?

How about a cooling off period in case people make a mistake or don't understand?

Why not make an easier quicker cancel process?

I have bought 2 brand new cartridges and put the unused 'Instant Ink' cartridges in a drawer. 

What a waste, and what an expensive printer.

I have made sure all my university friends don't make the same mistake.