Insta Ink cartridges/subscription

[ILJ777]

Here's the issue.... I bought a printer, unboxed it, read materials, had a special code to get "Free" full-size ink cartridges. So I downloaded the app, registered the printer for warranty, and entered the code for "FREE" full-size ink cartridges. Received an email thanking me for registration, and the cartridges were on the way. Months pass. I received an email stating that another "shipment" would be coming. So I canceled it since I hadn't used up the ink that came with printer or the "FREE" ones as yet.

Today, as I'm printing, the ink ran out. No biggie, I got the "FREE" brand new cartridges. I installed them, they won't work. Go to my app, tell me  ink won't work because I'm not enrolled in insta ink(??). Call customer support. Yeah, here we gooooo. 1st guy tells me that since I canceled insta ink, the cartridges won't work that I have to subscribe again. I didn't know by downloading the app, doing the registration, and inputting a code signed me for insta Ink. My response to him was, why wouldn't they work without a subscription? His answer floored me.. He said because you are paying for the right to print... WHAT!!! UMM, I bought the printer paid in full. I pay for my own wifi, electric etc. The ink was offered as a thank you for purchasing the printer, and they provided the code for the "FREE" ink. So,  as I'm trying to rap my common sense, thinking around what he said. I asked, well ok whatever, but why wouldn't cartridges work if they were free from the company as a thank you. What does a monthly subscription have to do with it?
Now this gets good... He says they are insta ink cartridges (like I know what that is, I put in a code and got a free gift). So I said, ok, awesome, they are insta ink. Why won't they work?  Because you need a subscription for ink to work. So now my logical, common sense brain is getting really ticked off. After this going round and round I said ok,ok, so if I subscribe to this insta ink, pay the monthly charge, get cartridges, insert in printer, print a few times then decide to cancel subscription and just buy at a local store what then? We'll, they stop working. Even though you've paid that months subscription fee or months of subscription fees. Once you cancel, they will not work. Not the half used ones in the printer or new ones if you've received another shipment. Won't work, No, Nope, Nada, forget about it!! Even though you've paid for them.

So I asked to speak to a supervisor because this, as he is explaining to me, was not making any sense. The supervisor comes on, and I get the same go around. Over 45 minutes wasted. I'll also add while speaking with this supervisor that someone in the background kept yelling at the top of their lungs. When I asked her who is that yelling like that, she said, oh sorry we have a lot of workers here. I said well that's extremely unprofessional, and as a supervisor there, you should not be allowing that kind of conduct to be happening. So then she kept muting herself.
I know, I know , long rant.  Sorry.

However, this is extremely disturbing to know a company has that kind of control over a small, home use printer that is used maybe once a month. If that wasn't disturbing enough, once you remove the insta ink and put in the HP brand, store bought ink... WAIT FOR IT......It still won't work. Why?  because you signed up for an HP account to register the warranty and get the "FREE" ink while using the setup ink that came with printer. AGAIN,WHY?? Because the set up ink IS INSTA INK. So the printer won't work until you go online and subscribe and get charged a monthly fee. Think I should just remove, uninstall app, disconnect from wifi, reinstall, connect again with store bought ink...YEAH, NO!! Because I like a normal person, registered something for the warranty on it, accepted their thank you gift with the code placed inside the sealed box. Wasn't like I looked up a coupon code online or anything.

So they are literally holding this for home use printer hostage. I can not use it. I was in the middle of printing important papers. Customer service for this company or the call center I reached was an absolute joke. They were rude, unprofessional, refused to provide any local or corporate information and kept telling me if I wanted to go to store and buy ink, feel free to do that....Then in next breath, tell me because I opened account, registered printer while insta ink was in printer, the store bought ink won't work.  Someone, please make this make sense!!! 

..little update...

Read others in these community forums with same issue. HP's Facebook page has people posting regarding same issues and they get an automated response.  Some stating link from automated response not working. 

You would think HP, a massive company would have a simple solution to this issue

[Valsimot]

It's important to read T&C small letters when signing up for an ink subscription

[ILJ777]

Thanks for the reply. The whole issue here is I didn't sign up for insta ink.  I signed up an HP account w/app to register warranty and receive the "free" ink w/code they provided as a thank you. No where on the instructions to do this did it say I was signing up with insta ink or that cartridges would stop working. This is why I was completely taken aback when it happened. In my opinion this is deception on HP part and now my printer is dead on the water unless I agree to sign up for a subscription that I do not want.