Printer Ink running out after printing less than 200 pages

[NitaU]

When we bought the printer new, the cartridge didn't last more than perhaps 200 pages, so we thought may the ink cartridges that come with a new printer probably has a low capacity. So we bought the  XL cartridges in Colour and Black. They supposedly have a capacity of 1000 standard pages (black) and 825 pages (colour).  I only print in balack and white and never colour, and if I have then the coloured part won't be more than 5 pages in total. I am a 100% certain I haven't printed so many black and white pages either (I keep a manual count of paper I use, still haven't figured out how to get it from the printer).

I use this printer only for very small jobs and if I need it urgently, otherwise I take it to officeworks and print it there. 

Does the ink dry up if not in use? Why is it running out so quickly

Needless to say I am very unimpressed and plan to return the printer and the ink cartridges 😕

[Valsimot]

Use printers front panel to print configuartion page:

SETUP -> REPORTS -> PRINTERS STATUS REPORT

On the 2nd section of the status report, there should be information regarding page count, check those and compare it with yours.  

Some amount of colour cartridges ia used even when printing in black, and some amount of all inks is used to maintain printhead health, during power ON sequence. Cleaning printhead waste ink, if you started a few cleaning cycles that wastes an ink.