Brother Refresh EZ Print Subscription Service: Difference between revisions
added: analytics, assumptions, printer, table, references |
finalised analytics, linked consumer reports and data, created real-world assumptions for price comparisons |
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=====EZ Auto Reording Program===== | =====EZ Auto Reording Program===== | ||
Brother offers a '''10% discount on all orders''' of genuine ink & toner when subscribed to the EZ Auto Reorder program | Brother offers a '''10% discount on all orders''' of genuine ink & toner when subscribed to the EZ Auto Reorder program. The Program also enables the end-user to select a higher-yield cartridge if required. | ||
======Obfuscated or Misleading Claim====== | ======Obfuscated or Misleading Claim====== | ||
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*drum replacement is not specified by Brother as to availability, frequency or supply discretion. In the case study here, the MFC-L2710DW requires a '''DR730'''<ref>[https://www.brother-usa.com/products/dr730 Brother DR730 Product Detail]</ref> drum unit which Brother states has a life-span of 12,000 printed pages. | *drum replacement is not specified by Brother as to availability, frequency or supply discretion. In the case study here, the MFC-L2710DW requires a '''DR730'''<ref>[https://www.brother-usa.com/products/dr730 Brother DR730 Product Detail]</ref> drum unit which Brother states has a life-span of 12,000 printed pages. | ||
====== Printer ====== | ======Printer====== | ||
The Brother printer chosen is the MFC-L2710DW. The main reasons for choosing this model for the case study are as follows: | The Brother printer chosen is the MFC-L2710DW. The main reasons for choosing this model for the case study are as follows: | ||
*it is one of the most popular machines and has the highest number of reviews on the Brother eligibility list page. | *it is one of the most popular machines and has the highest number of reviews on the Brother eligibility list page. | ||
*it has a sub $400 price point and is listed as eligible for the EZ Print Subscription program. | *it has a sub $400 price point and is listed as eligible for the EZ Print Subscription program. | ||
*it has parts and consumables readily available from a variety of sources. | *it has parts and consumables readily available from a variety of sources. | ||
*it is suited to a home / small office environment | *it is suited to a home / small office environment and has: automated duplex printing, a large 250 sheet tray capacity, wireless, ethernet or USB connections, 32 page-per-minute print speed and has a 50-page capacity automatic feeder to copy or scan documents. | ||
====== Analytics ====== | ======Analytics====== | ||
Analysis shows that laser printers are the most popular machine for everyday printing: | |||
*the average home office / small office user prints '''3.4 monochrome pages per day''' <ref name=":0">West, McDonald (July 20, 2018) [["2015, 2016, & 2017 User and Device Printing Statistics"]] ECISolutions.com. Retrieved February 8, 2025</ref> | |||
*[https://www.consumerreports.org/ Consumer Reports.org] reports their subscribers print a median of '''33 monochrome pages per month''' <ref>Pinola, Melanie (2024) [https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics-computers/printers/are-printer-ink-subscriptions-worth-it-a4050339657/ "Are Printer Ink Subscriptions Worth It?"]. Consumerreports.org. Retrieved February 8, 2025</ref> | |||
*monochrome printing now makes '''up to 80% of to total print jobs''' in a home or small office environment. <ref name=":0" /> | |||
*color printing has '''decreased in use by 34%''' over the 3 year period measured. <ref name=":0" /> | |||
By comparing the user data, the claim of cost-savings and the stipulations in methodology, it is clear that Brother has created a purely theoretical scenario, one in which the choice given by Brother in no way matches a real-world situation or printing habits of the user. Furthermore, Brother engages in a purposefully misleading comparison when they state that the saving is based upon ''"average cost per page of eligible like standard capacity cartridge"'' for here they must compare identical products as only genuine Brother cartridges are supplied in the program. | |||
======Assumptions====== | |||
To create a more realistic comparison, we set rules to give the end-user a more reasonable, flexible and real-world choice when investigating Brother's pricing. | |||
*the end-user keeps the printer for a minimum 12 months. | |||
*the subscription is maintained for a minimum 12 months. | |||
*the end-user runs a small office and prints 3 times the average page rate. | |||
* | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||