Value 9
Evaluating value
A product’s value consists of more than just purchase price and the cost of supplies. Consider the following
factors:
• Initial purchase price and any accessories needed.
Note To ensure accurate comparisons between products, be sure to compare street prices (or what you
would actually pay) instead of list prices.
• Warranty and service costs. (What is the standard warranty? Are upgraded service plans available?)
• Opportunity costs of outsourcing vs. in-house printing.
• Energy consumption costs. (Some manufacturers require you to choose between fast warm-up times and
energy efficiency, while HP offers both.)
• User productivity costs. (How easy is it to learn to use the product? How easy is it to print, copy, scan,
and fax your documents correctly?)
• Supported media types and sizes (Is the paper-handling system adjustable? Does the range of media sizes
and types supported meet your needs?)
• Supplies costs. (Do you have to buy an image drum as well as a toner cartridge? What does it cost, in
both expense and downtime, to replace supplies?)
• Cost per page. It is difficult for end users to calculate the cost per page due to many variables. Therefore,
many manufacturers provide a cost per page calculation. When assessing cost per page, keep the
following in mind:
• Make sure the cost per page associated with a product’s print sample represents that sample. Some
manufacturers may quote the cost of printing in a draft mode, when the sample they give you is
printed in their best mode, which requires more toner or ink.
• Take note of whether special paper is required for the print sample.
• Make sure all the supplies are included in the cost per page calculation and not hidden as service
items. Also, remember that supplies used during routine cleaning and warm-up cycles are not always
included in the supply’s yield, which directly affects cost.
• Watch for other hidden costs (such as unusable output, which wastes toner and paper).
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