The Murky Waters of "Remanufactured" Cartridges: An eBay Adventure (Part 1)
I wanted to do the right thing for the environment and save some money. So, I turned to eBay to order the cheapest remanufactured printer cartridges they had. What I received, however, was a lesson in misleading labeling and the very problem the CRPC is working to solve.
The First Purchase: Hope and Disappointment
First I purchased a $19 set of 67XL Ink Cartridges for HP printers (Deskjet 2700e, 2755e, 2800e, 4155e, Envy 6000, 6055e). I bought these from the seller greensky-lifestyle via this eBay listing (archived here).
While some user comments on the listing mentioned "remanufactured," one can never be too sure if such comments are genuine. The cartridges arrived with no original box, but the container they came in did state "remanufactured." This initially seemed promising.
A Familiar Foe: The Third Purchase
Adding to the complexity, I purchased what appeared to be the same 67XL Ink Cartridges for HP printers (Deskjet 2700, 2755e, 4100e, 4155e, Envy 6000, 6452e) from a different seller also for $19 UhelpMate, via this eBay listing (archived here).
Interestingly, the product received from UhelpMate was identical in appearance and packaging (or lack thereof) to the one from greensky-lifestyle. This discovery raises further questions about the supply chain and the true origin of these cartridges being marketed by different sellers under the guise of "remanufactured."
Images of the GreenSky/UhelpMate Cartridges:
Note the "remanufactured" label on the packaging, but no other indications of remanufacturing.
The Second Purchase: More Confusion
Undeterred, I made a second purchase: 2PK 67XL Ink Cartridges for HP printers (Deskjet 2855e, 2755e, 2700e, 4155e). This time, the seller was super-ink, through this eBay listing (archived here).
The experience with this order was even more perplexing. The cartridges arrived in a box, and this box also claimed the contents were "remanufactured." However, upon inspecting the cartridges themselves, there was no indication or labeling to suggest they were remanufactured.
Images of the Super-Ink Cartridges:
The box claims these cartridges are "remanufactured," but there's no evidence to support this on the cartridges themselves.
Awaiting Expert Verification
To get to the bottom of this, we've sent these cartridges to one of our CRPC certified remanufacturers for a professional evaluation. We will report their findings as soon as we have them. This step is crucial in determining the true nature of these products.
The Bigger Picture: A Common Struggle
My attempt to make an environmentally conscious and budget-friendly purchase highlights a significant issue. I wanted to support recycling and reuse, but due to potentially false or misleading labeling, I may have inadvertently purchased single-use cartridges.
This isn't just an individual consumer problem. Procurement officers in businesses and government agencies across the country face this dilemma daily. They are tasked with making sustainable choices, often with tight budgets, and are susceptible to the same misleading practices.
This is precisely the challenge the Certified Remanufactured Printer Cartridge (CRPC) program is designed to address. We are shining a spotlight on the supply chain for remanufactured cartridges, ensuring consumers who are truly supporting sustainable practices are not falling victim to false labeling.