Bored on a Friday? Give one of these a try… AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Packing Peanuts Prank

Police Prank

Picture Bomb Prank

Merry Xmas Prank

Aluminum Foil Prank

Post-It Note Prank

Share Your Office Prank Stories With Us, leave a comment!

Recently in the Supplies Guys’ Ohio office, there have been a few fun additions:

These items have been added to the office as part of our plan to implement a creative workspace for employees. Either a round of ping-pong or a few shots at the bulls-eye provide a way to blow off steam and encourage stimulation while interacting with coworkers.  The socialization and mental stimulation that these games provide can act as a stress-reliever that increases productivity as a result.

Many large corporations have turned to this belief, such as Google and Zappos, with proof that various games or control over design has positively affected the way in which employees perform.

Has your office transformed into a creative workspace? Share your stories and ideas in the comments!

There are several aspects to consider when purchasing a printer for home use. On top of considering what bells and whistles you need or want with a home printer, you may also want to take into consideration the following: available budget, primary printer use, frequency of printer use, access or connectivity, printer size or design and printer compatibility. We find it best to assess your printer needs by answering the following ten simple questions:

1. Primarily, what will you be printing from home?
2. What is your budget?
3. How often will you be using your home printer?
4. How will your computer connect to the printer?
5. Where will the printer be located and or stored?
6. What types of computers will be using the printer?
7. How much are you willing to spend on printer supplies and maintenance?
8. Will you be printing in black & white, or will you need to print in color as well?
9. Do you need other functionality such as the ability to copy, scan and fax?
10. Are you making a long term investment or do you just need a printer for occasional use?

Types of Printers for Home Use

Inkjet Printer

Inkjet printers are the most commonly found printers for home use.  They are typically inexpensive to purchase (although high-end inkjet printers are available) and can print nearly anything you desire in b&w or full color.  Inkjet printers have the flexibility of being used on higher volume or on a need basis depending on the model purchased. Ink cartridge replacements per purchase are lower than other printer types however the cartridges can get expensive for someone who uses their inkjet printer more frequently. It is important to read a host of inkjet printer reviews prior to purchasing any inkjet  printer for home use.

Laser Printer

If you are looking for a high quality printer then laser printers are the best bet. They tend to be higher priced, and maintenance can be expensive but their quality and speed cannot be matched by comparable inkjet printers.  There are typically two types of laser printers; monochrome laser printers and color laser printers. Color laser printers would be better suited to use as a home printer than a monochrome laser printer due to the color laser printers wider spectrum of functionality and affordability.

Multi-Function Printer

If you run a small business out of your home office, or if you are a college student then a multi-function printer is probably the best choice for you. Multi-function printers vary, however they typically are able to print in b&w, color, scan, copy and send / receive faxes. Multi-function printers can use laser or inkjet cartridges, so it is important to assess how much you would be willing to spend on printer supplies and maintenance costs. A high quality multi-function printer will be pricey, however if you are looking for a long-term investment then this could be a solid path. Budget multi-function printers are available but again we recommend you do your research either by shopping online or talking to someone at your local computer or electronics store.

Photo Printer

If you are a digital photography junkie then you should have certainly purchased a photo printer. However photo printers are not just for the professionals or photographers. Today with the advancements in technology – anybody can use a photo printer. Simply plug the photo printer into your computer or digital cable via a USB cord and you will be ready to print your favorite pictures. We recommend that you check out a few photo printer reviews prior to purchasing a photo printer for home use as there are several different options to fit your needs.

Specialty Printer

There are also printers available to cover a wider variety of specialty jobs. You can purchase a label printer for mailing and organizational solutions; wireless (WiFi) printers are becoming a standard on many of the printers mentioned above, portable printers are now becoming popular, dot matrix printers (typically lower printing costs & high durability), and DVD/ CD image painters (print images onto a DVD or CD) are just a few of the non-traditional available printers for home use.

In recent years, printer supply manufacturers including Xerox, Canon, and Lexmark have been battling the increased illegal distribution of counterfeit toner cartridges throughout the United States. A counterfeit toner cartridge can be defined as a toner cartridge which appears to be manufactured by a major brand (Xerox, HP, Oki, Canon, Lexmark etc) and carries the logos, packaging, and other features that may lead the end user to believe it is an actual Genuine OEM toner cartridge when in reality the toner has an unknown, unauthorized manufacturer that in most cases does not comply with today’s printing compliance standards. Using these unauthorized and untested toners can damage your printer and will not last as long or print as clear as using Genuine and / or Quality Compatible toner cartridges.

In 2004, Xerox was able to work with customs officials from multiple countries to seize more than 7,200 counterfeit toner cartridges claiming to be Genuine Xerox toner cartridges for the Xerox Phaser 780. The estimated value of these busts was worth well over $1.3 million.

counterfeit toner cartridges

“Hundreds of thousands of illegal products, worth millions of dollars, are removed from commerce each year,” said Bill Duffy, president and chief executive officer of the Imaging Supplies Coalition, a nonprofit trade association. “This is a problem that faces the entire printing industry, and is something all manufacturers must remain vigilant in fighting to help prevent damage to the ultimate victim – the customer.” The Imaging Supplies Coalition is a non-profit trade association comprised of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of consumable imaging supplies (ribbons, toner, inks, cartridges, etc.) and equipment that have joined together to protect their customers by combating illegal activities in the Imaging Supplies Industry. The ISC currently has members including Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, Lexmark, Okidata, Samsung, Toshiba, and Xerox.

Lexmark was also successful in finding thousands of counterfeit Lexmark toner cartridges and filed suit against a New York based company named Finetone who were allegedly importing and distributing counterfeit Lexmark toner cartridges. The cartridges and packaging carried unauthorized reproductions of Lexmark’s trademarks.

In 2005, Canon conducted a civil raid of a US distributor who was engaging in the sale of counterfeit Canon toners. Canon was able to seize thousands of the counterfeit Canon supplies and the distributor has since agreed to no longer sell these types of supplies and also had to pay damages to Canon for the numerous violations. Canon encourages customers to buy Canon toner from authorized Canon dealers or distributors.

HP has taken the battle to the web and has released several informative and somewhat entertaining videos regarding the topic of counterfeit HP toner cartridges. Also, between 2005 to 2008, HP has conducted 4,620 investigations in 55 countries, resulting in 3,528 enforcement actions conducted by law enforcement officials where more than $795 million worth of counterfeit supplies products have been seized, including more than 8 million counterfeit ink cartridges and more than six million counterfeit toner cartridges – a total of more than 15 million counterfeit pieces. HP also has a great information page that will walk you through the steps on verifying that you have purchased a true Genuine HP Toner or HP Ink cartridge – click here to view the steps.

Counterfeit Product Defense (according to ISC)

“How can I tell if the product I buy is counterfeit”?
Due to the technology now available to the counterfeiters it can be difficult to distinguish counterfeit products from genuine.  You should pay close attention to the 5 P’s which are discussed below.

1. Person:  The ISC strongly encourages you to purchase imaging supplies from the OEM or one of their authorized resellers (such as The Supplies Guys ). This is the one best thing you can do to be sure you are buying genuine merchandise.
2. Price:  If the purchase price of the OEM product is substantially under the market price or looks like a deal that is too good to be true the product may not be legitimate. The ISC advises you to be very cautious with these situations.
3. Place:  Be cautious if the manner or place of the offer is different from the normal process of business or consumer transactions.
4. Packaging:  Be observant for any deviation in color, materials quality, spelling errors in the packaging. Many OEM’s have a product authentication hologram or color shift label on the packaging to assist in verification. Familiarize yourself with those used by your brand of choice and check for them.
5. Performance:  If you notice any significant variation in the performance of the product from previous experience or obvious defects in quality such as odor or leakage, the product may not be genuine.

Consumers who believe they may have purchased counterfeit imaging products can contact the ISC at (859) 278-3032 or visit www.isc-inc.org.

One way to be certain that you are not buying counterfeit ink or toner cartridges is to always buy from The Supplies Guys We only sell the highest quality Genuine OEM and Compatible ink and toner cartridges – and all of our products carry a 100% quality and satisfaction guarantee!