A Good Business Idea?

[thaigerd]

Hi,

I would like to hear your opinion and thoughts about the following idea to start a small business:

Friend of mine (back in Europe) has a refill station for ink cartridges.

When your colour/black cartridge is finished you can go to his station and get it refilled with professional equipment and high quality ink, all for about 20% of the original costs.

You could organize a pickup and delivery service here for this kind of business.When I see how many cartridges we are using in our company it would save a lot of money every month using this kind of service.

What do you think about it?

Gerd

[Tywais]

What do you think about it?

Gerd

I assume you are Thai and as such don't require a work permit. Sounds interesting but I suspect startup costs will be very high (importing equipment, inks etc.) Another thing to think about is liability. That is if a customer decides his/her printer broke due to your ink how is that handled. So should check with a lawyer also.

One other issue is competition. I suspect all the small shops that sell refill kits also will refill for the customer, manually though. So need to target large companies/corporations and contract with them.

Edited March 6, 2006 by tywais

[rcm]

Hi,

I would like to hear your opinion and thoughts about the following idea to start a small business:

Friend of mine (back in Europe) has a refill station for ink cartridges.

When your colour/black cartridge is finished you can go to his station and get it refilled with professional equipment and high quality ink, all for about 20% of the original costs.

You could organize a pickup and delivery service here for this kind of business.When I see how many cartridges we are using in our company it would save a lot of money every month using this kind of service.

What do you think about it?

Gerd

Where i live we have this Service (4 locations)already and furthermore there are Printers on the Market who are connected to the Ink externally . This is very good if you print a lot.

I wouldn't do this Business, but regardless all the best if you do,

rcm

[Digger]

Its already being done in countless stores around the country - odds are somebody on the staff is pocketing and then selling the old ink holders for a couple of baht - even better is getting hold of old toner cartridges - bug money for them - probably 500 baht from a scrap dealer or ink shop for everyone of them.

Everything gets rumaged in waste here - paper, tin cans, glass and plastci bottles, etc etc - all has a value.

[Farma]

On the footpath outside a computer shop in Ubon they have a free refilling desk. Left over half full ink bottles are there for anyone to use.

[lampard10]

Also,don't forget most computor shops sell do-it-yourself refills.

[thaigerd]

Also,don't forget most computor shops sell do-it-yourself refills.

Thanks for all your answers so far.

Did you ever try such a do-it-your-self kit and you know how your fingers etc are looking like after this procedure

Gerd

[rcm]

Also,don't forget most computor shops sell do-it-yourself refills.

Thanks for all your answers so far.

Did you ever try such a do-it-your-self kit and you know how your fingers etc are looking like after this procedure

Gerd

Yes i tried the do it yourself too...and it comes even with Plastic Gloves (so if you don't use them ...than you will look a bit messy...but water and soap shall resolve that)....it was a Inktek kit that i bought at Pantip.

rcm

[Heng]

It was a good idea about 7-8 years ago. Inkman, Inktec, and others made a killing for several years, until everyone and their brother got into the business. Much better to be a first mover. Those in that biz nowadays are just fighting over the scraps.

[EVO]

Ive used the syringes many times to refill. havent spilled a drop yet.

A majot company may not want to use refills though as it would void the warranty on their hardware. Major comanies get discount on their hardwares due to contract replacement etc etc.

Nice idea, but im afraid you are a few years too late. Maybe in another country it would work, in Africa, or fuurther afied in Asia.

Regards