Inkjet Vs Laser Printer: Where Lies The Demand?

Be it an inkjet or a laser or even a multi-functional device (MFD), printer
vendors are coming up with a wide range of printers to suit the needs and tastes
of diverse customer segments. However, with lasers witnessing a fall in price,
the market for inkjet printers has been hit considerably. There is no denying
that even the home user segment that was earlier restricted to an inkjet has
developed a taste for better quality picture and is willing to shell out a
little more for laser printers than buy an inkjet. Apparently, there are several
reasons behind it. The cost of running an inkjet is higher when compared to
lasers; owing to cartridge cost and number of pages an inkjet can print, which
is less in number when compared with lasers. So while vendors are investing
heavily in schemes, promotions and launches in order to push the printer models
in the market, dealers are divided in their opinion when laser is pitted against
an inkjet. On contacting the dealers, several points came to light.

Laser is in

Chetan Vithlani of Merlin Multitech, Raipur, opined that the demand for laser
printer is more as compared to inkjet. Citing several reasons behind the trend
he said, “The price of laser has come down and consumers are also looking for
quality print. This aside, the operating cost of a laser printer as compared to
an inkjet is less making it more effective.”

Elucidating the same by example, he stated that if one buys an inkjet at Rs
2,200, then Rs 1,500 is only the cartridge cost and it can print only 100 to 200
pages but as opposed to that, a laser printer, which is now available at an
affordable price of Rs 4,500, can print 3,000 pages and it's cartridge can be
refilled for a sum of Rs 350. Once refilled, it can again print 3,000 pages.
Another problem with an inkjet is that if one does not use it for a period of
three to four months, then the cartridge dries out which is not the case with
lasers. Again from a dealer's point of view, margins in an inkjet is around Rs
50 to 100, while in lasers, we earn margins close to Rs 400 to 500, that makes
it more attractive for us to stock.

He further added that while stocking, a dealer always goes by the prevailing
price of the product, vendor's scheme and margin. At a time, Vithlani maintains
50-200 units of laser printers and has completed phased out inkjet printers.

Manoj Gupta of Delhi-based Challenger Computer mentioned, “Both the printers
have an equal demand in the market. However, a consumer always buys a printer
depending upon his own requirements. Of late, the market has witnessed another
kind of trend wherein the SOHO and the home users have started opting for laser
multi-function devices (MFD). One then can copy, print and scan at the same
time.”

Sharing the same view, NK Aggarwal, Pulse Systems, Delhi said that inkjet is
definitely on the decline. “I am not keeping more than 15 to 20 inkjet printers
at the moment and laser is where the demand lies. The home user segment is
gradually drifting towards lasers as the cartridge cost is low in them.”

A Akhtar Hussain of Challenger Computer, Chennai, had already sensed that the
market will move towards laser, so gradually he phased out the stock of inkjet
printers. “In the past six months, we have sold more of lasers,” he said.
However, he also mentioned that in the inkjet category, it is the MFD that is
still in demand. Keeping the above in mind, he maintains

95 to100 units of lasers in stock, at any given point of time.

Dinesh Suhasaria of Kolkata-based Caltron said that the market is definitely
drifting towards lasers and there is a motivation among buyers to purchase
lasers, keeping both fall in price and quality in mind. However, inkjet is one
printer that is affordable and hence the homebuyers are sticking to it.

Inkjet for SIs, assemblers and for bundling

Chennai-based dealer, Murali, CEO, Pelkin Office Automation opined that
lasers being push products and with cost coming down, are definitely more in
demand. However inkjet is mostly demanded by PC assemblers, system integrators (SIs)
and for bundling purpose. Hence, they are still in demand, but the trend
obviously is in favor of lasers.

Puneet Singhal, CEO of Delhi-based Pioneer Enterprises, who deals in
consumables suggested that the demand for laser is certainly more when compared
to inkjet. “Most of the customers that come to us for getting the cartridges
refilled are using lasers. In such a scenario, the inkjets is mostly being used
for bundling purpose, and dealers who are no more interested in selling inkjets
are either selling their parts out to recover some cost or fazing them out
gradually.”

Inkjet will continue to exist

Vinod Mulchandani of Mumbai-based Aarvee computers differed in his opinion and
stated that the home users and the SOHO segment still rely on inkjet, as their
printing requirements are not huge. “Infact, now-a-days in the inkjet printer
category itself, vendors have come up with such features which not only helps an
end-customer to print fast but also to avail the best of the color options,
making the inkjets equally useful and effective.”

He further elaborated that in the laser category, it is the laser all-in-one
that is mostly in demand and hence at a time, he maintains at least 1,000 units
of such printers in stock.

Anil Mhaske, CEO, Data Care Corporation, Pune was of the view that both share
a 50-50 market when it comes to demand. “The home users and the SOHO segment are
still inclined more towards inkjets and the market for the same will never
diminish. However, lasers are also being opted by SOHOs and SMBs,” said Mhaske.

Agreeing to Mhaske was Anil Sachdeva of Kadam Marketing, Delhi. “The market
for inkjet will continue to exist. Infact, it was 60:40 in favor of inkjets. In
this category, companies have come up with such products that at times produce
better color quality picture as opposed to lasers. Laser however is used more
for office purpose,” opined Sachdeva.

POOJA SHARMA

poojas@cybermedia.co.in