Tidying Up with Toner Connect: Dig Up Secret Cash (Case Study)

As I’m sure you know when author Marie Kondo mused in her book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up to “keep only those things that speak to your heart,” she was not referring to the pile of unused toners that you’ve been hoarding in the corner of your office.

With the queen of clean’s debut into the throngs of Netflix, she’s reaching an even bigger audience! More and more people have taken to the streets…I mean closets to tidy up their own lives.

With office supplies being a long since hoarded item, businesses and individuals are catching on to the less is more concept and a clean office works harder.

Unused toner cartridges have long since been guilty of taking up space, gathering dust and sitting on a pile of cash that you would otherwise benefit from.

Luckily companies like Toner Connect have long since realized the need that people and companies have to ditch the old and embrace the clean and cha-ching.

Tidy Up to Make a Difference

With Earth currently plagued with plastic waste, air pollution, and global warming to name a few, cleaning out your closet and selling unused toner is one way to fight back. By not taking action, according to Sciencing, it would take 1,000 years for one toner cartridge to break down.

With 70 million cartridges purchased each year, chances are most are ending up in the landfill. New and used.

Part of the life-changing magic is putting mother earth first and taking advantage of the opportunities to responsibly clean out your unused toner cartridges and now it’s never been simpler.

Selling Your Toner is as Easy as 1, 2, 3

And when we say it’s that easy we mean it. There are three different methods to get started. Simply fill in your information on the form, submit a photo of your toner box or upload the type from the list provided.

Seller Shawntae L. McKnight was pleasantly surprised how quick and painless it was.

“Excellent experience! Placing the order (describing the toners I had to sell) was fast and very simple. I received a quote very quickly, added proof of ownership by taking pictures of the toner with my phone, and received payment very fast through Zelle. Toner Connect even paid me MORE than quoted because my toner was in better shape than I indicated! Will definitely be selling to Toner Connect again!”

Fast Quote Equals Fast Money

By getting rid of unused toner responsibly, consumers are benefiting from decluttering their personal workspace, placing old supplies back into use and reducing their carbon footprint, all the while getting paid for it. And fast. Once your cartridge is submitted, customers will receive a quote the same day as Shawntae did.

A Smooth Transaction

Getting paid for your unwanted clutter may seem like something that only applies to items on DeCluttr or OfferUp but it also applies to your unused toner cartridge. An item you probably assumed had long ago lost its value.

And now, not only is getting rid of your cartridges a simple process but getting paid is even better. Flexible payment options are available including PayPal, paper check or in Shawntae’s case, Zelle. Zelle is a quick and efficient way to send and receive money and it goes right to your banking app. No need to wait to be rewarded for your clean up efforts.

Shawntae isn’t the only one getting in on the clean-up/cash-up action:

Michael Bush reported: Listen I was broke one morning and realized, I had all 4 toners sitting in a corner collecting dust for a printer I’ve already trashed. They never sold on eBay. I found the toner connect web site and in 1 hour I had 100 dollars in my account. Definitely a great resource!

The True Magic

Home offices have been getting cleaning attention for quite some time before Magic came out. Since 2011 individuals have been cashing in with old unused toners and reaping the benefits.

As Marie Kondo also said, “To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose.”

With printers coming and going, their accessories (including toners) quickly become useless. As sad as we are to say goodbye to old equipment, their owners were not sad with the results of reselling their toners.

Toner Connect is a super easy and beneficial way to get rid of toner you do not need. I had just cleaned up a supply room and found a pile for a printer we don’t have anymore, instead of trashing it all I was able to send them off and make a profit. It is super easy too! -Rebecca Causey

Starting off the new year on the right foot has long-since been a popular New Year’s resolution. And now more and more people are embracing the idea that that sentiment should include starting off on a clean foot as well.

So as you binge watch The Life-Changing Magic and resolve yourself to be cleaner and greener, take advantage of a way to meet those goals, dig up a little secret cash on the side and enjoy the results of a tidier and wealthier you.

The 10 Most Profitable Printers to Save On Your Office’s Printer Supply

If you’re looking to sell unused cartridges, chances are you may be in the market for a new printer. But it’s a wide world out there when looking through all the printer supply places.

That’s why we’ve created this best laser printer 2016 list. Each office laser printer below was chosen for high ratings from both industry magazines and internet reviewers.  

The printers below range from multi-functionality color printers to a basic black and white printer that could qualify for the best laser printer under $100.
 
So whether you need a machine that can do everything for the whole office or a compact machine for just one limited area, this list has you covered.
   
These printers also have fast print times, many boast energy-saving modes, there are duplex options and these machines offer other features to save you time and office supplies. Which ultimately boosts your bottom line.   

Canon ImageClass MF249dw, $209.00 MSRP

For small office environments, this machine is one of the best laser printer all in one devices you can find. It prints, faxes, copies and scans, so it’s good if you want to pare down the amount of gadgets in a small office.

The print speeds on this machine run at 28 pages per minute in black and white, and it produces a first print time of six seconds or less.

There is also wireless connectivity, so you can print from anywhere in the office, leading to greater workflow efficiency. The machine’s Wi-Fi® Direct capability allows direct connection to the printer without needing a router.  
The printer can work with mobile services like Apple® AirPrint®, Mopria™ Print Service and Google Cloud Print™.  

An energy-saver mode also helps you save on energy costs around the office.       

Dell Smart Printer S5830dn, $999.99 MSRP


If you’re looking for a monochromatic high-volume office laser printer, this is your machine. This printer has First Page Out Time as fast as 4.4 seconds and can print up to 63 pages per minute.

A notable feature is the USB port that allows for straight printing from a flash drive. Or you can print from the Microsoft SharePoint On-Premise folders.

The machine is also optimized for LCD screen prompts to clear up errors quickly, and a paper handling mechanism helps prevent printer jams.  

There is also an optional Extra High-Yield Toner Cartridge that can handle 45,000 pages.  

Dell Smart Printer S2830dn, $279.99 MSRP


If you need a more compact version of the Dell Smart Printer, this is your machine. It weighs about 30 pounds and has dimensions of 15.7 inches x 15 inches x 10.3 inches.

This is a monochromatic laser printer option, so it’s a good basic workhorse machine if you just need some black and white documents printed around a smaller office.  

The machine still prints pretty fast, at 40 pages per minute and a first page out rate as fast as 6.5 seconds.  

Printer mechanisms and algorithms are in place to prevent jams.

The printer comes with the ability to add two optional trays that can hold 250 sheets. It’s good for specialty settings like letterhead or certain forms.

Dell Color Smart Printer S5840cdn, $999.99 MSRP


This machine is great if you prefer or need color printing around the office. Yet the machine doesn’t sacrifice power, with its 1.2GHz quad print processer.

The printer also doesn’t sacrifice speed. It has a First Page Out Time as fast as 5.5 seconds.  

If you’re looking to save energy costs in the office, this printer also has a typical energy consumption rating of 2.3kwh/week.

This machine also boasts access to SharePoint on Premise folders for access to the most up-to-date documents.  

You can also use a flash drive to print directly from the USB port on the printer itself.  

Brother HL-L5200DW, $229.99 MSRP


Here’s another black and white laser printer that’s perfect for offices that need just the basics for printing business documents.

This machine also features wireless networking so you can print from mobile devices. The machine works with AirPrint®, Google Cloud Print™ 2.0, Mopria®, Brother iPrint&Scan, Cortado Workplace and Wi-Fi Direct®.

This office laser printer also boasts high-yield duplex printing, thanks to an 8,000-page replacement toner cartridge, meaning fewer trips to a printer supply store.
    
The speed on this machine sits at a solid 42 pages per minute.

There is also a 250-sheet paper tray and 50-sheet multi-purpose tray. Added optional trays allow for up to a 1,340-sheet capacity.  
  

HP LaserJet Pro M501dn, $399.98 MSRP


This black and white laser printer is fast, secure and saves energy.

The speed on this machine is at first page print in as little as 7.3 seconds, from the energy-efficient sleep mode. It can also handle two-sided printing for as fast as up to 65 pages per minute on A5 paper.  

A normal print speed sits around 45 pages per minute, with the first page out rate at 5.7 seconds.     

The machine also holds 1,200 sheets of paper, so you don’t have to stock up the machine’s printer supply as much.

Confidential documents can be printed with a secure PIN system via a flash drive. Other features, like the HP JetAdvantage Security Manager, help keep data safe and secure.

There is also an optional high-yield cartridge for replacement.

Dell Color Cloud Multifunction Printer H625cdw, $299.99 MSRP


If your office is big on cloud collaboration, this color printer was made for that. It boasts direct cloud connectivity through the Dell Document Hub.

This printer is also highly multi-functional, since it can print, fax, scan and copy, making it one of the best laser printer all in one options.
Optical Character Recognition helps convert files into live documents that can be edited and searched.  

The print speeds on this machine sit at 25 pages per minute. The default print setting is two-sided for 50 percent savings on paper.  

The printer also supports mobile options like AirPrint, Google Cloud Print and Mopria for printing while on the go.    

Brother MFC-L6700DW, $599.99 MSRP


If you need a lot of black and white printing done, this is your machine. It has a huge paper yield, sitting at a basic 520-sheet capacity.

Adding on optional trays brings up the sheet capacity to 1,610 sheets.  

The machine also is great for scanning large documents with the legal-sized document glass.  

The speed on this machine clocks at around 48 pages per minute.  

Another option is the high-yield replacement cartridge, which prints 12,000 pages.  

This laser printer is also wireless, so employees can print from anywhere. The printer supports mobile devices through AirPrint®, Google Cloud Print™ 2.0, Mopria®, Brother iPrint&Scan, Cortado Workplace, and Wi-Fi Direct®.  

HP Color LaserJet Pro M252dw, $199.99 MSRP


If your workplace needs a compact little color printer for those projects where presentation is key, this is your office laser printer.  

It boats a speed of about 19 pages per minute in both black and color. The first page out speed is 11.5 seconds for black and 13 seconds for color.    

It boats two paper trays and auto-duplex printing.  

This laser printer has a 30,000-page monthly duty cycle, meaning the machine can produce up to that much imaged output in a month.  

Brother HL-L2300D Monochrome Laser Printer, $99.99 MSRP

This is a monochromatic option that’s great for people looking for a little workhorse printer in a reasonable price range. It’s truly the best laser printer under $100. 

Its compact design puts it at 14 inches x 14.2 inches x 7.2 inches and it weighs around 15 pounds, so it’s good for a little personal printer to place on a desk.

It prints 27 pages per minute, and its first time to print speed is less than 8.5 seconds.  

This laser printer has a 250-sheet capacity. It connects to the computer via a USB interface.  

That wraps up our best laser printers of 2016. Remember, if you want to unload any unused printer cartridges from your old printer for straight cash, feel free to contact us.  

You tridges entirely online, so that’s one less trip to a printer supply store.

Don’t Sell Your Toner Cartridges Until You Read This

You want to sell your toner cartridges and you’re curious as to what the process entails.

What condition should they be in? Who do you sell them to and for how much? Where can you get the most cash back for your toners?

These are all important questions.

But here’s the bottom line:

Selling your unused toner cartridges is an excellent idea. It reduces waste and it puts money in your pockets.

There is, however, a lot to consider before you decide to sell your surplus ink and toner cartridges. You need to examine your supplies in order to determine how much they’re worth, if anything at all.

Or at the very least, you need to know how to preserve any unused ink cartridges in the event that you’d like to turn them in for a hefty prot.

Either way, this guide will help you to do just that.

Let’s get into the details.

THE TONERS THAT WE BUY BACK

 

There’s an infinite number of brands and types of toner cartridges on the market.And honestly, they’re not all top tier products.As such, you need to know if your toner cartridges are complicit with the highest acceptable standard.

Here’s how you can make that determination:

  • Are they OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) cartridges? OEM ink cartridges are manufactured by the company that produced your printer. They’re either the ink supplies that accompanies your printer when you purchase it or they’re replacement cartridges that are made by the same company.
  • Are they compatible or generic cartridges from third parties? A compatible ink cartridge refers to one that is not manufactured by the original manufacturer of your printer. They are made by third parties rather than OEMs and are designed to fit a range of printers.
  • Are they remanufactured cartridges? remanufactured cartridge is an old, used cartridge that has been refurbished. It can either be one that was originally sold by an OEM or a third party. Any defunct and irreparable components are replaced and the cartridge is refilled before it is resold.

CONDUCT A BOX CONDITION ASSESSMENT

 

Securing the right type of ink supplies is just the first step.Before you sell your toner cartridges, you need to ensure that they’re in a condition that merits them to be purchased and resold.Are they in factory sealed boxes or have their boxes been opened?

A sealed box is the only indication that we have of toners that are brand new. If the original packaging has been tampered with, we cannot say with all certainty that the ink has not been used. As such, we only buy back toners that are in their authentic and unscathed boxes.

So are all ink supplies in factory sealed boxes accepted for buyback? Most of the time.

Will the condition of the boxes affect the cash back that you receive? Certainly.

The better the condition of the box, the higher the offer it will command. Contrarily, if the packaging is severely disfigured, the value of the toner will depreciate and you won’t get the best deal.

To ensure that you get the maximum available rating and the highest cash back for your ink cartridges, keep them free of heavy damages like holes, dents, rips and tears.

In addition to the physical condition of the box, the expiration date on the toners will also determine whether your supplies get accepted or not.

EXPIRED AND UNEXPIRED INK AND TONER CARTRIDGES

 

It does – and I’ll tell you why.

Every ink and toner cartridge has a shelf life. The expiration date will give an indication of when the ink has surpassed its life cycle, after which, it may no longer be viable.

This is important because ink composition changes with time. The ink undergoes a chemical breakdown and coagulates into less of a liquid and more of a sludge.  This affects not only the print quality but can cause damage to your printer.

Similarly, the fine toner powder in toner cartridges will experience degradation over a prolonged period past its expiration date. Toner cartridges typically have more lasting power than ink cartridges but the deterioration over time is inevitable.

What causes this decline in quality?

Toner powder contains electrically charged particles than can be merged prematurely when exposed to warmth and moisture. This transforms the fine powder into a soggy consistency which in turn affects the photosensitivity of the toner. The resulting effect are clumps of particles that are ill-equipped for laser printing.

For this reason, we don’t buy expired inkjet and toner cartridges.

TONER BOX STYLES MEAN A LOT

You’re thinking, how can something so seemingly superficial as the box style give you any useful information, right? The thing is, ink and toner manufacturers redesign their packaging every 3-5 years. This face lift is a good indication that the expiration date of the toner is approaching or is already way passed it.

So, the design life cycle of the box that the cartridge comes in can be used as a gauge for the shelf life of the toner.In effect, cartridges that are about 6-8 years past their expiration dates are likely to be unfit for printing.

Apart from the style of the packaging, there are other external markers that are important for the toner buyback process such as the toner model number.

WHY THE TONER MODEL NUMBER MATTERS

 

The model number on the toner is essentially it’s fingerprint. It consists of a series of numbers and letters that will tell you about the configuration of the ink cartridge. You will find this figure stamped somewhere on the exterior of the packaging.

You’re wondering, what sort of information is encoded in a toner model number?Well, it may vary for different brands of ink but generally, it indicates the color composition of the cartridge, it’s ink capacity, as well as its regional origin.

Why is this data important?

When you enlist your cartridges for the toner buyback program, this is what we use to provide accurate price quotes for your supplies. If you neglect to mention the model number, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a quote that is appropriate for the actual value of the cartridge.

For example, you may have an ink or toner cartridge that is eligible for the 100% awarded payment but without this marker, we have no way of identifying its true worth.

TONER BUYER PRICE LIST

Have you ever wondered who sets the buyback prices for ink and toner cartridges?Is there some governing body who establishes a universally acceptable formula for pricing each toner model?

Not exactly.

The prices are solely up to the individual companies who offer toner buyback programs.The secondary surplus toner market has no regulations which leaves room for businesses to set their own standards and create their own algorithms for pricing.

Typically, the factors they consider includes:

  • Rate of demand and supply
  • Inventory forecasting
  • Cost and sale price

There may be other determinants that are unique to each company and the customers that they cater to.

HIGHEST BUYBACK PRICES FOR TONER CARTRIDGES

We’ve seen that the prices will be indicative of the individual company’s formula.However, we believe that the companies who try to be everything to everyone are likely to fall short.

In other words, you want to deal with a company that focuses on a single aspect of the toner industry. This sort of niche marketing gives businesses the power to master the needs of their core customer base.

If a company is laser focused on only buying surplus and unused toner cartridges, they will most likely provide the best prices for your supplies.

Why so?

The more of a niche market that you occupy, the more margin you have to get to know your ideal customers so that you can best gratify their needs.

On the other hand, there are businesses who have their hands in every pot.

With their focus on everything from ink supplies to electronic recyclables, they have less time to carefully craft the best price for every item. In fact, their priority would likely be how fast they can turnover the inventory that is coming in from all directions.

With that said, if you want to sell your ink cartridges for the highest buyback prices, ensure that you use a company with a demonstrated presence in the niche surplus toner market. You want to avoid getting taken advantage of by a toner buyer scam artist.

A RECAP

 

 

There’s no doubt that there’s a unique opportunity to benefit from unused toners.An additional revenue stream and less printing overhead are just a few of the many advantages.

But before you decide to sell your ink and toner cartridges, you need to know how much they’re worth and who’s willing to pay the most for them.

The key takeaways here?

  1. OEM cartridges are the superior type of toners and the only type that we accept.
  2. The better the condition of your factory sealed boxes, the better the price that you will command.
  3. If you provide your toner model number, you will receive a more accurate quote for your ink supplies.
  4. The buyback price will depend on the individual company.
  5. You can expect a higher buyback price from companies who have solidified themselves as niche experts.

Once you’ve established that you’re ready to cash in on your surplus ink supplies, the above guidelines give a simple system to help you secure the best possible deal.

 

4 Reasons Why Toner Buyback Programs Are Better Than Toner Recycling

If you have an unused toner cartridge, it might be tempting to just throw it away.

 

Though, according to the EPA, it takes up to three quarts of oil to make a single printer cartridge and the plastic that cartridges contain can take generations to decompose in a landfill. 

 

On top of that, ink from cartridges can leak and pollute the environment. 

 

Certainly there’s a better way. 

 

There are definitely benefits of recycling ink cartridges, so you may be tempted to turn to toner recycling programs. But those actually have a number of setbacks if your cartridge is unused and unopened in its original packaging. 

 

You may not be able to make as much money on them by recycling, the reuse process has its limits and many reclaim programs can’t be done completely online. 

 

Below we’ll look in depth at these issues and explore why a toner buyback program is your best bet for unused and unopened cartridges.

 

It’s easy money

 

 

We live in a world that tells us there’s really no such thing as easy money. But if you have unused toner cartridges, it is a way to make some quick cash in a fast and easy manner.  

 

Our process for selling toner cartridges really couldn’t be any easier. You simply fill out a form detailing the brand of the toner, the toner model number and the quantity. 

 

Someone gets back to you offering what we can pay for your toner cartridges. If you accept, we pay via PayPal or company check through mail. 

 

It really is quick cash in your pocket.

 

On the other hand, many of the traditional recycling programs offer more limited means of reimbursement. 

 

For instance, Best Buy gives a $2 store coupon and 15 percent off ink purchases through the My Best Buy loyalty program. Customers are also limited to five cartridges under this offer, and only one coupon can be used for every $40 of new ink or toner.   

 

Staples gives back $2 in Staples Rewards for each cartridge turned in, if you’ve spent a minimum of $30 on ink or toner over the last 180 days. Toner recycling is far from the easy cash of a buyback program.

 

There are limits to recycling toner cartridges  

 

While there are benefits of recycling ink cartridges, reuse programs also work best for used cartridges. If a program uses closed-loop recycling, like HP’s ink cartridge program, it makes no sense for a perfectly good cartridge. 

 

Closed-loop recycling simply means that raw materials from old cartridges are broken down to be used in new ones. A great idea for used cartridges, not so much for unopened, pristine ones.

 

The County of Kaua’i’s governmental website describes what happens to used cartridges the county receives: they are sent off for re-manufacture, meaning they’re disassembled, inspected, repaired, put back together, filled and inspected again.

 

It simply wouldn’t be logical to submit an unused cartridge to such a process.  

 

There are limits to recycling


 

Reusing products makes sense most of the time, like when you’re done with a milk carton or you’re done reading a physical newspaper because you’re old school like that. But recycling itself does have some drawbacks.  

 

Reutilizing plastic, one of the main components in an ink cartridge, isn’t the infinite process you’d think it is. That’s because plastic has fibers, like paper, which shorten each time something is recycled.  

 

The Auckland Council states that plastic can be reused about seven to nine times before it becomes too degraded.  

 

Granted, one of the benefits of recycling ink cartridges is that it’s much better to get those seven to nine lives out of plastic, rather than just consigning it to a long lifetime in a landfill right off the bat. But that doesn’t mean it would make sense to go reclaiming unused products willy-nilly.   

 

Then there are political forces that get in the way of reusing products. Back in 2013 it was reported that much of U.S. plastic wasn’t actually getting recycled.  

 

That was because China put up what’s called the “Green Fence” in an effort to reduce pollution.

 

It’s a policy that bans import of anything but the most highly organized and most clean bales of reusable trash. Some types of trash are banned completely.

 

That means recycling has to happen here, rather than shipping it to cheap labor overseas. Considering how many products are produced in China, the old system would have reusable materials sorted out of our trash overseas and rerouted right back into the manufacturing of goods. 

 

Resin from our plastic materials is especially valuable in the manufacturing process. This meant China actually used two-thirds of the U.S.’s used plastic each year, which accounted for billions of dollars.    

 

Yet it wasn’t a perfect situation. Anything that couldn’t be used was put in China’s trash mountains and many of the recycling processors would pollute heavily, despite being part of the reuse model.  

 

This isn’t to shame the recycling industry. It doesn’t mean that reusing materials is senseless, and we should just ditch it as a system.

 

What tricky foreign affairs means is an opportunity for domestic efforts to take up the slack, creating jobs and other business opportunities. So that is one of the benefits of recycling ink cartridges.    

           

Yet it’s more of a reason to not put stress on the sometimes-fragile recycling industry. Especially when selling gets you straight cash, and the process itself can be so easy.

It gives toner “new life”

We’re definitely proponents of recycling used toner instead of throwing it away. When it comes to new unopened toner though, it just makes more sense to sell it to a toner buyback company.

 

You’re not only preventing it from going through the arduous process of recycling but also allowing it to be sold to someone else who needs and will use the toner.

 

Chances are, they’ll even be purchasing the printer toner at less than retail price.

 

It’s a win-win for everyone.

 

Selling toner can be done online


 

Many toner recycling programs also require you to drop off your cartridges at a physical location. 

 

A search through the popular cartridge recycling program database at Earth911 simply yields a list of addresses, mostly at electronics, office or toner stores. Many listings state that you should call for further information.    

 

But with Toner Connect, you simply fill out your form detailing what you have, get your offer and approve the offer. Then you’ll receive a pre-paid shipping label through email to print. 

 

Simply ship us your toner cartridges for free and your cash is on its way. So if you have unused toner cartridges, get selling today!