Counterfeit supplies - the real cost

You may save a few dollars initially but when it comes to plastic card printer ribbons and ID card printing supplies you stand to lose much more than you save. Counterfeit card printing supplies are increasingly being pushed to K-12 schools and unsuspecting administrators are setting themselves up for expensive repairs and card quality issues.

Most printer manufacturers offer a generous warranty on new equipment but your warranty - especially the print head - is likely to be voided when you use counterfeit ribbons or supplies. Using counterfeit ribbons and supplies almost always voids service contracts and agreements offered by resellers. 

Counterfeit supplies - note the green components - typically are not manufactured to the original specs and quality requirements of the original manufacturer. These "knock off" printer supplies can damage your equipment resulting in poor quality, inconsistent coverage and frequent card jams. These cheaper unbranded supplies have the potential to damage to moving parts within the printer, including the print head - the most expensive part to replace. 

It's a problem that seems to be growing. "I have seen counterfeit ribbons more and more in the field where they cause problems in the printer such as card jams, ribbons breaking and terrible print quality. I feel bad for the people that bought counterfeit ribbons. They saved a little money shopping online or with a less than reputable vendor, but the aggravation, time and expense of fixing the damage usually costs them far more in the long run," said Brandon Johnson, Technical Support Specialist at Bridgeway Solutions.  

For more information or assistance with a card printer that is not working properly, contact Bridgeway Solutions Technical Support Dispatch at 828-604-4916. To place an order for genuine Datacard, Zebra and Matica plastic card printer ribbons and printing supplies, contact Bridgeway Solutions' customer relationship management team at 828-438-1676. Email or order genuine printer ribbons and supplies online at the Bridgeway store. 

Fake Datacard Ribbon - Poor quality, damage printers.

Counterfeit Datacard printer ribbon - Protect your investment with genuine manufacturer parts and supplies.