When businesses invest in new technology, how much it costs is often the first question leadership asks, which can be rather short-sighted from a business bottom line perspective. This according to Gareth Jay, regional sales director for Epson Africa.

Instead, Jay believes the question should rather be what the cost of ownership will be, particularly as it forces businesses to weigh the long-term operating costs, maintenance requirements, energy consumption, reliability and productivity against the initial purchase price. 

“Businesses will often apply the cost of ownership logic to purchasing vehicles, appliances or backup power systems, yet printers are still too often judged on what they cost at the till rather than what they will cost over the next three to five years,” says Jay. 

“Every device in the workplace contributes to the total cost of doing business. At the same time, hybrid working has changed how organisations print. Rather than relying on a single office device, many now have printers spread across offices, branches and home workspaces, making seemingly small running costs much harder to manage at scale,” Jay believes.

From purchase price to lifetime value

Jay continues to note consumables, energy consumption, maintenance requirements and unexpected downtime often account for a far greater share of a printer's lifetime cost. A printer that frequently requires replacement cartridges, takes longer to warm up before printing or needs regular servicing, can quietly become one of the more expensive pieces of office equipment to own.

“The challenge is that many of these costs are largely invisible during the buying process. A lower purchase price can easily be offset within months by higher spending on ink or toner, increased electricity consumption or more frequent maintenance. These costs are often absorbed into different operational budgets, making it difficult for businesses to identify where money is quietly being lost,” states Jay.

 Taken in context and considering the rising operating costs that businesses currently face, what may appear to be a small difference in printing costs can become significant over the lifespan of a printer. A device that relies on replacement cartridges may require dozens of cartridge changes over several years, particularly in busy office environments, Jay says.

“By comparison, refillable ink tank systems can dramatically reduce that requirement. Epson's 280 ml replacement ink bottle set, for example, delivers the equivalent of up to 79 standard ink cartridges, illustrating how ongoing consumables costs can differ substantially depending on the technology chosen.”

Jay notes when these differences are multiplied across multiple departments, branches or home offices over three to five years, the impact on operating costs becomes much harder to ignore, Jay believes. Looking beyond the purchase price to evaluate consumables, energy efficiency, maintenance requirements and expected reliability gives businesses a far more accurate picture of what a printer will actually cost to own over its lifetime.

“As such, before investing in a new printer, businesses should consider how much it will cost to operate over its expected lifespan, how frequently consumables will need replacing, how energy efficient the device is, how much maintenance will likely be required, and perhaps most importantly, how dependable it will be when staff need it most. The answers often reveal a very different picture from the one suggested by the price tag alone,” he states.

As organisations become more conscious of operational efficiency, procurement decisions are also increasingly factoring in energy use, product lifespan and waste. Choosing equipment that uses less energy, generates less waste and remains reliable for longer can help businesses reduce their operating costs while supporting broader procurement and sustainability objectives. Increasingly, these outcomes go hand in hand, according to Jay.

“Technology should be evaluated on what it costs to own, not simply what it costs to buy. For instance, features such as refillable ink tank systems help reduce ongoing consumables costs, while heat-free printing technology lowers energy consumption and reduces wear on key components, contributing to greater reliability over the life of the device,” he adds.

Jay concludes, “Ultimately, businesses cannot afford to view office technology as a once-off purchase. Looking beyond the initial price tag and understanding the total cost of ownership allows organisations to make smarter investment decisions that improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and deliver greater value throughout the life of the equipment.”