WHO IS …….. INK-SPOT-REFILLS ?

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WHO IS INK-SPOT-REFILLS  ?
Veteran and teacher focuses on changing the ink ‘game’
Buying
new ink cartridges can be more of a game than customers bargain for at
times, said Larry Cummings, which is why his new family-owned business,
The Ink Spot Refills, focuses on refilling used ink cartridges.”Many
people never thought (about) refilling cartridges…the savings is
really a great deal,” he said.A Korean War veteran and former teacher
who holds a bachelors, masters and Ph.D. , Cummings approaches the ink
business from an educational angle.Located in St. Clair Plaza, The Ink
Spot Refills focuses on saving money and educating customers about the
“game” some companies play when it comes to purchasing or refilling
ink.Cummings said learning the game comes down to reading the fine
print. “(People) don’t realize the hidden language on their cartridge
boxes and materials with their printer.”

According to Cummings,
with some companies the fine print only allows the customer to purchase
ink cartridges from the original manufacturer, leaving the customer at
the mercy of manufacturer pricing. Cummings gets upset when “people are
forced into that pattern,” he said.Cummings said there are special,
legal exceptions to return, rebate and pre-bate approaches with some
manufacturers-specifically Lexmark- when it comes to refilling
cartridges. But the exception is never the rule, and these exceptions
are difficult to find at times. “I do plan to carry a supply of the
exceptional cartridge that can be refilled (at The Ink Spot as opposed
to the original manufacturer), but they are very difficult to find,” he
said.

Understanding the game and staying ahead of the game go
hand-in-hand for The Ink Spot Refills. “We try to stay 40 to 60 percent
lower on our refills than the purchase price at (department stores),”
he said. Most black cartridges can be refilled for $10.99 and color ink
jet cartridges for $14.99.While The Ink Spot is geared toward refilling
cartridges, the store does offer manufactured cartridges for a lower
price than other businesses as well, Cummings said.Yet another avenue
for saving money on ink is through schools and the county government,
Cumming said. “There is such potential for great savings to the
taxpayer and the school districts if they would refill cartridges
instead of going out and buying new ones,” he said.

When he gets
the chance, Cummings tries to spend time outside of the store talking
to schools and county government entities to explain the benefits of
the refill process. According to Cummings, thousands of dollars -at
least-could be trimmed from school and county budgets just by refilling
ink cartridges.It helps that Cummings has spent 50 years of his life
working within the school system, first as head basketball coach, high
school teacher, federal bureau prison teacher, college professor,
assistant professor, assistant dean, and finally, chairman of the
department of criminal justice. Cummings retired from teaching two
years ago after finding someone to fill his temporary position as chair
of the Kent State Criminal Justice department.Cummings became
interested in ink over the years after having to fill his own
cartridges with a syringe. “(Around) eight years ago I inquired about a
franchise with Island refills…but the costs were beyond me,” he said.

Then,
in early 2009, Cummings returned to his interest in ink. After much
research Cummings decided to form his own company, Cummings &
Cummings LLC, and acquire the trade name The Ink Spot Refills for the
state of Ohio. He and his son Gregory share the responsibility of
running the store. Cummings’ wife and daughter are also included in
Cummings & Cummings LLC.Running the business has been a learning
experience for both him and his son. “It staggers my imagination when I
think of the challenge of being able to fill all of the cartridges that
exist out there in the ink jet area,” he said.It typically takes 30
minutes to refill a cartridge at The Ink Spot Refills, although an hour
is preferred, Cummings said. “We go through a very rigorous,
step-by-step process of cleaning the heads with an atomizer and an
ultrasound machine…we then centrifuge to get the old ink out of the
cartridge and then fill the cartridge,” Cummings said. That process is
then repeated and a test pattern is run. “We have 12 different printers
in the back to test the cartridge,” he said.

At the best of
circumstances the process can be done in 15 minutes, but Cummings
encourages customers to allow for more time for the best
results.Customers with laser toner cartridges are urged to contact the
store prior to when they need them, as it takes a few days for them to
be ordered. The Ink Spot Refills does not refill laser toner
cartridges, but does carry a supply of manufactured ones, and can order
them for a customer if The Ink Spot Refills is not currently carrying
the cartridge.

[Author]

October 13, 2009 at 11:36 AM