Create 1 or 2 good, serviceable network printer and experiment with different business models like subscriptions or pay-as-you-print, where the printer manufacturer _owns_ the printer an office or home just rents it.
In such a model, the companies incentives would align with the users values:
- Cheaper printing per page
- Less overhead on distribution
- No artificial costs and limitations
- Generally better printer:
- More serviceable
- Better software
- Long term support
- More environmentally friendly
Most people I know doesn't own a printer and just use the office printer anyway,
so why not make the office printer just-work?
Another possibility is still to sell printers, but have the cartridges produced by a completely separate company. Have the cartridges also conform to an open, published specification which any company (printer maker or cartridge maker) is free to implement. The printer maker will be forced to sell printers based on their cost, not as a loss leader.
Yes, but that's the opposite end of the market (e.g. industrial pronting, very large size or volume). I am wondering if there is something in the middle.
Photocopier/Printer leasing is common for small and medium sized businesses too. If you google for photocopier leasing you'll find a huge number of options.
Create 1 or 2 good, serviceable network printer and experiment with different business models like subscriptions or pay-as-you-print, where the printer manufacturer _owns_ the printer an office or home just rents it.
In such a model, the companies incentives would align with the users values:
- Cheaper printing per page
- Less overhead on distribution
- No artificial costs and limitations
- Generally better printer:
- More environmentally friendlyMost people I know doesn't own a printer and just use the office printer anyway, so why not make the office printer just-work?
Edit: formatting