The myth of a paperless society seems to be well and truly just that, a myth. These days those of us who do not need printer supplies for business, school or for personal use at home are few and far between. Though printers have generally got cheaper, the prices of ink cartridges have steadily increased in recent years and to try and save money when purchasing ink a vast number of people are rapidly turning to the internet and websites who offer printer cartridges online at discounted prices compared to what is available in the traditional bricks and mortar retail stores. The rewards when buying printer cartridges online? There are so many different printer manufacturers' with various types of printer cartridges to choose from, it does not matter which printer cartridge you require, you are bound to find it somewhere online, particularly if the website has a large range with the majority of inks available. When you go into a traditional retail store, their inventory is usually quite limited. They generally do not carry all brands and what they do have in stock is in limited quantity. For this reason, you may have to travel from store to store which means you will have to worry about parking, change for the meters, overly keen parking inspectors and in the forefront of many peoples minds, the priority of making the 2.45pm shuttle run to pick up the kids from school. Who has time for this? It can be an absolute hassle, so it is certainly understandable that most time savvy people are now turning to the internet to buy their printer cartridges online. When you shop with your fingertips and computer you can not only save time but also save money by finding compatible or refurbished printer cartridges online. This type of product is not only cheaper but also environmentally friendly which, if you are concerned about the environment and future of our planet, it can be considered a wise choice. On many websites you can also buy in bulk and save with quantity discounts. This is a fantastic option if you are purchasing for a business that has many printers and prints high volume. These types of discounts can save serious money in the short and long term and can be the difference between posting a profit or loss come tax time. While buying printer cartridges online is far more convenient than the traditional method, saving the consumer time and money and the fact that most websites deliver direct to the home or business, the bricks and mortar retail stores will find it impossible to mount a viable argument against people choosing this option for their printing consumables. The risks when buying printer cartridges online? There can also be risks and disadvantages in relation to buying printer cartridges online. You may experience a case where what you ordered does not match what you received. The wrong item may have been picked up at the time of packing so upon receipt of the item and the realization that this has obviously occurred followed by the ensuing phone calls, the expense of repackaging and the overall hassle of sending the items back and waiting for the correct product to arrive is a hassle we would all prefer to avoid. When looking for printer cartridges online, just because a product is perceived as being at a low price does not necessarily mean that you are receiving a high quality product at a discounted price. It may well be an inferior item. The opposite also applies. A higher priced product does not mean you are getting the best product available. It is like many things sometimes perception alone is enough to sway a consumer in either direction. Before you buy, compare prices across the internet and always determine if what you are buying is compatible with the printer you own. Most sellers provide specifications to help you choose which one is right for you. You must also determine the type of printer cartridges that will best suit your purpose. You can buy refurbished ones, genuine OEM or compatible printer cartridges online. Some websites specialize in just one type while others make every possible option available to allow their customers that choice. The most important factor for many people in this current economic climate when it comes to selection is the price. The genuine OEM type of printer cartridge is generally far more expensive than the compatible type and as mentioned previously because of this price discrepancy the perception is that the genuine OEM product is superior in quality but I can honestly say that from my own experience this is simply not the case. When you do compare, make sure they fall into the same classification. It is false economy to buy a cheaper ink or printer cartridge online if you do not receive a similar print quality or page count as the more expensive genuine OEM. In addition to price, you should also compare the quality of printer cartridges the website is offering online. Without this comparison, you may not be getting the best deal on the market. Check shipping rates and take these into account prior to purchasing but more importantly check out the guarantee the website has on its items. This guarantee will say a lot about the quality of their printer cartridges online and how much faith the seller has in their products.