Brother Refresh EZ Print Subscription Service: Difference between revisions
added references, claim evaluation, misleading claim detail, pricing matrix, various reference link |
added Pay-Per-Cartridge vs Pay-Per-Page, detailed notes on case study, documents to support analysis, various edits |
||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
|Limited (plan-based) | |Limited (plan-based) | ||
|- | |- | ||
|'''Customer | |'''Customer Service''' | ||
|Yes | |Yes | ||
|Yes | |Yes | ||
| Line 58: | Line 58: | ||
Brother currently lists [https://www.brother-usa.com/supplies/subscription-info/eligible-printers/products#sort=%40productcataloglistprice%20descending these printers] available to enter the Refresh program. The printer can either be "Refresh-ready" (with Refresh EZ-Print Subscription ink and toner cartridges included) or activated post-purchase via the Brother website. Once the printer is activated and enrolled to the Refresh service, only cartridges or toner supplied by Brother can be used. | Brother currently lists [https://www.brother-usa.com/supplies/subscription-info/eligible-printers/products#sort=%40productcataloglistprice%20descending these printers] available to enter the Refresh program. The printer can either be "Refresh-ready" (with Refresh EZ-Print Subscription ink and toner cartridges included) or activated post-purchase via the Brother website. Once the printer is activated and enrolled to the Refresh service, only cartridges or toner supplied by Brother can be used. | ||
===== '''EZ Print Subscription''' (pay-per-page) ===== | ====='''EZ Print Subscription''' (pay-per-page)===== | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
!Printer Type | !Printer Type | ||
| Line 89: | Line 89: | ||
|} | |} | ||
===== '''EZ Auto Reordering''' (pay-per-cartridge) ===== | ====='''EZ Auto Reordering''' (pay-per-cartridge)===== | ||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
!Printer Type | !Printer Type | ||
| Line 128: | Line 128: | ||
==Subscription Claims== | ==Subscription Claims== | ||
===== EZ Print Program ===== | =====EZ Print Program===== | ||
Brother purports that the EZ Print subscription program can '''save the end-user up to 50%''' on genuine Brother ink or toner. This is accompanied by a caveat located in the legal disclaimer found at the bottom of the subscription information page.<ref>[https://www.brother-usa.com/supplies/subscription-info Brother Subscription Information]</ref> | Brother purports that the EZ Print subscription program can '''save the end-user up to 50%''' on genuine Brother ink or toner. This is accompanied by a caveat located in the legal disclaimer found at the bottom of the subscription information page.<ref>[https://www.brother-usa.com/supplies/subscription-info Brother Subscription Information]</ref> | ||
It states: ''based on monthly subscription cost in U.S. for Mono Laser Power Plan vs. average cost per page of eligible like standard capacity cartridges. Savings will vary based on Refresh EZ Print Subscription plan selected.'' | It states: ''based on monthly subscription cost in U.S. for Mono Laser Power Plan vs. average cost per page of eligible like standard capacity cartridges. Savings will vary based on Refresh EZ Print Subscription plan selected.'' | ||
====== Obfuscated or Misleading Claim ====== | ======Obfuscated or Misleading Claim====== | ||
* No color laser of inkjet printers are included in Brother's claimed subscription discount comparison. | *No color laser of inkjet printers are included in Brother's claimed subscription discount comparison. | ||
* Only the highest-cost mono laser plan is used in Brother's claimed subscription discount comparison. | *Only the highest-cost mono laser plan is used in Brother's claimed subscription discount comparison. | ||
* Only a standard yield cartridge is included in Brother's claimed subscription discount comparison. | *Only a standard yield cartridge is included in Brother's claimed subscription discount comparison. | ||
===== EZ Auto Reording Program ===== | =====EZ Auto Reording Program===== | ||
Brother offers a '''10% discount on all orders''' of genuine ink & toner when subscribed to the EZ Auto Reorder program and | Brother offers a '''10% discount on all orders''' of genuine ink & toner when subscribed to the EZ Auto Reorder program and also enables the end-user to select a higher-yield cartridge if required. | ||
====== Obfuscated or Misleading Claim ====== | ======Obfuscated or Misleading Claim====== | ||
* No inkjet printers are currently eligible for the '''EZ-ARP''' yet Brother promotes "Ink & Toner Delivered Automatically" on the program page. | *No inkjet printers are currently eligible for the '''EZ-ARP''' yet Brother promotes "Ink & Toner Delivered Automatically" on the program page. | ||
== Pay-Per-Cartridge <small>vs</small> Pay-Per-Page == | |||
===== Case Study ===== | |||
[[File:MFCL2710DW EZ-Print.png|thumb|500x500px]] | |||
Here we have used Brother's basis for their purported savings in the '''EZ-Print''' program: | |||
# Mono Laser Printer: '''MFC-L2710DW''' <small><ref>[https://www.brother-usa.com/products/mfcl2710dw MFC-L2710DW Overview]</ref></small> | |||
# Highest Cost Plan: '''Power Plan''' | |||
# Standard Yield Cartridge: '''TN730''' <ref>[https://www.brother-usa.com/products/tn730 Brother TN730 Product Detail]</ref> | |||
====== Notes ====== | |||
The Brother "Power Plan" includes: | |||
* '''Credit $30''': for add-ons only | |||
* '''Bonus Toner''' Eligibility: once only | |||
* '''Drum Replacement''': undefined | |||
It should also be noted that: | |||
* the credit applies to additional page cost or any other consumable outside to the plan limits, not subscription cost. | |||
* bonus toner is supplied once and as a 'back-up' in case the "plan" toner shipment does not arrive on time. | |||
* drum replacement is not specified by Brother as to availability, frequency or supply discretion. In the case study here, the MFC-L2710DW requires a '''DR730'''<ref>[https://www.brother-usa.com/products/dr730 Brother DR730 Product Detail]</ref> drum unit which Brother states has a life-span of 12,000 printed pages. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+ | |||
! | |||
! | |||
! | |||
! | |||
|- | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|- | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
| | |||
|} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||