By the end of 2006, the overall revenue from printer supplies is expected to top $100 billion, according to Lyra Research. In 2005 “digital imaging supplies”, which includes ink, toner and paper, amounted to $96 billion in revenue. Like a lot of other articles lately, this one from Forbes points out the following:

But printer makers…which charge premium prices for their brand name ink and toner cartridges, could lose out on revenue as other companies provide supplies cheaper.

They also point out that:

In the past, consumers have been somewhat reluctant to buy third-party ink because of quality concerns. But that perception is changing.

They attribute it to the fact that places like Staples have been selling remanufactured cartridges, so people are more willing to give them a shot. That is probably partly true, but their reluctance has probably also disappeared since the quality of remanufactured and compatible inkjet cartridges has improved considerably since they first came on the market.

Now, the other side of the story and the requisite quote from one of the OEM manufacturers. This time it’s HP:

“It is up to customers to decide which solution is best for them,” says Tuan Tran, vice president of marketing, HP Imaging and Printing Supplies. “There will always be some segment of the population that is willing to accept trade-offs in quality and reliability to save a little money.”

Not exactly going to win too many hearts with that approach.

Printer Supply Revenue To Top $100B [Forbes]