Deceptive HP Packaging....with lack of decision-making information

Question

I have been an HP printer user for many, many years.  I like the way they work and stand up to wear. 
However, HP has packaging which makes it impossible to determine what you are getting for your money.
There was a multipack  (02 combo-pack with 5 HP ink colors) for $44.95 at Staples. On the back, it shows how much ink is in each of the color cartridges in mls (4.0 ml, 3.5 ml, 6.0 ml, 5.5 ml, 5.5 ml). 
There was another multipack with all 5 colors plus a black cartridge for $34.99 at Staples.  It looked like it was the better deal, but there was absolutely no information on the package that told how much ink was in each cartridge.  So how could I compare and determine what was the better price.  I found a salesperson who told me that there was about half the ink in the multipack with the 5 colors plus black cartridge package.  I don't know how he knew, but I took his word for it. 
In this day and age, not providing important information that will allow the customer to compare and make the best decision for him/her is unacceptable.  I couldn't compare the multi-packs nor could I compare the price of the multipack with the price of individual cartridges because there is no mention of the number of mls in the individual cartridges either.  It looks like you are starting to use the number of pages that each cartridge will print as a measure of how much is in a cartridge.  Why can't you put the number of pages AND the actual amount of ink in each cartridge?   And what does it mean when you say it will print 150 photos or 400 pages?    Does that mean that it will print 400 pages in that particular color?  
I teach marketing at a large state university, and this is not the kind of marketing that gives companies a good name.   Please give your customer better information about what they are getting in a cartridge.  It will make me feel more positively toward HP once again.

Answer 1

theclaxtons wrote:
Respectfully, Mr. Hedrick, while it's great that the yields are standardized across brands, I only care about what I'm buying for my HP printer.  I am actually less concerned about knowing the page yield info when I'm in the store than whether I'm getting a good value when I make a purchase.  
If you put the ml per cartridge on the single packs and multi-packs, then I will get an apples to apples comparison point.  When I was looking for ink yesterday, I was considering buying the photo pack, but it told me only how many photos I would be able to print from that pack.  All the single cartridges told me how many text pages I could print.  Even your own information is not apples to apples.  
All I want to know is if the cartridges in the multi-packs or photo packs have the same capacity as the single packs, and if not, then how much more or less.  If HP refuses to provide that information, then I will be less likely to buy my next printer from HP.  At least put the information on your web site.  I'd love to see it as a response to this forum post.  
It's really simple.  Just be honest with us, and we'll remain loyal customers.  Keep the info from us and you'll lose us as customers.   
Andrea Claxton
15 year HP printer user
OK, there are a few things to clarify here.  First, I do not work for HP and I do not have anything to do with what is printed on the cartridge packages.  I am a volunteer here.  
If you go to the page yield site listed above you will see that it has both the standard ISO page information as well as additional information on Photo yields.  You did not mention what printer you have so it is hard to speak specifically for your printer.  Generally there are various options for ink and paper combo packs.  The cartridges are generally sized to match the number of photo pages provided.  A pack with 60 photo pages will have a cartridge (or cartridges) sized to print 60 pages, a pack with 140 pages will have cartridges with enough ink to print 140 photos.  Depending on the model of printer the photo pack cartridges may have more or less ink than the standard cartridges.
Bob Headrick,  HP Expert
I am not an employee of HP, I am a volunteer posting here on my own time.
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