Case Study:

Multifunction Printer

A leading brand's multifunction printer displayed at a local retailer impressed Chris. When Chris' mother (referred to as JRN below) needed to replace her printer Chris quickly recommended that she purchase a similar multifunction printer for herself.

Below are a series of correspondences between Chris' mother and Chris relating to the travails that ensued upon her purchase of the leading brand's multifunction device. This case study documents some of the significant costs now shouldered by this brand--costs that are significantly reduced by EZ Rated.

From: Chris
To: JRN
Sent: Saturday, December 08, 2001
Subject: Brand's model multifunction printer

'Outstanding printing, expanded connectivity, ease of use, improved copying and standalone color faxing all in one compact design. Offers printing, copying and faxing capabilities. Features brand's . . .[special] . . . technology for photo-realistic image quality. [Brand's feature] . . . offers creative copy features without a PC, scan directly to applications or e-mail, 20-page automatic document feeder. Included in box: black and color ink cartridges, installation software on CD-ROM, phone and power cord and user's guide. 1-year mfr. limited warranty.

CNET Rating: 8 out of 10 Rating criteria
The good: Low cost per page for black text; fastest overall in printing and copying; best overall print quality.
The bad: Expensive; scan quality only fair.
The bottom line: [The brand's model multifunction printer] . . . makes few compromises, which is saying a lot for an ink jet multifunction. But this level of quality will cost you.

JRN: This one . . . [leading brand multifunction printer]. . . looks pretty good to me, Chris. I sure think it beats taking my printer in to be fixed.

JRN: Chris, on this one, it says: "scan directly to applications or e-mail." How does it do that?

Chris: Software that automatically attaches a scanned image to an email that you address. The file will be in a format others can see when they get the email.

JRN: It is amazing what they have been able to combine into one unit. . . .If this is a fax as well as a printer and copier, it is mind boggling to me how they got all those functions to combine.

Dear Chris,

Only at your urging would I put myself through the terrors of this past week regarding my purchase of . . . [leading brand multifunction printer]. . .. Frankly, I've had enough of that machine to never want to look at it again in my life.

My ordeal started when you suggested that this printer/scanner/fax would take the place of the three pieces of equipment that had failed me--the printer, just last Saturday, December 8, 2001.

I went to Circuit City to check out its price, which was there, on sale until December 15th for $269.99. I then drove to Best Buy and found the . . . [model multifunction printer]. . . on sale for $299.99. I had just enough time to drive back to Circuit City to purchase the . . . [model multifunction printer]. . . before they closed.

The salesman offered a 4 year extended warrantee for $69, and usually averse to such gimmicks, I saw the need for some extra protection in a piece of equipment which purported to perform three functions in one: ah, the blessings of convergence. Not betting on its perfection, I bought the extended warrantee.

The salesman also insisted I needed a new cable for my new printer/scanner/fax, and that turned out to be another $25 + tax, bringing the whole total up to $383+.

There is a savvy superintendent of maintenance here who has done me many a computer service, so I let him know by phone what task I had in store for him, and sure enough, the next day, Tuesday, Dec. 11th, he showed up, with the brief amount of time he had, ready to hook up my new gizmo.

He punched open the new cable--right through the plastic, and then we found out the six-foot length of cable was not long enough to make the connection between the location of my computer and the base of my workbench, wherein my new printer/scanner/fax was to be housed. As he had wrecked the wrapping, I felt I wouldn't be able to return the cable. So, I had him use the old cable, a Belkin F2A046-10.

The first problem we encountered was caused, we decided, by the lack of a couple of computer screws (lost in my recent move). This, we thought, was causing the printer to fail to be connected to the computer. I went to a computer store later that afternoon [RETURN VISIT] and got some replacement screws.

When he couldn't get the program to run after going through the routine again, twice, we both decided I should call for help. [SUPPORT CALL] Imagine my surprise when I found out . . . [brand]. . .had no toll free number--not even for customers whose printers were under warrantee. Imagine further my chagrin when I was told, immediately upon telling the person who answered the phone what kind of piece of equipment I was calling about that my printer was out of warrantee.

She apologized and said she would connect me with technical support. She connected me with Larry. Larry admitted that he thought he was in for an hour and a half conversation, but he wasn't. I was calling to find out if my cable, the Belkin F2A046-10, would support the connection between the . . . [model multifunction printer]. . . and my computer. [In your email on 12/11/01, you wrote: "You already have the proper cable (you have an IEEE 1284 compliant parallel cable."] However, Larry told me: the Belkin F2A046-10 would not support the connection between the . . . [model multifunction printer]. . . and my computer.

For 4 days, I have been paying my maintenance super for help, and for four days, there has been nothing but aggravation and frustration, and I KNOW HE INSTALLED THIS VERY SAME SYSTEM IN THE OFFICE. We both gave up. The second attempt today convinced me that the machine I had purchased was a dud, so we packed it up, and I brought it back to Circuit City this evening. [PRODUCT RETURN]

I had no trouble returning the . . . [model multifunction printer]. . . . The only trouble was getting another. I was waiting outside for the longest time to have someone put another in my car for me. Finally, the guy came out carrying one--the last one. There had only been two when I purchased mine. Someone was trying to buy this one, on the last day of the sale, and had I come 15 minutes later, there would have been no printer to replace mine. As it turned out, I got the printer, and I don't know what happened to the other customer. [LOST SALE]

What has happened certainly isn't what I wanted to do, either with the whole of last week, or the past two hours of this evening. . . . [brand]. . . needs to start making things a whole lot easier if they want to stay in business. [BRAND DAMAGE]

I went to the Computer Service store today, only I took the computer along with me. I had the guy help me . . . [RETURN VISIT & IN-STORE SUPPORT] he showed me that the first port was vacant, and I could put the mouse connector in there, etc. Now, the printer has its own port, which is what . . .[brand]. . . said it needed--not to have anything else connected in the same panel ["on their help screen pop up, it suggests that it is best not to have anything else connected in the same panel where your printer port is when you are having trouble connecting!!!"], and when I get done checking my email, I'm going to see whether I can install my Brand 3-fer.

JRN message, Thursday, December 20, 2001 -- Printer NOW operational.

Now, as for. . .[brand]. . ., their instructions on the big green and white shiny double-sided paper that comes with the 3-fer stops at a critical point. After working from those instructions, etc., etc., etc., and uninstalling the CD, and the connection between the computer and the printer/fax/scanner and reinstalling the whole thing another couple of times, I took to the book and went to their most extreme case as to what to do when your computer and printer won't talk to one another. (Please note: I am using your original Belkin printer cable, which their support--you remember, that was the call I had to pay for--said would not work):

They just don't tell you how many times you are going to have to do this, or how unclear the break is between their green sheet, and having to switch to the book.