How to make money with a laser copier?

**aab1** · 07-13-2011

I bought my first laser copier last year (a small Canon MF8350Cdn) as an introduction to laser printers after using exclusively inkjet before for the much lower cost per page.

I run a printing business using an HP business inkjet printer and thought I'd offer a laser printing option for my customers, unfortunately 99% of them are not willing to pay the significantly higher cost per page of laser prints especially when the one and only benefit is waterproof prints. Anyway I knew most would not pay more for laser prints but that was OK as I sell a book I wrote I preferred to sell it laser printed than inkjet printed.

As many of you in the Canon forum know I absolutely hate how Canon makes their machines intentionally limited but also extremely un-userfriendly.

There's this beautiful huge HP machine I'd love to get but it's $2800 so it would take a long time to repay as I only sell a few copies per week of my book.

But I was wondering, if I can figure out how to make money with the much higher cost per page of laser printing then maybe I can run a business that would allow me to repay it in months rather than years. This HP would cost slightly less per page than the Canon but not much at all so I won't get any more interest in the laser printing service, so it would have to be something I can print that's worth more.

So what could I print using a laser printer that people would be willing to pay more than the cost of toner on the paper? Calendars? Agendas?

I'd like ideas so I could start testing if they sell enough to allow me to buy that HP machine, this Canon one is really infuriating to use.

**Jules Winfield** · 07-13-2011

You could put the Canon machine in the middle of an empty lot and charge technicians and frustrated office workers a fee to hit the thing with a baseball bat. Something like $5 a swing, maybe?

**aab1** · 07-13-2011

That's not a bad idea for my current Canon machine, but I was wondering how to make money with the HP machine if I buy it?

**Jules Winfield** · 07-13-2011

Originally Posted by aab1

That's not a bad idea for my current Canon machine, but I was wondering how to make money with the HP machine if I buy it?

I guess I was thinking more along the lines of taking the proceeds from the "Beat a Canon Printer" event and putting it towards the purchase of the HP. There really isn't any good reason for a customer buying prints only to choose more expensive laser prints over inkjet prints. The laser vs. inkjet argument is more for people who are buying the printers, not just the prints. I guess you could argue that the print quality is better on a laser printer, but even that would depend on which laser printer compared to which inkjet printer.