Frequently Asked Questions

This is common with ink cartridges that have attached print heads (such as HP, Lexmark or Dell). Cartridges are typically kept flat or upside down for weeks or months before being used. As a result, the ink will settle at the other end of the cartridge and will be unable to directly feed the print head. The easiest remedy for this is to open the box and stand the cartridge upside down for a few minutes before using. Next, get a damp paper towel, fold it into quarters and the set cartridge print head down onto it, holding it there for three minutes. This will help to prime the print head and pull the ink out. Finally, install the cartridge into your printer and print a few test pages.

Customers often worry about the yield of pages their cartridges produce and will mistakenly try to track a cartridge’s yield by time. The amount of time it takes for a cartridge to go empty is an inaccurate indicator of its page yield. The manufacturer’s cited page yield for ink and toner cartridges is given at 5% coverage. This means that the quoted page yield is based upon printed pages where only 5% of the page has been imprinted with ink. This comes out to be a small amount of imprinted ink – roughly one quarter of the page. For example, a short memo has approximately 5% coverage. If you are printing letters, using legal size paper, printing photos, web pages or any type of graphics, your coverage will vary greatly and your page yield will drop significantly.

There are two ways to properly check for yield. First is to utilize any page count your printer has. Refer the user's manual for instructions. The other way is to count reams or boxes of paper you have used with each cartridge. Both of these methods will tell you how many pages per cartridge you are using

Please keep in mind that although both methods provide you with an approximation, your cartridge’s yield will ultimately depend on your printing practices. You should also take into consideration the typical print coverage on the pages that you are producing. For instance, if you only print short memos you will reach – or, come close to – the manufacturer’s state page yield. In contrast, if you write full page letters or print graphics, your page yield will be considerably less. A cartridge with a 4000 page yield, for example, will run out of ink or toner at around 800 pages when used to print full pages of text and graphics with a high percentage of ink or toner coverage.

The most common error messages are listed below, as well as trouble shooting techniques to help eliminate any type of error message. If you are still unable to get rid of the error message please call our customer service department at 888-321-2552.

• A message asking you to replace your block/color inkj cartridges.
• The cartridge light blinks on the printer.
• A message that asks you to check your black/color inject cartridge.
• A message that indicates the cartridge is not seating properly.
• A message that indicates there is no cartridge installed.

Cartridges that do not have an internal print head (Epson, Brother, Canon)A lot of times this is caused by the chip on the cartridge not making direct contact with the printer sensors. All you need to do is open the area of the printer where your cartridges are installed. Remove the problematic cartridge from its designated port and reinstall the cartridge to ensure it is properly seated, secured, and that the chip is lined up with the printer censor. Close the printer cover and proceed to turn off the printer. Wait a few seconds and restart your printer. Proceed to print a test page and you should be good to go. If this problem still occurs please call our customer service department at 888-321-2552.

Cartridges that have an internal print head (HP, Lexmark and some Canon)This is caused by the cartridge not making proper contact with the printer. This may also be caused by unclean contact points on the cartridge. Open the area where your cartridges are installed and remove the problematic cartridge. The cartridge contacts can be cleaned using a lint-free cloth or coffee filter. Completely power down your printer for 2-3 minutes by unplugging the printer from its power source. Then power your printer back up, reinstall your cartridge making sure it is seated correctly, and that it’s in its designated slot. Your cartridge should be recognized and ready to print. If this problem still occurs please call our customer service department at 888-321-2552.

Every cartridge is individually inspected, weighed and tested before packaging to ensure that it is filled with the correct amount of ink. This error message is usually the result of a cartridge that is not firmly seated in its designated slot. To troubleshoot the problem, begin by completely removing the cartridge from its port. Reinstall the cartridge by positioning it so that it snaps into place and is securely fastened in its slot. Keep in mind that your printer doesn’t actually read the amount of ink in the cartridge. Printer software simply estimates the amount of ink remaining in the cartridge by remembering the number of pages that were printed when the previous cartridge was installed, and using this information to estimate when your next cartridge should be replaced. If a new cartridge is installed before the printer driver resets, there is a chance that the printer may think that the old empty cartridge is still being used. To fix the issue, reinstall the cartridge and click on the install new cartridge option; you may have to refer to your printer’s manual for further instructions. Selecting the new cartridge option will indicate to your printer that a new cartridge has been installed which will then prompt it to reset the page counter. This should eliminate the error message. If further assistance is needed, please call us at 888-321-2552.

No. The cartridge sets can not be mixed. We have price breaks on the individual colors so you can order them individually to get better prices.

Place the clogged cartridge in about ¼ - ½ inch of warm water for a few minutes. When you see the ink start to slowly leak out, take the cartridge out of the water and dry it using a soft cloth or Q-tip. Place the cartridge back inside your printer and run the print head cleaning utility that comes with your printer software. You may have to run the print head cleaning function 2-4 times before print quality is reestablished. If your print head is damaged you will have to buy a new cartridge, as print heads cannot be repaired.

You’ll notice that some of our cartridges – compatible and remanufactured - will look slightly different than the printer-brand cartridge. There are a couple reasons for this. For one, a majority of our remanufactured cartridges are equipped with a protective clip that must be removed prior to installation. This is an L shaped clip that runs along the side of the cartridge and is meant to protect it from any damage that might occur during the shipping process. The clip will make your cartridge appear larger than the cartridge in your printer. Please open the package and carefully remove the protective clip as well as any protective tape that covers the cartridge’s print head.

Many of our compatible cartridges might have slight design differences from the original. This is to avoid infringement on a patented design. Despite any structural difference you may notice, the cartridge will still fit and print a full yield.

Never touch the electronic print head with any abrasive material. Use care when setting your cartridges down and do not place the print head in contact with any surface besides the designated contact points in the appropriate printer slot.

Ideally, your cartridges should be stored in an upright position at room temperature. During shipment, cartridges may be placed in various positions and this can cause the ink to settle at the opposite end of the cartridge, which may result in printing issues. For optimal performance, before using your cartridge, place it in the upright position for a few hours to allow the ink to move to the bottom of the cartridge. This will let the ink pass through the sponge, allowing the cartridge to print properly.

The letters at the end of a number sequence in HP cartridges signify the cartridge’s ink volume. Many HP cartridges, as well as some other manufacturers, have a long sku, a short part number and, sometimes, even an alternative part number. For example, HP's #56 cartridge is also known as the 56A C6656, C6656A and C6656AN. These are all the same product and have the same ink volume, but are displayed using various shortened versions of the full part number, which is C6656AN. Most HP cartridges are available with different ink volumes. HP cartridges with different ink volumes are identified by a different letter at the end of the number sequence. For example, HP cartridge 51645G and 51645A are identical cartridges, but have different ink volumes. The "G" is the free starter cartridge that comes with a printer and the "A” is the regular high volume cartridge that is sold in stores. When our house-brand cartridges are manufactured, they are always filled completely. So, regardless of the letter at the end of the HP part number, or the letter at the end of the HP cartridge that you normally order, you will always get a cartridge with a high-ink volume from LD.

Epson incorporates sensitive and high quality print heads onto their printers instead of disposable print heads on their cartridges. Due to the sensitivity of Epson print heads, we do not endorse or sell refill kits for Epson printers.

Remanufactured inkjet cartridges are original printer-brand cartridges that have been through one cycle of service before undergoing a professional remanufacturing process. These cartridges and their print heads are (1) thoroughly cleaned and filled with a high quality equivalent ink formulation, (2) checked to ensure they have the correct internal atmospheric pressure, (3) inspected for any possible shell leakages, (4) tested to ensure that the electrical circuitry is operational, and (5) undergo and pass a lengthy print test. Only cartridges that pass our rigorous inspection process and meet our high standards become LD-brand remanufactured cartridges.

Inkjet cartridge refilling is the practice of personally recycling your empty, OEM (printer brand) ink cartridge so it can be used again. We offer LD-brand and InkTec refill kits to be used with various brands and models. These refill kits allow you to refill your empty OEM (printer brand) cartridge 2-6 times with high quality ink. Refilling your own cartridge is the most cost-effective solution for printing and is the best option for preserving the environment.

UNIVERSAL REFILL KITS AND INK QUALITY INFORMATION

The quality of the ink will widely determine the outcome of the quality of prints of your refilled cartridge. All LD and InkTec ink are formulated and tested under strict laboratory conditions to ensure the highest output quality at all times, and is comparable to other OEM products.

The amount of times a cartridge can be refilled depends, in part, on the care taken during the refill process and its storage condition, as well as the state of the inkjet print head. Until the print head wears out you can continue to recycle your empty cartridges. Generally, you can expect to refill your empty OEM cartridge between 2-6 times.

If possible, you should refill your inkjet cartridges before they run out. This will prevent ink from drying in the print head between refills.

Compatible, third-party print cartridges have a three-year shelf life.

Rather than ship your empty cartridges back to our warehouse, we suggest that you find a local recycling facility for proper disposal. It's not only better for the environment to keep them local, we've found it's more convenient for our customers. Most major office supply retailers will accept old or recycled cartridges, or direct you towards a resource that will accept them. To find the closest recycling facility in your area, visit Earth911.com. Just search by material type (ink or toner) and your zipcode!

Many customers express a legitimate concern as to whether the use of third-party ink or toner will void their printer’s warranty. The answer is NO!

What follows is a partial quote from the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Improvement Act, which protects your rights and your warranty.

MAGNUSON-MOSS WARRANTY IMPROVEMENT ACT
United States Code Annotated
Title 15 Commerce and Trade
Chapter 50 Consumer Product Warranties
Section 2032 (c)

"No warrantor of a consumer product may condition his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumer’s using, in connection with such product, any article or service (other than article or service provided without charge under the terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or corporate name; except that the prohibition of this subsection be waived by the commission if:

1. The warrantor satisfies the Commission that the warranted product will function properly only if the article or service so identified is used in connection with the warranted product, and
2. the Commission finds that such a waiver is in the public interest.

More simply put, your printer warranty cannot be voided just because you choose to use compatible, third-party products unless the manufacturer can prove that the compatible product caused direct damage to your printer. No company, associate, salesperson, or service technician can deny you service or a refund that would otherwise be covered under a warranty program simply because you use a compatible product; your consumer rights are protected by United States law.

No, the order total after any coupons or discounts are applied must be over $50.00 in order to receive free shipping in the contiguous U.S.

Aside from our everyday low prices, you can always sign up for our coupon newsletter by visiting our ldproducts homepage. Once on our homepage all you need to do is enter your email address in the space provided at the center and bottom of the LD homepage and you’ll automatically be enrolled in our e-newsletter to receive exclusive discount offers toward your next order. Some restrictions do apply.

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We’ve made shipping easy for our Canadian customers by partnering exclusively with DHL for all orders going to Canada. Rates start at just $7.99! No longer worry about surprise customs fees or multiple postal carriers, our rates take care of everything upfront and DHL handles your order for the entirety of the shipment. Additional applicable taxes and/or customs fees will be added at checkout. As soon as your order ships, we'll send you a shipping confirmation email with DHL tracking information. Most orders ship out the same day and can take between 4-9 business days to arrive at their destination.

Local sales or use tax may apply to your order depending on the order’s “ship to” address. For important information on sales and use tax, please see our sales and use tax page.

Yes, we offer UPS 2 Day and Overnight shipping. 2nd Day shipping options are available during the checkout process. If you would like to get your package delivered overnight you can get a shipping quote by calling us at 888-321-2552, as this option is not available online.

We strive to provide you with the safest online ordering experience possible. This site is tested and certified daily to pass the "McAfee Secure" Security Scan. To help address concerns about possible hacker access to your confidential data, and the safety of visiting this site, the "live" McAfee Secure mark appears only when this site passes the daily McAfee Secure tests.

If you would like to pay by check or money order please use the online checkout process. Start by selecting the items you wish to order. When you have all the items you want press the "check out" button. Continue through the checkout process by entering your shipping address. Under the payment option you will see an option to "Pay by Check." Select this option and continue. Write the order confirmation number on your check and send it to our address: 3700 Cover St. Long Beach, CA 90808. Please note your order will not be shipped until your check has been received.

Once an order is received online an email confirmation is immediately sent to the email address that was provided. Another email is then sent to you once the order is processed. A final email confirmation will be sent once the order is actually shipped out. If you have not received any confirmation emails, it is possible that the email was delivered to your Junk Mail folder or we may have your incorrect email address on file. It is also possible that the order was not received, in which case you may call our customer service at 888-321-2552 for assistance.

We ship all orders from Long Beach, California. Most packages that are shipped to an address within the contiguous US are delivered within 3-5 business days. Orders that are shipped outside of the contiguous US may take longer to be delivered. To view our transit times click here. There is alsothe rare possibility that one of the items you ordered may be back ordered. You can check the status of your online order by clicking here to login. You may also call customer service at 888-321-2552.

You may track your order by logging in to your online account, click here to log in. You may also call our customer service department at 888-321-2552; one of our courteous representatives will be able to assist you in locating your order.