New printers to give more prints

The Mumbai Suburban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (Bandra) on Tuesday directed Hewlett Packard (HP), “to discontinue the adoption of the unfair trade practice by supplying a regular cartridge instead of an ‘introductory’ or ‘start-up’ one with the sale of a new printer”.

Printers will now come with a regular cartridge instead of a start-up one, designed to give only limited prints.

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The Mumbai Suburban District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum (Bandra) on Tuesday directed Hewlett Packard (HP), “to discontinue the adoption of the unfair trade practice by supplying a regular cartridge instead of an ‘introductory’ or ‘start-up’ one with the sale of a new printer”.

Rajan Alimchandani, a Worli resident, had approached the forum in 2008 saying he had purchased a printer from Bisty Infotech, Borivli, in 2007. However, the printer he said, could only print 22 pages.

When he contacted the Sales manager of Bisty Infotech he was told the cartridge supplied to him was a start-up cartridge and he will have to purchase a regular one.

According to Alimchandani’s complaint, it was not mentioned anywhere in the ad or the bill that the cartridge will be a start-up one. Bisty Infotech in its affidavit said there is no evidence to show the cartridge printed only 22 pages. However, HP in its affidavit said a start-up cartridge was supplied with the printer. HP also said the information was printed on the contents box.

“Naturally Alimchandani believed it was a regular cartridge,” observed the forum.

“It is nowhere mentioned in the replies that at the time of sale, it was explained to Alimchandani that the cartridge with the printer would be a start-up one,” observed the forum.

“[Consumer] is not required to read the printed instructions on the box, and therefore, assuming that such information was furnished or printed, would not be sufficient to avoid the possibility of a consumer being misled,” observed the forum consisting of president JL Deshpande and members VG Joshi and DS Bidnurkar.

The forum directed Bisty Infotech and HP to pay Alimchandani Rs 650 towards the cost of a regular cartridge and Rs 10, 000 as compensation. HP has not responded to an email sent by HT on Monday.