Kathy Tadlock A

Close analysis shows the real cost of your new multifunction device may lie in the toner—especially when the vendor estimates lower toner coverage on a page than you'll actually get. By Kathy Tadlock A recent marketing campaign by a vendor selling cross-over multifunction equipment brings to light some marketing tactics that make fair comparisons among multifunction machines difficult. In a tight and competitive multifunction market, this vendor has taken a different approach that does not bring all costs out in the open. The print vendor quotes a low price of $4,000 for a 45-image-per-minute multifunction printer with duplexing, scanning/copying capabilities and a finisher. The