Price fluctuation occurs in almost every industry, and printers are no different.
Whether you buy directly from a printer manufacturer or through a vendor, the price of machines can change at any given time.
This is especially true under today’s current circumstances, where supply chains are still disrupted, and inflation is readily apparent across most sectors of society.
As a local print vendor that partners with a major manufacturing company, Xerox, we have dealt with price changes regularly and understand that, as a consumer, you might be curious as to why the price of the printer you saw last month changed to an entirely new price the next month.
This, of course, directly impacts you because to attain the best return on investment for your machine, you must get it at a price worthwhile for you and your business.
To help you understand the issue of price variations in the printer industry, especially under today’s economic conditions, below are four major reasons why the price of a new printer could change and how often those changes occur.
4 Reasons Why Printer Prices Fluctuate
Here are the four main explanations for price fluctuations in the printer industry:
-
Supply and Demand
Supply and demand are the “Economics 101” explanation for price changes in most industries and reign as the most influential factor in why you could see price variance on a printer.
It’s a simple concept: The more demand there is for a product, the more of a chance that the product’s price will increase if supply becomes limited.
For instance, supply chain disruptions have caused a deceleration in the manufacturing of printers, which has subsequently lessened the availability (i.e. supply) of certain printer models.
To make up for those printer manufacturing gaps, companies must charge a higher price to maintain their profit margins because their supply stock is limited.
In pre-COVID times, the supply and demand issues weren’t as substantial. A price increase on a machine would happen mainly because a promotion the company was running ended, and the discounted price reverted to its original price.
But under the current time of supply chain disruption mixed with an inflation rate that has risen to numbers not seen in over 40 years, it has caused an increase in almost every printer model on the market.
Printing supplies, such as toner and ink cartridges, also have experienced increases in price. However, because supplies are less expensive than machines, which makes them less prone to major price changes, there is not the same financial economic impact for printing supplies.
If you would like more information on how the supply chain crisis has affected the printer industry, read these blogs:
-
Promotions
Another area where you can see a price change, this time a decrease in cost, is because of product promotions, such as discounts or flash sales.
In the printer industry, like most other industries, companies may run promotions because of an overabundance of supply, where they decrease the price to get rid of inventory stock.
They also might run a promotion to incentivize you to buy now with a limited-time price reduction.
As an example of how recent times have changed promotional opportunities, Xerox frequently offered rebates, either end-user or instant, on many of its machines during pre-COVID times.
Because the pandemic caused turmoil in the supply chain process, resulting in an increase in prices, promotional opportunities in the printer industry are slim to none as of now and may be put on hold until the market normalizes.
In normal times, though, promotional opportunities are common with manufacturers in the printer industry.
-
Model Update
A less evident reason for why you might see an increase in the price of a particular printer model is because of an update to the original model.
A model update usually doesn’t mean the original model has been overhauled, but rather, enhanced with new features or accessories. These could include new security features or updates to improve the overall user experience.
For example, Xerox just released an updated series of printers for the VersaLink B7000 and C8000 Series; they are now the VersaLink B7100 and VersaLink C8100 Series, respectively.
Model updates are common across the printer industry and can increase the price from what was originally stated, although it’s usually not by a significant amount.
-
Time of Year
A seasonal change can precipitate a change in the price of a printer, as well.
This is particularly the case at the end of the year when companies are trying to get rid of products they have overstocked, and therefore, will offer end-of-year promotions to sell off inventory.
How Often Do Printer Prices Change?
So, how common is it for the price of a printer to change?
The pre-COVID answer is they can change often and at any time, but it’s usually not by a considerable amount. During typical times, bigger manufacturers like to run promotional discounts and you may be more likely to see a decrease in price rather than an increase in normal circumstances.
Because times are far from normal, though, price increases are incredibly common right now and are higher than they would be under standard supply chain and economic conditions.
In Xerox’s case, every single newer machine they sell has gone up in price because of the effects of the supply chain crisis and inflationary pressures, and other printer manufacturers have likely undergone the same incumbrance.
What Should You Consider When Buying a Printer?
Product price changes are common across most businesses, and the price of a printer upholds that same volatility in pricing seen from industry to industry.
Price changes have been greatly exasperated by the ongoing supply chain crisis and inflation, where costs have swelled to abnormally high rates compared to pre-pandemic levels.
It’s a trying time to be in the market for a printer, especially because advanced models can run into the thousand-dollar range, and if you have a high demand for one when supply is low, the cost burden is pushed onto you as the consumer.
But it doesn’t mean you have to wait for the residual effects of supply chain disruptions and inflation to subside before vetting out and finding a print solution.
As a vendor that has navigated the murky waters of today’s tribulations to help customers of all kinds find short-and-long-term answers for their current printer predicament, we know one thing is for sure: It’s essential to educate yourself before making a final purchasing decision, especially with the constraints of modern times.
If you would like more insight into the printer-buying process, download our Complete Guide to Purchasing or Leasing a Printer for Your Business to learn more.
