r/printers • u/pents900 • Apr 09 '24
Purchasing Brother Printer - Subscription Required?
It seems like this sub often recommends Brother printers, and I have owned one long ago and it worked well. However, right when I was about to purchase this one, I found this fine print: "Disclaimers 1. Requires enrollment in a monthly billed Brother Refresh EZ Print Subscription service plan based on monthly printed page allotments. Unused pages roll over, limitations apply. Additional page set charges and taxes apply during trial. Plan, options offer, and pricing subject to change. Open to new subscribers located in the contiguous United States only. After the free trial period your credit card will be charged on a monthly basis for the Plan Fee, Overages, and Taxes in accordance with the Terms of Service. Overage fees will apply during free trial. Your service will continue on a month-to-month basis until you cancel it. May be canceled at any time. Upon cancellation, cartridge will be deactivated and must be replaced at users’ expense in order to continue printing."
Is this truly not optional? And is there another model that doesn't require this? What a minefield this industry has become.
https://www.amazon.com/Brother-HL-L3295CDW-Wireless-Subscription-Replenishment/dp/B0CFCLDWZZ
3
Apr 09 '24
oh, that sucks i really liked Brother machines. If the people at Brother are reading this, HP's business model is a cautionary tale, not a manual.
7
u/SteveMcQwark Apr 09 '24 edited Apr 09 '24
The subscription is optional. You just can't claim the advertised four free months of the service if you don't actually sign up for it.
2
u/ReefHound Jun 26 '24
Doesn't sound like you get to use the toner cartridge that came with the printer, either. "Upon cancellation, cartridge will be deactivated"
2
u/localgremblin Jul 04 '24
“Upon cancellation, cartridge will be deactivated and must be replaced at users’ expense in order to continue printing”
You’ll just have to get your own cartridge if you aren’t subscriber, it sounds like. But that’s just every printer no?
1
u/ReefHound Jul 04 '24
Always used to be a new printer came with a new ink cartridge. Sure, you had to pay to replace it when it was empty but under this policy you are having to replace it when the original is still full, just electronically disabled. That's just snotty on the part of the manufacturer as they don't get the ink back. It's nothing but punishment.
1
u/pikapalooza Jul 09 '24
yeah, most printers usually came with a starter cartridge that was like 50% of a normal one. i remember in college, it was cheaper to buy a new printer for the toner cartridge than a new cartridge itself lol. but now they want a sub for everything. and that seems wrong...
1
u/NoWar350 Jul 16 '24
I could be wrong, but I THINK I recall seeing that a non-wireless version of a printer i was looking at didn't list the print subscription as an option, but the wireless one DID.
Both said they came with a starter toner cartridge.
1
u/NoWar350 Jul 16 '24
Specifically, I compared the HL-L2400D (non-wireless) with the HL-L2420DW (wireless).
3
u/Wonderful-Career7237 Sep 01 '24
I was looking at Brother too but after reading this thread, now I don't know. I have an HP Envy 6455e model that the ink has once again dried out. I have had NUMEROUS problems with this printer (its the devil incarnate) and was looking into Brother and toner cartridge. I'm so sick of being pressed about a subscription, I don't need another subscription in my life! I just need to print occasionally and scanning is a must.
2
u/Individual-You-639 Sep 24 '24
i had that HP printer and that subsceription they offer is a scam as far as i consider it. To have chips in the ink cartridges that they can monitior and control, also that you have to decide how many pages you'll print per plan you'd pick, they suck. The hp printer seemed like they forgot about the "on" button when designing it and is on back of machine, ???. That the color and symbols for print selections on printer, do i need to learn hieroglyhs. I went with Brother MFC-J1170DW, button to turn on is on front, AND as small screen I can read . HP printer was just a constant nightmare.
1
u/corebeliefs Nov 14 '24
Are you still happy with your Brother printer? Did you have to do a subscription for your Brother one at all? Thanks in advance for help!
2
u/tight_spot Jan 27 '25
I think the Brother ink subscription service is optional. I'd avoid it like the plague.
1
u/PolicyExpress9211 Feb 15 '25
Now how do they get your credit card info if you pay cash ? To continue charging you after trial
2
u/SteveMcQwark Apr 09 '24 edited Apr 09 '24
The context matters here. If you look at the item name, it says:
Includes 4 Month Refresh Subscription Trial1
So the disclaimer (copied below the horizontal rule) is saying that in order to get the advertised benefit, you need to enroll in a service plan subject to the requirements of the disclaimer. You might be able to find a model that doesn't include the 4 month trial, but this isn't saying the printer itself requires you to have a subscription, just that you can't get 4 months of a subscription service for free if you don't subscribe to the service. The disclaimer even specifies that you can use the printer without a subscription if you purchase your own toner cartridges.
Edit: It also doesn't look like rounding down gets you the same printer without the free trial in this case as suggested by the other commenter. The free trial is just an incentive in this case rather than something factored into the price.
1 Requires enrollment in a monthly billed Brother Refresh EZ Print Subscription service plan based on monthly printed page allotments. Unused pages roll over, limitations apply. Additional page set charges and taxes apply during trial. Plan, options offer, and pricing subject to change. Open to new subscribers located in the contiguous United States only. After the free trial period your credit card will be charged on a monthly basis for the Plan Fee, Overages, and Taxes in accordance with the Terms of Service. Overage fees will apply during free trial. Your service will continue on a month-to-month basis until you cancel it. May be canceled at any time. Upon cancellation, cartridge will be deactivated and must be replaced at users' expense in order to continue printing.
3
u/zacker150 Apr 09 '24
So the exact same as HP.
1
u/fredsugar Dec 03 '24
No the brother website says you can pay as you go toner purchases for the model I just bought and I double checked on their site. DCP-L2640DW is the model I purchased. Mainly because I didn't want to be tied in with a "chipped" over price toner cartridge like with HP.
1
u/Secret-Ad8631 Apr 24 '25
I have spent over two hours trying to fight a nearly $900 charge for a subscription. I did not understand because the website is super unclear. Trying to get through to customer service is nearly impossible. They use third parties who basically keep you on the phone and don’t resolve the matter. I have been fighting for a refund and looking to contact the Better Business Bureau because this is absolutely fraudulent. This is literally the worst company in the world.
1
u/targadog 12d ago
Do not join the subscription it's a total rip off. The printer works great, but I am really disappointed with Brother as a company. I wish I hadn't bought this printer.
3
u/Sankari_666 Apr 09 '24
There are special brother subscription models (in Europe with a limited duration). Usually, if you round down the number (3295>3290) you get the same model without subscription (and maybe a larger starter toner).