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Genuine vs Compatible Cartridges

We sell two kinds of ink and toner: genuine cartridges made by the printer manufacturer, and compatible (third-party) cartridges made by other manufacturers to fit the same printers. Both are legitimate; they differ in who makes them, what they cost, and which warranty applies. This page explains the difference in plain terms and shows exactly how we label every product so you always know which one you are buying.

Last updated: 5 May 2026 Version: 2026.05

1. The 30-second summary

  • Genuine (OEM): made by the printer brand itself — Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, Kyocera, Lexmark, OKI, Samsung, or Fuji Xerox. Carries that manufacturer’s own warranty. Usually the higher-priced option.
  • Compatible (third-party): made by a different manufacturer to work in the same printer. Not made by, affiliated with, or endorsed by the printer brand. Lower cost, and covered by our 30-day satisfaction guarantee.
  • How we label it: every product is marked in its title as either genuine or compatible. Compatible products name the printers they fit in the description — that’s a compatibility statement, not a claim to be the original brand.
  • Your rights are the same either way: the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 covers both. Faulty is faulty, whoever made it.

InkCartridges.co.nz is operated by Office Consumables Ltd (NZBN 9429033934204, GST 94-509-459).

2. What “genuine” means

A genuine cartridge — also called OEM, for “original equipment manufacturer” — is made and sold by the same company that made your printer. An HP cartridge in HP packaging is genuine HP; a Brother cartridge in Brother packaging is genuine Brother.

  • Sold in the manufacturer’s own packaging, with their part number (MPN).
  • Backed by the printer manufacturer’s warranty.
  • Priced as a first-party product.

When a product is genuine, its title says so and it is listed under the manufacturer’s brand. We do not relabel third-party cartridges as genuine.

3. What “compatible” (third-party) means

A compatible cartridge is manufactured by a company other than the printer brand, and engineered to fit and function in a specific list of printers. It is sometimes called a “third-party,” “generic,” or “aftermarket” cartridge.

Important — compatible does not mean original

Compatible cartridges are not made, licensed, or endorsed by the printer manufacturer. When a compatible product lists printer models such as “fits HP DeskJet 2700 series,” that describes which printers it works in. It is a statement of compatibility only — never a claim that the cartridge is a genuine HP part.

Brand names of printers appear on compatible listings solely to tell you what the cartridge fits. The manufacturer brand names are the property of their respective owners.

4. How we label every product

Every product page and search result is driven by a single “source” value — genuine or compatible — and the product title reflects it. We do not compute the label from guesswork, and a compatible product never displays a genuine badge (or the reverse).

  • Title: genuine products are listed under the manufacturer brand; compatible products begin with “Compatible” and describe the cartridge type and the printers it replaces.
  • Compatibility list: the printers a cartridge fits are shown in the product description, not in the brand field.
  • Price: shown GST-inclusive in New Zealand dollars.
  • Availability: in-stock items show an Add to Cart button; items we can only source to order show “Contact us” instead of a buy button.

5. Warranty and your Consumer Guarantees Act rights

Whichever type you buy, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 applies to consumer purchases: the cartridge must be of acceptable quality, fit for purpose, and match its description. On top of those statutory rights:

  • Genuine cartridges carry the printer manufacturer’s own warranty.
  • Compatible cartridges are covered by our 30-day satisfaction guarantee — if a compatible cartridge is faulty, defective, or isn’t performing as it should, contact us within 30 days of delivery for a free replacement or full refund.

Compatible cartridges from us are covered by our 30-day satisfaction guarantee, and your statutory rights under the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 apply to everything we sell. If you have questions about your printer’s manufacturer warranty, check the manufacturer’s warranty terms.

6. Which should you choose?

Both are good choices for different reasons — there is no single right answer, and we sell plenty of both.

  • Choose genuine if you want the manufacturer’s own product and warranty, or your device is under a service contract that requires OEM supplies.
  • Choose compatible if you want to reduce your printing costs on everyday documents, backed by our 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

Not sure what fits your printer? Use the printer-model finder on our home page, or contact us and we’ll help you match the right cartridge.

7. Need help?

Email support@inkcartridges.co.nz, call 027 474 0115, or use the contact form. We reply within one business day.