You have a printer at home (or at work) that is using pretty serious ink. You probably are not aware that there are ways you can make money selling used ink cartridges instead of throwing those empty ink cartridges away.
If you’ve been looking for the best way to sell used ink cartridges, look no further, you are in the right place. Different methods of selling ink cartridges will bring you different amounts of money.
So, if you are interested in selling your used cartridges for real cash, stick to this writing to the end and discover where to sell your used ink cartridges and who is buying them both in-person and online, as well as, some real tips on how to make money selling your used ink cartridges.
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How to Make Money Selling Used Ink Cartridges
You can recycle computers for money, so it only makes sense that you can make money selling used ink cartridges. Selling used ink cartridges not only helps you reduce the cost of running your printer, but it can also become a little side hustle.
You can try the following ways to sell your used ink cartridges.
#1. Sell used ink cartridges on eBay
eBay appears to be the largest market for used ink cartridge sales. People pay anywhere from $3 to $5 for them. If you are selling the ink cartridges yourself, it is important that you follow the best practices required to sell successfully on eBay.
For example, if you are using used ink cartridges, be sure to include the manufacturer and model numbers.
Also show the color because buyers want to know if the cartridges are black or a specific color – or both. Add some clear pictures, including photos that show the side view of the model number.
For pricing purposes, check out which other sellers are selling the type of cartridge you have chosen. Use previously sold and current prices as a guide when pricing your cartridges.
Don’t forget to consider shipping costs when choosing your price. You can offer free shipping and add shipping costs to your listing price or keep shipping costs separate.
#2. Refill them yourself and sell them on eBay
Some people choose to refill and sell the ink cartridges themselves. Refilling ink cartridges by yourself can be time-consuming. However, it can be a profitable business, especially if you have access to many empty ink cartridges through home use, or through your business or employer.
If you want to sell refilled ink cartridges on eBay, you should apply the same useful eBay selling tips we talked about above. Also, make sure you seal them and ship them securely.
#3. Sell them on TonerBuyer.com
TonerBuyer.com is a recycling company founded in 1984. According to its website, it is a family business that paid millions of dollars for empty ink cartridges and other supplies.
The website is easy to use. Simply click the “Sell Us Your Empty Printer Cartridges” button and fill out the online ink cartridge sales form. You fill in your personal information and then enter the number of each cartridge type in the online form.
When you’re done, click the “Sell us your empties” button at the bottom of the page. The company will send you a prepaid shipping label with shipping instructions.
You will receive your payment within 21 days of receiving your order. Note that TonerBuyer.com only accepts certain types of empty ink cartridges.
#4. Sell them to further develop recycling
Evolve Recycling is a company focused on the recycling and resale of electronic items. They are based in Illinois and manufacture over 2 million ink cartridges a month.
Evolve offers a simple, turnkey program that lets you make money by sending in your used ink cartridges. First, you go to the Evolve Recycling website and create a free account.
Then collect your empty ink cartridges and send them to Evolve using the free shipping label. You can either print the label or have it sent to your home. Note that you must have at least 20 cartridges or £20 worth of cartridges before you can send them in.
Evolve will credit your account as soon as it receives your packages. Once your balance is at least $25, you will automatically receive a check. As with TonerBuyer.com, Evolve only accepts certain types of ink cartridges.
However, the list of acceptable cartridges is quite extensive compared to other sites. Check the Evolve website for more information on the cartridges they’re currently accepting.
#5. Get Store Credit
Another way to make money from used ink cartridges is to sell them back to office supply stores. You can check both smaller, local non-chain stores and larger chain stores to see if you can get credit for your empty ink cartridges.
This is how recycling works at some of the larger office supply chain stores.
Office depot
The Office Depot Recycle Rewards Program gives you $2 in credit for every empty ink cartridge you bring into a store. Be aware that the Office Depot program contains some terms.
You can return a maximum of 10 empty ink cartridges per month. Well, you can give in more, but you only get credit for 10. That equates to a monthly reward of $20.
To be eligible for the rewards, you must make qualifying purchases of $10 from your Office Depot store in the same month. The rewards are paid monthly and can be printed online. And they only accept undamaged ink cartridges.
Staples
The Staples ink cartridge recycling program works a little differently. You must first spend at least $30 on ink cartridges or toner at a Staples location.
You can make your purchase in a store or online. However, you must have made your purchase within 180 to be able to take advantage of the Recycle Rewards Program.
When you return your used ink cartridges, receive $2 in credit for each empty ink cartridge. The credit will take effect at the end of the statement cycle and you can recycle a maximum of 10 cartridges per month.
Both are great ways to make money from your ink cartridges. Check with the local off-chain office supply stores to see if they can get you a better deal.
6. Sell to UsRecycleInk
US Recycling, also known as USRecycleInk, pays you up to $3 to $4 each for your empty ink cartridges. And if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on empty cartridges, they pay up to $23 for empty cartridges.
This company offers two ways to sell empty ink cartridges. The first option is to call the customer service line and have a customer service representative walk you through the process.
The second option is to fill out the online form and upload a picture of the cartridges for sale. Note that you don’t need to open an account to sell to US Recycling. They try to make the process as simple as possible.
As with Evolve Recycling, you’ll need a minimum of 20-pound cartridges or 20 units. At this time, they do not accept Epson or generic ink cartridges.
After the company receives your shipment, they will review the order and send you your payment within two weeks.
7. Sell on NEEDEMPTY
NEEDEMPTY buys your empty ink cartridges to sell to companies that specialize in refilling and reselling. It’s important to note that this company has a higher minimum shipping order than the other companies listed here.
At NEEDEMPTY, you need at least 100 empty ink cartridges or 50 empty toner cartridges to sell to these people. And the ink cartridges have to be “virgin” cartridges.
This means that they only buy empty cartridges that have not been refilled or refurbished before. To sell to this company all you have to do is fill out the online form on their website.
After you’ve entered the information about the ink cartridges you have and your contact information, NEEDEMPTY will review your list. They will get in touch with you within 24 hours with an offer amount.
If you accept your offer, you will receive a prepaid shipping label. You package the cartridges, stick the label on and send them off.
The website says nothing about the process that takes place after it is shipped. However, you can assume that this is the standard process: the company receives the shipment, analyzes it, and sends you your money.
8. Sell to STS INKS
Another company that you can sell your empty cartridges to is STS INKS. STS INKS has been in the ink technology business since 1999. You need a minimum of 48 empty cartridges to be sold to this company.
And like other companies, they have a specific list of the types of cartridges that they will buy. Unlike NEEDEMPTY, STS INKS does not accept virgin cartridges; H. Cartridges that were previously refilled.
However, only non-virgin cartridges that have been refilled with the original manufacturer’s ink are used. STS INKS will send you a prepaid shipping label for your cartridges.
Once they receive the package, they will evaluate the cartridges and pay you for them. Their website says they pay up to $2 per cartridge. Other websites say they’ll pay up to $3 or $4 per cartridge, but it’s the part that leaves you guessing.
Only experience will tell you which companies pay the best. And of course, the condition of the cartridge and other factors make a difference in how much you can earn too.
9. Sell to Dazz-Cycle
Dazz-Cycle also buys your used ink cartridges. However, they do not pay cash to individuals. Instead, the company is running a fundraiser. They send the money they pay for the empty cartridges to your school, club, or organization.
So, if you’re not all for the money but want to do something good, or if you run a non-profit club or organization, this might be the website for you.
The Dazz Cycle website states that they have the highest payout and fastest turnaround in the cartridge fundraising industry. The company also claims to pay between $0.10 and $12.00 per cartridge, with an average payout of $1.50 per cartridge.
And they say they will send out a check within 3 to 14 days of receiving your shipment. Note that this company will deduct $ 1 from your payment for every cartridge you send.
- Damaged
- Not on the approved cartridges list
- Not virgin (previously refilled)
If you don’t know exactly what you’re collecting and submitting, mistakes like these can potentially devour all of your profits.
Dazz-Cycle could be a great way to sell used ink cartridges if you want to raise funds and can include a group of people in the collection.
Conclusion
You can sell or recycle ink cartridges while you use them and make a few extra bucks. Also, if you have great resources, you can collect lots of empty cartridges and make a real business out of reselling or recycling them.
Just like recycling glass or anything else for money, recycling ink cartridges can be a solid money cow and how much money you make is up to you.
The most important thing is that money can be made in recycling ink cartridges. If you have access to plenty of ink cartridges, this is an eco-friendly side hustle that should be yours.
References
- https://wellkeptwallet.com › Make Money
- https://tonerconnect.net › blog › sell-empty-used-toner-…
- https://www.thepennyhoarder.com › quick-money › in…
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