Does Costco Refill Ink Cartridges? (Full Guide)

Are you looking for a way to save money on your printing costs?

If you regularly print at high volume from your home office, constantly replacing empty capsules can be expensive. Throwing away the used capsules can also have a negative impact on the environment. One way to offset this is by getting your old printer capsules refilled. While this service was once widely available in stores, it is becoming increasingly difficult to find.

If you are wondering, ‘does Costco refill ink cartridges?’, then it’s time to find out…

Availability In Stores

Ink Cartridge refills used to be widely available in Costco stores. It was a fairly quick and easy process that promised to save customers time and money. However, the service has been phased out in recent years.

The company completely stopped offering this service in the early part of 2021. A number of other services were also phased out at the same time. The main reason that was provided for this was a decline in demand for the service.

Discontinued services

The company sent subscribers to its mailing list explaining that the service would no longer be available. The email stated that the increased popularity of camera phones and social media has led to a decline in printing. As a result, the Costco Online Ink Cartridge Refill Center has also been discontinued. 

The company has also discontinued a range of other in-store services in a drive to cut costs. All photo departments have now been closed, including development, passport photos, video transfers, and photo restoration. 

Buying New Printer Capsules 

Fortunately, you can purchase a range of brand new printer capsules in the company’s stores and on the Costco website. You can find new products from popular brands such as Epson, Brother, HP, Innovera, Lexmark, and Xerox. However, it is important to check the prices of these items carefully to make sure you get the best deal. 

The Advantages of Purchasing New Printer Capsules

While you may be convinced that refilling the empty capsules will save you money, this may not be the case. These days, the cost of new capsules has come down considerably. Let’s take a look at some of the other advantages of purchasing new capsules that you might have overlooked. 

Confirmed quality

When you purchase new ink cartridges, you can be sure that they are of the highest quality. However, this is not always the case when you choose to get them refilled. Not only can low-quality ink spoil your documents, but it can also damage your printer over time.  

Less mess

No matter how careful you are, refilling your printer capsules can be a messy process. If you are not careful, you can end up ruining your clothes, which will cost you money. Incorrectly refilling the cartridges at home can also damage your printer.  

Convenience

You can order new casings from the comfort of your own home via the company’s website. If your main goal is saving money, you need to factor in the cost of gas. This could be a bit of an issue if your nearest store is quite a drive away. You may even find that the cost works out to be roughly the same when you take this cost into account.

Limited refills

Each of the printer casings is only intended to be refilled between four and six times. Wear and tear during the printing process can also make the casings deteriorate over time. If the casing deteriorates while it is in your printer, it could cause some serious damage. 

Where You Can Find the Service

If you are sure you want to get your old capsules refilled, there are still a few options. It is important to pay close attention to the quality of the ink you will be provided with. Here are a couple of convenient places you can take advantage of this service. 

Walgreens

Most of the company’s stores that are equipped with a photo lab also provide this service. It is important to note that the service is only available if you have an empty casing from a particular brand. The brands that are supported by the photo lab include Epson, Canon, Samsung, HP, Fuji, Lexmark, and Brother. 

You need to bring the empty casing to the photo lab counter in your local Walgreens store. Make the required payment and give the employee any personal information they ask you for. This information is likely to be used when you go back to collect the full casing.

What color are you refilling?

Take care to specify the color that you want the capsule to be filled with. If you fail to do this, black is likely to be supplied as default. Write down the model and brand of your printer along with any other important information. The employee will tell you how long the process will usually take. 

Office Max

This retail chain is known for selling a wide range of high-quality office supplies. You are sure to find that the Office Max refilling service is fast and efficient. An employee will receive your empty casing and make sure it is still usable. 

Before the empty casing is refilled, it will be thoroughly cleaned to remove all traces of dried-out ink. This helps to stop the casing from getting clogged and spoiling the printing process.

Read more: Costco AirPods Return Policy

Thinking Of Working For The Superstore?

Great news! We’ll begin with How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Costco if you’re interested in a summer job, along with our in-depth guide to the Costco Application and the most frequently asked Costco Interview Questions. Also, find out what the Costco Employee Discount is, and if you have a criminal record, check out Does Costco Hire Felons before you apply.

Of course, if you’ve done some shopping and are not happy with your purchase, then you’ll probably be wondering about the Costco Mattress Return Policy, as well as the Costco Return Policy Without Receipt, if you’ve lost it.

When it comes to paying at the checkout, you’ll want to know Does Costco Accept Mastercard, Does Costco Apple Pay, along with Does Costco Take EBT, and Does Costco Accept Amex in 2023.

Does Costco Refill Ink Cartridges? – Final Thoughts 

Gone are the days when you could find a wide range of printing services at your local Costco. These have mainly been scrapped to help save the company money. 

However, it is possible to replenish your capsules at a few competing retail chains. The quality of new products has gone up considerably in recent years, while the price has been reduced. Therefore, you may find that it is cheaper and easier to simply order new ones. If you place an order through the company’s website, they will be delivered to your door in next to no time.

Good luck getting your Ink Cartridges Refilled!