Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
A class action lawsuit alleges that Epson wrongly prevents their printers from working with ink made by any other manufacturer.
William Mondigo and Richard Famiglietti say that when they purchased their printers, they reviewed the specifications for them, and noted that Epson did not disclose that the company would disable the printers if a third-party ink cartridge was used.
Allegedly, Epson engages in a “systematic campaign” of disabling Epson printers when the user attempts to use non-Epson ink cartridges. Mondigo and Famiglietti say that the company does this by designing software updates that purposely disables the printers when the non-Epson ink cartridges are installed.
The two customers go on to state that there is nothing wrong with the third-party ink cartridges, noting that they work with Epson printers that have not been given the software update that disables the printers.
Mondigo and Famiglietti also note that they and other customers actively did not authorize Epson to disable their printers. The customers explain that a purchaser must agree to Epson’s licensing agreement, and they note that the licensing agreement states that Epson may implement software updates. However, the license allegedly does not explain that these updates could disable the printers.
Mondigo and Famiglietti say that for many users, these updates effectively ruined the Epson printers. The customers say they were forced to pay more for ink cartridges than they otherwise would, because Epson ink cartridges cost significantly more than third-party cartridges, some costing as much as $150.
Additionally, the plaintiffs note that in many cases, the cost of replacement cartridges over the lifetime of the printer is higher than the cost of the printer itself.
The Epson printer class action lawsuit states that Epson did not inform printer owners that the company would update the software so that the printers would not work with non-Epson printer ink. The Epson printer class action lawsuit goes on to say that Epson advertised that the software updates would “improve the printers and fix known issues.”
The Epson ink cartridge class action lawsuit says that Epson’s action to disable the printers when third-party cartridges are used goes beyond information provided in the Epson 2018 Annual Report. Allegedly, that report did note that Epson printers could be used with third-party ink cartridges, and explained that customer use of these third-party products could cut into the company’s bottom line.
However, the Epson printer ink cartridge class action lawsuit says that in that report, Epson does not discuss disabling printers as a way to increase the company’s market shares, and merely suggests tactics including “emphasizing the quality of genuine Epson brand” and “enhance[ing] customer experience and developing new products…”
Was your printer disabled after you used a third-party ink cartridge? Let us know in the comment section.
Mondigo and Famiglietti are represented by Jae K. Kim, Eric D. Zard, Edwin J. Kilpela and James P. McGraw of Carlson Lynch LLP and Michael K. Yarnoff of Kehoe Law Firm PC.
The Epson Printer Ink Cartridge Class Action Lawsuit is William Mondigo, et al. v. Epson America Inc., Case No. 3:19-cv-02009-BEN-BGS, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
©2008 – 2024 Top Class Actions® LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
1,586 thoughts onEpson Class Action Says Printers Disabled When Non-Epson Ink Used
Just had it happen, had to pay 4 times as much to get epson cartridges. What a joke, if I knew this beforehand I would have bought a different brand
I have several different Epson Printers and also have the same issue with all but my WF7720. The WF7720 give me the option of continuing with the off brand cartridge, for now. My WF7310 use to do the same and then one day it would not recognize my off brand cartridges that I had been using for months if not a year. I just opened a business this week and both of my smaller printers are out of commission until I can get cartridges for them. This is very very frustrating as I am DIW (Dead in the Water) without them.
I own a WF – 4820 Printer. I’m having the same problems as other posts. I’m communicating with Epson Customer Service but they’re telling me I’m SOL (Short On Luck). I will have to buy a full set of Epson Genuine Ink cartridges before I can get my printer up and running! I like the printer but this problem makes it a boat anchor!
My printer was working fine with Off-Brand ink, then some update came along and now my printer is disabled. This is outrageous! I feel like I’m being blackmailed / held for ransom until I buy EPSON branded ink.
Please add me.
I currently have about 30 of these but have only had 2 get bricked so far.
I have a WF 4830 and not only will it not allow you to use non Epson ink…but it also makes you replace ink cartridges when they aren’t empty. They have jacked the price of ink up insanely high…and you can’t use refillable cartridges or refill them. This is extortion! Not to mention it creates unnecessary increased carbon foot print with disposing of ink cartridges that could be refilled…as well as having to dispose of ink cartridges before they are actually empty. The ones I have now are half full and it’s making me replace them all. I emailed Epson and reminded them of the HP lawsuit…and they emailed me back a form response that the require that. I hope they get hit with a huge lawsuit.
Happened to me as well. Printer completely stopped working. Epson ink or 3rd party Add me to the class action list. 2/17/2024
Happened to me as well. Printer completely stopped working. Epson ink or 3rd party Add me to the class action list
Happened to me as well. Printer completely stopped working. Epson ink or 3rd party
Bought an Epson WF-4833 back in May 2023. Right off the bat a message shows up “Firmware update.” I started using refurbished
ink cartridges without any problem as long as I did not allow the update to go through. Well, I needed to use the scanner and had to download
the “Smartscan” driver. That was the end of using refurbished ink. Now my printer wont work. Spent 3 hours this morning reading/watching videos on how to get the cartridges to work. NO GO! DARN, IF THEY HAD A WARNING ON THE BOX OF THE NEW PRINTER THAT REFURBISHED WOULD NOT WORK I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS OR ALLOWED ANY FIRMWARE UPDATES!!!! Surfing the internet for Epson cartridges, YIKES! Too much money.
Same thing happen to me yesterday, but merely with trying to use the copier, without computer.