Laser v's POS Printer

Cost Analysis
Using a Laser Printer V's a POS Printer

Introduction

The question is often asked: "Can I use my Laser printer instead of using a Point of Sale (POS) Printer?".  POS Printers come as both Impact Printers and Thermal Printers and they are relatively small and used everywhere, but people still wonder why those small POS printers are used.

The Short Answer

Most POS software packages will allow you to use a laser printer for producing receipts. So there is no reason why you can't use an existing laser printer.

Using a laser for POS is going to cost you.

Although you can use a LASER printer to print your POS receipts, making the Short Answer obviously YES, if even 10 receipts a day are printed you may choose to do differently. One major reason for choosing differently is the cost of printing. Printing with a Laser depending on the brand and model is going to cost you a minimum of 3.5cents per invoice, but most likely upwards of 5.5c per invoice. At 10 invoices per day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks per year this will cost 2500 x 5.5c $125, 20 invoices per day $250, 40 invoices per day $500 annually.

Below the annual cost for a number of printers has been shown based on the number of invoices printed per year. The details of how the printing cost per page were calculated on which this information is based is shown in the section Calculating Laser Printing Costs.

*Based on Table 6, Total Page Cost per page calculated on a 100,000 page printer life. Invoices are printed per day, 5 days per week 50 weeks per year.

Figure 1 - LASER PRINTER ANNUAL INVOICING COSTS

Using a POS printer minimises cost

People often buy POS printers for their store for a variety of reasons:

• It looks more professional

• Every body uses them

• They are small and take up much bench space

• They are convenient

• Customers expect you to have them

The best reason is often never considered.  POS printers absolutely reduce and minimise your receipt and invoicing costs.

The life of a POS printer far exceeds the life of a Laser printer. Typical specifications for a POS Thermal Printer include:

• Mechanism: 15,000,000 lines

• Thermal head: 100 million pulses, 100 km

• Auto cutter: 1,500,000 cuts

In every case the life of a POS printer far exceeds that of a Laser Printer. Can you imagine your Laser Printer handling 100km of paper without wearing out. That would be 500,000 A4 pages. Most Thermal printers last much longer than even this figure. So effectively a POS Printer is specified to last 5 times longer than most laser printers specified at 100,000 pages.

Most manufacturers offer a three year warranty on new Thermal Receipt Printers at no extra cost. Although Impact printers usually only have a 12 month warranty they very rarely if ever break down and many are in service 10 years or more down the track. Ribbons in even busy shops last almost a year.

The Annual printing costs for a Thermal Printer based on the number of receipts printed per year are shown below.

*Based on Table 4, Total Page Cost per page calculated on a 150km printer life. Invoices are printed per day, 5 days per week 50 weeks per year.

Figure 2 - POS THERMAL RECEIPT PRINTER ANNUAL RECEIPT COSTS

The Annual printing costs for an Impact Printer based on the number of receipts printed per year are shown below.

*Based on Table 5, Total Page Cost per page calculated on a 150,000,000 character life. Invoices are printed per day, 5 days per week 50 weeks per year.

Figure 3 - POS IMPACT RECEIPT PRINTER ANNUAL RECEIPT COSTS

POS Thermal Printer Costs

The Total Cost of Ownership of a variety of Thermal Printers including consumables is calculated below assuming a printer life of 100km. Printer Costs are approximate average prices for the printers. The final row gives the cost per receipt which is of the order of 0.4c per receipt for Black & White printing to 1.0c per receipt for Colour printing . That's less than one tenth to one fifth the cost of using a laser printer.

*Receipt Length is estimated based on paper weight, printer life is estimated based on available specifications.

Figure 4 - POS THERMAL RECEIPT PRINTER COSTS OVER THE LIFE OF THE PRINTER

POS Impact Printer Costs

Similar results are obtained when calculations are performed for Impact or Dot Matrix Slip printers. The Total Cost of Ownership of a variety of Impact Printers including consumables is calculated below assuming a printer life of 150,000,000 characters. Printer Costs are approximate average prices for the printers. The final row gives the cost per receipt which is of the order of 0.6c per receipt for Black & White printing. Again that is about one tenth the cost of using a laser printer.

*Receipt Length is estimated based on paper weight, printer life is estimated based on available specifications for character life.

Figure 5 - POS IMPACT RECEIPT PRINTER COSTS OVER THE LIFE OF THE PRINTER

Calculating Laser Printing Costs

To work out the cost of printing, the cost of the printer has been amortized over the life of the printer. Then we have added the cost of consumables such as toner and any parts that have to be replaced such as the Drum in some printers. Even the half filled toner cartridge that is provided to start you off has been taken into account. In addition to these costs is the paper you are to print on.

The figures that have been calculated are based on a few assumptions. These assumptions assume that you bought the Printer at full Recommended Retail price, and the print cartridges at Full Recommended Retail if know other wise the price at Office Works. Our reasons for choosing these figures is that it allows direct comparison between printers as well as comparison with POS printers.

Another assumptions made include that the life of a LASER printer is 100,000 pages as specified by some (but not all) manufacturers. This is equivalent to a life of 5 years at 20,000 pages a year or 10 years at 10,000 pages a year. Lasers are assumed to print the number of pages specified for print cartridges. One more is that the cost of paper is $5.00 per ream or 1c per page.

The cost of ownership and over the life of the printer and then the cost of printing excluding paper is calculated, the then cost of paper is included to give a total cost per page.

Even if you already own a Laser printer you can use, you still have to add the cost of replacement.

*Canon, Brother & HP do not specify printer life
100,000 pages gives a 5 yr life at 20,000 pages per year

Figure 6 - LASER PRINTER COSTS OVER THE LIFE OF THE PRINTER