Dot Matrix Vs Laser

dbyrne

I am looking to find out which is more expensive -
using a dot matrix printer to print invoices or useing a laser printer. I would be doing a few hundred pages of invoice paper a day.
Does anyone use either or both on a daily basis. Most business seem to be moving away from Dot Matrix duplicate paper and going to laser instead for invoicing.
Anyone got any price ideas, cost of running etc

Thanks for your help, some adv and disadv below

Adv and disadv
Dot Matrix :
Must get letter headed paper and listing paper produced by printers (can be expensive)
Fast and efficient and nearly always aligns correctly
Can be cheap to run, ribbons are cheap and last ages
Printers generally last several years

Laser:
Can use std a4 paper and not have to ever visit printers (reduce overheads and get bulk deal on a4 paper
Paper can misfeed or not align correctly
Toner, initial purchase and maintenance can be alot

SickBoy

Dot matrix printers are loud sons of bitches!

snappieT

Laser looks a lot more professional too, remember.

Ruu_Old

Yep, looks better on laser, cut paper costs, increase print speeds, you can add more graphics or logos to your invoices perhaps.

Creamy Goodness

another advantage of dot matrix is that you can get that three pages in one paper (invoice/delivery note/copy invioce), that cuts down on ribbon consumption.

Triangle

Dot Matrix Printers cost a lot (compared to laser)

Laser does not generally feed incorrectly unless its a cheap one.

Dot Matrix do have intermittent problems with paper feed - I have found that epson wash their hands of all problems if they can. (a couple of bad experiences with them)

If a Dot Matrix breaks its harder to find a replacement (Generally a few Laser printers in an office)

We're moving away from dot matrix - only real benefit is the 3 part paper which is becoming redundant in todays world as soft copies can be better and easier to handle that hard copies.

Trig

liamo

We have a lot of clients that use both dot-matrix and laser. We're trying to move them gradually over to laser. From a support point of view, dot-matrix printers are a nightmare when something goes wrong.

Also, with the advent of cheap duplex units in laser printers, two and four page documents can be printed on half the amount of paper by printing on both sides of the page.

dbyrne

With the ability to reprint invoices etc directly from the machine there is no longer a necessity to keep paper copies of each invoice, if you do alot of invoices it is a big pile of paper that must be kept for 7 years. The problem is where you require copy signatures but the way to do this is to use record books or sheets where you can have several signatures in 1 page for different invoices.

Another cost is cost per page by toner and initial purchase of printers. These are expensive if you make a mistake in what you buy. I have to get it right the first time.

The costs are one that I am looking at. If I am going to be doing alot of printing on a4 paper I can just buy large quantities at a time to get the best prices. Just ring any of the office supply crowds and see who will give you the best price. Remeber though that the cheapest paper isnt the best as I made the mistake when I bought alot of a3 paper and it was absolute crap.

Using a4 paper means that I no longer have printers cost for creating our listing paper unless I want something specific. Another advantage of a4 laser is that I can use the duplex to put T's & C's on the back, promotions, new lines. If I do novelty or seasonal Items I could put a Christmas message or logo on each page just for a specific time to promote a certain time of year. this things may sound daft but they can increase sales or point people to a range of goods that they never knew you did.

At the end of the day I have to balance cost per page, use ability and time spent printing each invoice. That is how i have to compare them.

So I am still researching and had to look at every invoice I printed on each day this week to get an average of pages printed per day, + credit notes, statements etc, check to see how much I paid my printers for invoice paper this year and use that to see what is the best way for me to go forward.

thanks for your help