Viking brand Ink & Toner Shop

Frequently Asked Questions

• What's a compatible cartridge?

  Compatible, or remanufactured, cartridges have been reprocessed from an original equipment manufacturers (OEM) empty core. The process differs depending on who's making the compatible cartridge and what materials they're using, so you'll be pleased to know our cartridges are produced to stringent quality control standards using lab-tested components. We're out to ensure absolutely consistent OEM-equivalent performance.

• What should I do if my cartridge isn't printing correctly?

  In the unlikely event that your cartridge is not printing to your satisfaction, there may be a blockage on the print nozzles caused either by dried ink particles or an air lock. This problem can easily be remedied by carrying out a simple manual cleaning procedure:

  1. Take a cotton bud and dampen with some warm water. Then gently wipe around the area of the print head at the base of the cartridge.
  2. Dab the print head onto a clean absorbent paper kitchen towel until the ink begins to filter through. The following should then be visible on the kitchen towel:
     COLOUR CARTRIDGE - 3 distinct oval or round shapes should be seen coloured cyan, magenta and yellow
     BLACK CARTRIDGE - a full black oval shape
  3. Take a clean, dry paper kitchen towel and gently wipe the copper contact points at the back of the cartridge and the contacts inside the printer cartridge carrier.
  4. Install the cartridge into the printer.
  5. Run a cleaning cycle on your printer.
• What should I do if an error message appears on my screen?

  In the event that your printer does not accept the new cartridge, a "pop up" screen is likely to appear on your PC or a light(s) might flash on your printer:

  It is likely that something is interfering with the information that is being sent to the cartridge by the printer. A simple re-setting process can be followed to remedy the problem:

  1. Take a clean, dry paper kitchen towel and gently wipe the copper contact points at the back of the cartridge and the contacts inside the printer cartridge carriage to ensure that the electronic contacts are not hindered.
  2. Install the cartridge into the printer.
  3. Unplug the printer from the power supply for approximately 1 minute to clear its memory.
  4. Reconnect the printer to the power supply.
  5. Run a cleaning cycle on your printer to ensure correct alignment for optimum print quality.
• Warranty information: Our Guarantee. A Promise to You...

  Our goal for all our imaging supplies is to meet or exceed OEM performance. If in using our products under normal business conditions during the warranty period, they fail to perform to your expectations, please contact us for replacement or credit. See our warranty below for details. Manufacturer’s warranty This product is warranted to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of 10 years from date of purchase when stored, installed and used under normal conditions. If the product fails during the warranty period, the product will be replaced or credit issued at the option of the buyer in accordance with the manufacturer’s Returned Material Policy. This product is warranted not to damage the print head or a printing mechanism or component when stored, installed and used in accordance with the recommended procedures of the product manufacturer or the equipment manufacturer’s recommended procedures. In the event of any damage to a printing mechanism or component caused solely and directly by the use of this product, the manufacturer will pay the reasonable cost of service and repair, provided the buyer: (1) notifies us of such damage in writing within thirty days and (2) delivers a written service report, signed by authorized technical service personnel, identifying the supply product as the sole and direct cause of such damage, along with print samples and damaged or replaced parts. The manufacturer of this product accepts no responsibility for damage to the equipment printing components due to lack of routine and proper service, maintenance or cleaning of the equipment, including the replacement of equipment components at the end of their rated lives, as recommended by the equipment manufacturer. The above warranty is in lieu of all other warranties expressed, implied or statutory, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose and merchantability and sets forth buyer’s exclusive remedy in connection with such warranties. In no event shall we be liable for collateral, consequential, in-direct, incidental or exemplary damages, including, without limitation, any lost profits, loss of data or loss of use, arising out of, or connected in any way with, this agreement or any goods sold pursuant hereto. Some states or provinces do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages or implied warranties, so the above limitations may not apply to you.

  This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other legal rights which vary from country to country.

• How are compatible cartridges produced?

  First, empty cartridges are disassembled and inspected, and key components are replaced when necessary. Since wear and tear of the OPC (Organic Photo Conductor) affects final print quality, we only use new drums in our cartridges to ensure OEM-equivalent results.

  After being filled with premium toner powder, 100% of our cartridges are tested on the production line prior to packaging. Our cartridges are then sealed and inserted into a static-resistant bag to ensure they arrive to you free from leaks and ready to install.

  Finally, all worn out toner parts and used packaging material are recycled.

• Are compatible cartridges the same quality as original ones?

  There should be no difference, either in print quality or page yield. Our compatible cartridges only contain high-quality raw materials, and we work with an independent organization to certify our products under ISO 19752 and ISO 19798 standards for page yield testing.

• What if I experience a print quality issue?

  If a cartridge doesn't meet your expectations, tell us. Notify a customer service representative and return the cartridge and a page sample showing the print quality problem in the box it came in. We'll evaluate it and see about a replacement.

• Will using compatible toner cartridges invalidate my equipment warranty?

  Don't worry, the law prohibits manufacturers from voiding their warranty obligations on the grounds that a consumer didn't use the original manufacturer's replacement cartridge.

  Additionally, in the event of any damage to the printer caused by the use of our product, Viking will pay the reasonable cost of repair, provided that the cartridge and damaged/replaced parts are returned along with a technician's report. Please speak with our customer service representative for more details.

• Why don't more people recycle?

  Basically, not everyone knows compatible cartridges can perform as well as an OEM. The office products remanufacturing industry has been in existence for around 15 years now and huge advancements have been made in improving the technology involved in producing compatible cartridges. Now, with the added focus on green public procurement, more and more users are realising they're not just meeting their corporate social responsibility agenda with compatible cartridges, they're actually getting extra value for money too.

• Am I really helping the environment by using compatible?

  Remanufactured cartridges are produced by reusing original cartridge components rather than manufacturing entirely new ones. This process aligns with the EU waste hierarchy, which prioritises waste prevention and re-use over recycling and disposal.

  
  Independent life‑cycle assessment studies indicate that, in general, remanufacturing printer cartridges can reduce material use and waste generation compared to producing new cartridges (source: https://www.etira.org/cartridge-remanufacturing/re-using-empty-cartridges-why/).

  
  Our remanufactured cartridges are manufactured using a remanufacturing process that focuses on extending the useful life of original cartridge components, with non‑reusable parts sent to accredited recycling facilities.