Using a compatible or third-party cartridge will not void your printer’s statutory warranty. Here’s what the law guarantees, and how Easy Office Supplies backs it up.

Your Rights Under Australian Consumer Law

Consumer rights are strongly protected under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Schedule 2 — the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). Under the ACL, “consumer guarantees” apply automatically and can’t be excluded, restricted, or modified by any contract or warranty. A manufacturer cannot force you to use only their branded genuine parts or consumables to keep your statutory warranty.

If an OEM printer manufacturer or retailer claims your warranty is voided simply because you used a compatible cartridge, that’s generally considered illegal under the ACL. The ACCC has previously taken enforcement action against major printer manufacturers for misleading consumers on this exact issue.

How the Warranty Works

When you use an Easy Office Supplies compatible cartridge in your printer:

The OEM warranty remains intact.
The manufacturer’s warranty covering the printer hardware — motherboard, paper feed mechanisms, scanner bed — stays fully valid.

Burden of proof.
A manufacturer can’t simply void the warranty upon discovering a compatible cartridge. To legally deny a claim, they must prove the specific cartridge directly caused the hardware failure.

Hardware vs. consumables.
If a fault is entirely unrelated to ink or toner – a software glitch or a broken paper tray, for example – the OEM is legally obligated to honour the warranty and repair or replace the printer.

Easy Office Supplies Quality Guarantee & Coverage

We stand behind our compatible cartridges and toners, manufactured to meet or exceed OEM specifications. In the highly unlikely event that one is proven to have directly caused damage to your printer, we’re committed to resolving it.

We go further than the ACL requires. We’ll cover the cost of repair or replacement if a fault is directly attributable to one of our compatible cartridges or toners, provided the printer is still within its original OEM warranty period when the fault occurs – – whether that’s one year, two years, or whatever the OEM specified at purchase. You won’t be left out of pocket.

Eligibility conditions

Printer still within OEM warranty period
The fault must occur within the original warranty period specified by the printer manufacturer from the date of purchase.

Proof of purchase
You’ll need proof of purchase for both the printer and the Easy Office Supplies cartridge or toner.

Fault directly attributable to our product
A written technical assessment must confirm the Easy Office Supplies product directly caused the fault.

Unmodified printer
The printer must not have been physically modified, misused, or run outside normal operating conditions.

Exclusive use of Easy Office Supplies products
The printer must only have been used with Easy Office Supplies compatible cartridges or toners – – use of any other third- party compatible product voids this coverage.

Important Notice Regarding Other Suppliers

We can’t accept responsibility for damage caused by compatible cartridges or toners sourced from other suppliers. Quality varies widely across the compatible consumables market, and low-grade cartridges can cause leakage, print head damage, drum contamination, and component wear.

Our coverage applies exclusively to customers using Easy Office Supplies branded compatible cartridges and toners. If any other supplier’s product has been used — whether or not it’s believed to have caused the fault — our coverage won’t apply. This doesn’t affect any rights you hold independently under the ACL.

Where conditions are met, we’ll arrange for the printer to be repaired by a qualified technician or, if repair isn’t feasible, provide a replacement of equivalent value. This coverage is in addition to, and doesn’t replace or limit, your rights under the ACL.

If you encounter resistance
If a manufacturer refuses a warranty repair solely because you’re using an Easy Office Supplies compatible cartridge:

Remind them of the ACL.
Using third-party consumables doesn’t automatically void the statutory warranty — they must prove the cartridge caused the specific fault.

Request a written report.
Ask for a detailed technical report proving the compatible cartridge directly caused the failure.

Contact us.
If they provide written evidence our product caused the damage, get in touch with our support team right away so we can help.

Contact information
Easy Office Supplies
36 Industrial Circuit, Cranbourne West VIC 3977
(03) 8571-0400
info@easyofficesupplies.com.au

References

[1] Australian Government — Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Schedule 2: The Australian Consumer Law, Federal Register of Legislation

[2] ACCC — Consumer guarantees

[3] ChannelNews — “The Law Says: You Cannot Void A Warranty With Third-Party Repairs,” July 2021

[4] ACCC — “HP to compensate printer customers,” May 2018