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Do printers come with USB cords?????????????????

  • Thread starter Thread starter gail
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gail said:
Earlier today I bought a compact Canon printer for almost the full
price of $249! BUT, I can't connect it to my notebook. Please, please
don't tell me I need to buy a separate usb cord. If this is so, #$%^
BestBuy for not telling me this at the time of my purchase. Not to
mention all the other areas they screwed up relating to much
purchases the past three weeks.

If I'm right, why doesn't Canon include at USB cord in the box??????
Click to expand...
Because if they did, people would complain that the included cord is 6 feet (2m) when they need a 9 foot (3m) or 12 foot (4m) cord. Or that the included cord is the wrong color for their decor.

Environmentalists would complain about including new cords when many users already have a cord.

How about printers with a combination of USB, FireWire, and Ehternet ports? Should the manufacturer bundle in two or 3 cords, knowing that some will go to waste? What about someone printing with DirectPrint, which uses a male to male USB cord? Throw in yet another cord?
Member said:
ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!
Click to expand...
You said it. Those poor printer manufacturers can't win.

--
Normally, a signature this small can't open its own jumpgate.

Ciao! Joe

http://www.swissarmyfork.com
 
the below won't hold true for DSLR's, rather typical P&S cams only. most printers will also have some type of test/diagnostic mode as well, thus no need to connect it to a computer. with the ones I've had it typically involves holding a sequence of buttons down while powering it up to print a test page and insure it's working.
gail said:
Tim Lauro said:
How about digital cameras and memory cards. Even the ones that used
to come with cameras back in the day were cheap and way too small.
Click to expand...
You can test your camera with the memory card, or built-in memory,
that comes with each and every digital camera. Reduce the picture
size and quality a bit, and you can even get as many shots as you can
get on a roll of film. :)

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
Click to expand...
--
-tim
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.pbase.com/pdqgp
 
Of course, the vendors want to get you back to the store. Then they can sell you something else. You may get lucky with a closeout store like Big Lots to get the items cheaper. You may get lucky with a giveaway bit of software. No guaranty that any of that stuff will work with your system.
 
gail said:
Framer said:
It's amazing that the sales associate at Best Buy didn't tell you,
Click to expand...
That's what really, really ticks me off!!! Now I have to go out and
make yet another special trip.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
Click to expand...
how special is special? best buy should be around your area right?

the sales rep in compusa, best buy, and others, always asked me if I want to buy a usb cable for the printer I bought. ALWAYS. I always say "NO", always. I dont want to be ripped of by that USB cable. 10 to 19 dollars plus tax... geez.

I have tons of USB cables at home. Shoot me an email I can mail it to you. free of charge.
 
MBY24 said:
I have tons of USB cables at home. Shoot me an email I can mail it to
you. free of charge.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for the kind offer, but I now have a USB cord. My new printer is working fine. Clearly the salesperson at BestBuy, which is about 20 miles each way from where I live, messed up.

Thank you everyone for the input.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
 
Try buying a dryer or an electric range. Neither come with a cord. This stems from a lawsuit back in the early 70's when someone wanted credit for the electric cable that came with their dryer/stove as they were planning on saving that money and reusing the one from their old dryer/stove. The plaintiff won the case and now cables are no longer included with new dryters/stoves. I believe it was Sears that was sued.

The other part with regards to USB cables and printers. The margin on a printer for a retailer is less than 7% on most printers and all-in-ones. The retailers have an agreement with the manufacturers to not include a USB cable in the box so that the store can make a few bucks to offset the poor margins on printers.

Quite honestly, most people reuse the USB cable from the old printer or scanner or the one that came with their cable modem (most people use the Ethernet port insteads of the USB port).
gail said:
MBY24 said:
If they were to provide USB
cable, they will need to take care of cable's RMA and support.
Click to expand...
Bull!
Member said:
Some
people may ask, hey I need 6 ft cable, not 2ft... this and that. Come
on, they are in printer & cartridge business, not cable :)
Click to expand...
If they are in the printer business, then a consumer SHOULD be able
to use their printer right out of the box. Provide the required
cable!!! If someone needs a shorter or longer one, then let them go
out a buy it.

Tell me one other product that you buy that you can't use because the
manufacturer failed to include a critical part in the box.

I haven't bought a printer for years and when I did, got it at Sams
club. It included a cable and I was using the printer within minutes
of setting it up.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
Click to expand...
--
Scott
 
The last 4 digital cameras I have bought did not include any memory card (Nikon D70, D50 and D200)

My wifes digital camera uses AA batteries and none were included in the box.

None of the laptops I have ever bought included a laptop bag yet the manufacturer fully expected that I would be taking the laptop out of my home with me.

My laptops came with CD/DVD burners built-in yet when I opened the box, there were no CD nor DVD blank media included in the box.

My mom bought my dad a new hand gun and it didn't include any ammunition!

I bought a new GAS grill and guess what? Not only did it not include any gas, but it didn't even include an empty gas bottle or any steak to grill!

And I bought my daughter a new electric guitar and it didn't include a patch cable to plug it into an amplifier!

:-)
gail said:
Tim Lauro said:
How about digital cameras and memory cards. Even the ones that used
to come with cameras back in the day were cheap and way too small.
Click to expand...
You can test your camera with the memory card, or built-in memory,
that comes with each and every digital camera. Reduce the picture
size and quality a bit, and you can even get as many shots as you can
get on a roll of film. :)

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
Click to expand...
--
Scott
 
And even if your COULD install the driver, without the cable, your printer is STILL useless.
gail said:
MBY24 said:
so it is
what it is.
Click to expand...
I can't even install the printer driver without connecting the
printer to the computer. So what it is right now, without making a
special trip to the store, is useless!

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
Click to expand...
--
Scott
 
Because most folks either have half a dozen USB cables lying around or
you may want to use another type connection. It's a cheasy thing that the
printer companies do. I've got so many USB cables from other items tho
I've bought. It's stupid, I agree.
gail said:
Earlier today I bought a compact Canon printer for almost the full
price of $249! BUT, I can't connect it to my notebook. Please, please
don't tell me I need to buy a separate usb cord. If this is so, #$%^
BestBuy for not telling me this at the time of my purchase. Not to
mention all the other areas they screwed up relating to much
purchases the past three weeks.

If I'm right, why doesn't Canon include at USB cord in the box??????

ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!
Click to expand...
 
The only printers that I bought that came with a usb cable were the Hi-Ti printers.
 
gail said:
MBY24 said:
I have tons of USB cables at home. Shoot me an email I can mail it to
you. free of charge.
Click to expand...
Thank you very much for the kind offer, but I now have a USB cord. My
new printer is working fine. Clearly the salesperson at BestBuy,
which is about 20 miles each way from where I live, messed up.

Thank you everyone for the input.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
Click to expand...
40 miles??? for one USB cable!
shoot.... I would be mad too..
 
I've never seen a printer come with a USB cable, not from any manufacturer. On the other hand scanners and many other devices always seem to come with a USB cable. I don't know the reason for the inconsistancy.

I agree that a device should come with the bare essentials. For example digital compacts coming with a memory card or internal memory (even if it only holds six photos or so) and batteries (even if they are disposable and will only take a few shots), or compact film cameras which came with at least a 12 exposure roll of film.

I suppose you could argue that almost all modern photo printers are pictbridge and so don't need to be used with a computer, so a USB cable isn't absolutely essential. Besides, as others have pointed out most people already have USB cables from older devices.
 
gail said:
Earlier today I bought a compact Canon printer for almost the full
price of $249! BUT, I can't connect it to my notebook. Please, please
don't tell me I need to buy a separate usb cord.
Click to expand...
Unless your laptop and printer come with some sort of BlueTooth or other wireless connection, yes, you must buy a cable seperate.
Member said:
If this is so, #$%^
BestBuy for not telling me this at the time of my purchase. Not to
mention all the other areas they screwed up relating to much
purchases the past three weeks.

If I'm right, why doesn't Canon include at USB cord in the box??????

ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!
Click to expand...
Sounds like you're just letting off steam, but I'm guessing it didn't come with paper either. Why not complain about that also?

DSLRs don't come with memory cards, VCRs don't come with tapes, and printers don't come with cables. Relying on just about any salesperson is a risky situation. I usually do my research before a purchase, and check the Contents list on the outside of most items if I'm not sure. One time I wound up buying 2 cables because the box didn't list a cable for a hard drive, but one was inside.

Such is life.

Enjoy your new printer.
--

Everything I write is a personal opinion. Even when I quote facts, they are the facts I personally choose to accept.
http://www.pbase.com/mariog
 
gail said:
Tim Lauro said:
How about digital cameras and memory cards. Even the ones that used
to come with cameras back in the day were cheap and way too small.
Click to expand...
You can test your camera with the memory card, or built-in memory,
that comes with each and every digital camera. Reduce the picture
size and quality a bit, and you can even get as many shots as you can
get on a roll of film. :)
Click to expand...
DSLRs don't come with any memory cards.
 
I know for a fact that Epson used to include the USB cable with their lower end line up. This was 2+ years ago so I don't know if they still do or not...

--
Neil Vanderwolf
Zenfolio Featured Photographer
http://thewarmland.com
 
Framer said:
I know for a fact that Epson used to include the USB cable with their
lower end line up. This was 2+ years ago so I don't know if they
still do or not...
Click to expand...
Yes, the last printer I purchased, for a family member actually, came with a cable. Other than that, before my recent purchase, I've been using a Canon i960, which I love and which is now in my vacation home.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
 
This is not a real name said:
I suppose you could argue that almost all modern photo printers are
pictbridge and so don't need to be used with a computer, so a USB
cable isn't absolutely essential.
Click to expand...
When digital cameras come preloaded with Photoshop, I'll buy that supposition. ;) :P
This is not a real name said:
Besides, as others have pointed out
most people already have USB cables from older devices.
Click to expand...
This assumes the new printer was a replacement for an older one. In my case, it was not.

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
 
Mario Giannini said:
Sounds like you're just letting off steam,
Click to expand...
lol. That doesn't seem to be so unusual around these forums. As already mentioned, hopefully someone else will benefit from my sharing this experience.
Mario Giannini said:
Enjoy your new printer.
Click to expand...
I am. It's an interesting little printer. The photo quality is surprisingly good, but not as good as printers with 6 or more color cartridges. But then they can't be placed in a briefcase, with or without a USB cable. ;)

--
gail ~ http://www.pbase.com/gailb
My digital camera BLOGs: Pany TZ3, Canon SD700 & S2, Nikon 5400
http://www.digicamhelp.com/camera-logs/index.php
 
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