Issue #0434/2 - Epson All-in-Ones are better value than ever, especially in the UK where competition with Hewlett-Packard is intense.
In a move that focuses on the colour range of hard copy devices, Epson has reduced prices on a number of photo oriented inkjet printers and All-in-One machines and on its flagship A3 format AcuLaser C8600 colour laser series.
Placing a clear emphasis not just on the colour element of its range but on the personal multifunction devices, the biggest reductions are on the colour inkjet All-in-Ones. These price cuts amount to 20-23% on the Stylus Photo RX range, bringing the start of the range (on the UK-only RX420 – see comments later in this article) to a price that is well under the £100 mark.
| Device type |
Print technology |
New UK List Price |
Percent reduction |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stylus C86 Photo Edition | Photo Printer | InkJet | £75.74 | 10% |
| Stylus CX3600 | Print/Copy/Scan | Inkjet | £72.33 | 14% |
| Stylus Photo RX420 | Print/Copy/Scan | Inkjet | £84.26 | 23% |
| Stylus Photo RX500 | Print/Copy/Scan | Inkjet | £152.34 | 22% |
| Stylus Photo RX600 | Print/Copy/Scan | Inkjet | £169.36 | 20% |
| AcuLaser C8600 | A3 Colour Printer | Laser | £2,995 | 8% |
| AcuLaser C8600PS | A3 Colour Printer | Laser | £3,495 | 10% |
| AcuLaser C8600PSDT | A3 Colour Printer | Laser | £4,999 | 11% |
| AcuLaser Color Station C8600+ | A3 Colour MFP | Laser | £5,392 | 6% |
AcuLaser ColorStation C8600+
Notes:
- In the Euro zone, the Stylus C84 and Stylus Photo R800 inkjet printer models have also experienced price cuts this month.
- Epson has three versions of the C86 in the Euro zone, against just the one in the UK, all three of which have been reduced in price.
With slightly differing model numbers, Epson pricing in the Euro zone is somewhat higher than those in the UK. France appears to have some of the highest prices.
For instance, in the UK, and following the price cuts, the Epson Stylus RX420 now competes head-to-head on price with Hewlett-Packard’s PSC1315 - £84.26 against £85. However, in France, the PSC1315 costs 34% less than Epson’s RX425 model (€108 against €163), while in Germany (RX420) the differential is 24% (€113 against €149).
With a price drop of 23%,Epson’s RX420 is the
same price as Hewlett-Packard’s
PSC1315 in the UK
but is 51% more
expensive in France.
With a price drop of 20%,Epson’s RX600 is now a
fraction cheaper than
Hewlett-Packard’s PSC2410
in the UK but is 35% more
expensive in France.
Pricing-wise, there are big differences between Epson and Hewlett-Packard pricing, as in Europe. The Epson RX600 is one model that is available in the US as well as in Europe and the UK. Here its price is a massive 40% higher than the Hewlett-Packard PSC 2410 – an even bigger price difference than in France.
So, from the perspective of the Epson products in the UK, aggressive pricing is clearly intended to bring the battle closer to Hewlett-Packard. This is particularly true when one realises that the nominal CPP of the Epson RX420 is some 6% lower than the CPP for the PSC1315 in colour and a rather huge 50% lower for black only printing! Now that the purchase price of the Epson is equivalent to the Hewlett-Packard, the result is that the long-term CPP, printing 250 pages per month over three years (70% black and 30% colour printing), of the Epson RX420 is just 4.69 pence against 5.44 pence for the Hewlett-Packard PSC1315 – 14% lower.
Furthermore, for higher volume users (say 500 pages per month), that difference increases to 17% - 4.22 pence per page for the RX420 against 5.09 pence per page for the PSC1315. The higher purchase prices in Europe and the US will only erode this significant advantage.
~End~
