HP Accuses Reman LD Products of Using New Builds

HP filed a complaint against online printer consumables reseller LD Products alleging the Long Beach, California-based remanufacturer falsely advertised new built, third-party inkjet and toner cartridges as remanufactured OEMs.

HP alleges that LD Products advertised and sold as “remanufactured” new-built HP compatible inkjet and toner cartridges, manufactured by an unnamed third-party. HP claims it sent LD Products a letter in February 2011 requesting the firm cease-and-desist mislabeling clones as remanufactured, but instead LD Products continued, and even accelerated these activities.

Now HP is seeking an order declaring that LD’s marketing and advertising claims regarding HP remanufactured cartridges are false and misleading because the starting cartridges are newly-built clones. HP expects both primary and permanent injunctions that ban LD Products from marketing, advertising and selling clones as being remanufactured.

HP maintains that misrepresenting cloned cartridges as remanufactured not only harms customers and HP but it also hurts true remanufacturers. It holds that the market impact of LD’s false, misleading, and deceptive practices will accelerate a dry-up in the market for mid-priced remanufactured cartridges.

LD Products, based in Long Beach, CA, operates the 123inkjets.com, 4inkjets.com, inkcartridges.com, ldproducts.com, and simplyink.com websites and sells its products on Amazon and other online markets.

According to Actionable Intelligence, LD Products offers products from 6 to 8 different non-OEM cartridge manufacturers. HP’s complaint does not specify which of these manufacturers made the new-built cartridges that LD Products allegedly sold as remanufactured. Instead, this lawsuit centers on false advertising. It does not appear that HP is going after the cloned cartridge manufacturer, but is focused on the wholesaler—LD Products.

Not having filed its official reply to the complaint, Aaron Leon, Founder and CEO of LD Products, issued a statement saying that they have always had different packaging for remans and new compatibles. The mistake was with how the cartridges were listed on their websites. Leon claims that LD always tries to be clear with its product offerings, but their long catalog of over 6,000 products often leads to catalog errors. He said that LD always corrects these errors in a timely manner after they are discovered. Meanwhile, Aaron Leon expresses his hope to work out an amicable solution with HP sometime soon.

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