H-P Wins Inkjet Suit

Hewlett-Packard • Computers • Printers • Scanners • Cameras • Inkjets • Rebates --- News • HP Introduces 'Touchy-Feely' PC • Class Action Challenges HP's Inkjet Replacement Warnings • HP Wins An Inkjet Suit • Inkjet Suit Filed --- • Consumer: Blame Thyself!

September 14, 2003

• Planned Obsolesence Comes to Ink Cartridges • Class Action Challenges HP's Inkjet Replacement Warnings • H-P Wins Inkjet Suit • Big Blot for Inkjet Resellers • Suit: HP Gouges Inkjet Users --- Consumer Complaints • 123inkjets.com • Dell • HP

A jury in North Carolina has determined that Hewlett-Packard Co. did not try to fool consumers into believing that the ink cartridges packed with its printers were full.

A Chapel Hill man had filed the suit, claiming the company cheated customers by selling half-filled inkjet cartridges. The lawsuit sought $11.5 million in damages on behalf of 223,706 North Carolina consumers who bought HP printers between Aug. 1, 1998, and Nov. 30, 2000. Similar class-action lawsuits are pending in 34 states.

Jurors deliberated for 2 1/2 hours before rejecting the lawsuit.

Plaintiff's attorney Richard McCune had told the jury that since consumers only received half-filled cartridges, the true price of the printers was $20 to $40 higher than was advertised, depending on whether the printer contained one or two cartridges.

But lawyers for the company showed the jury brochures and packages that came inside the printer box that indicated the "economy" cartridges contained half the ink. They said Hewlett-Packard was responding to competition by lowering the price of its printers and including the economy cartridges with newly-purchased printers.

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