Editorial

Join the worldwide leader in inkjet and cartridge refilling!

Own a Cartridge World Franchise! The greatest printing expense for a business is not in the printer itself, it’s in the cost of buying those pricy ink cartridges. At $30 and up for a black inkjet cartridge, the cost can really add up quickly. Whether you are buying a cartridge for your home inkjet printer or charged with keeping the color laser printers of a multi-million dollar corporation in ink, you are probably aware of the growing cost of those disposable cartridges.

Fortunately, there’s a company doing something about both the cost and the waste. Cartridge World, an international Franchise company started in South Australia in 1998, provides a refilling service for empty printer cartridges.

Burt Yarkin, CEO of Cartridge World North America based in Emeryville, CA., says Cartridge World can refill both inkjet and laser cartridges, both color and black ink. Customers can then save up to 50% oer the cost of a new cartridge. “Besides saving money, it’s also a good thing for the environment,” says Yarkin. “Americans throw out something like 300 million cartridges per year, after only one use.” Most cartridges can be refilled, whether they are for a printer, photocopier, or fax.

Growing Worldwide
Cartridge World is a company whose service is needed and appreciated around the globe and therefore is experiencing rapid growth. There are currently 1,200 stores worldwide with 380 stores open in the U.S. and another 200 stores under construction.

The dramatic growth of this company, which has been Franchising in the U.S. for less than three years, has been very exciting, says Yarkin. “We’ve invested millions in our infrastructure to support this growth. Our corporate staff is now up to 45 people and we just completed an 8,000 sq. ft. training center.

“Although we’ve had wonderful success so far, we still feel like we’re at the beginning of our growth in the US. There is opportunity for thousands of Cartridge World retail stores,” says Yarkin. “In fact, we think that most towns in America can support a Cartridge World, whether urban, rural or suburban. Our growth has been very rapid but we’ve planned for this by bringing on very senior and experienced staff members. This growth will continue for years.”

The reason, says Yarkin, is that everyone is a potential customer. “Consider the fact that the majority of homes in the US have at least one computer and many have a computer for each family member. Each computer has a printer and, with the popularity of digital cameras, there is a lot of printing going on. Printers are priced very low because manufacturers make their money on the ink.”

The same thing is happening in business, says Yarkin. Color laser technology keeps advancing so that printers keep improving in performance and quality and prices are becoming more affordable. That means more business printing is being done in-house, increasing the need for affordable ink and toner.

“To help our franchisees, we’ve increased our marketing support,” says Yarkin. “We have a national ad fund through which we are creating a number of projects including radio and TV ads, which should begin airing soon. Publicity has also been a tremendous help to the growth of our brand and we’ve recently been written about in publications such as TheWall street Journal, Business Week, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune and MSNBC.”

Cartridge World’s success is also evident in the rankings it has been awarded in Entrepreneur magazine’s franchise 500. For 2006 it was named #62 overall and achieved a #1 ranking in its category. Cartridge World received a ranking of #21 in the category of Fastest-Growing Franchises and #35 for America’s Top Global Franchise.

An affordable retail business
Cartridge World stores are an affordable way to get into a retail business, says Yarkin, as the total investment is around $150,000. The stores are 1,000 – 1,500 sq. ft. and located in convenient shopping centers and strip malls. The front of the store is a retail center, selling paper, new cartridges and other supplies. The back of the store houses the refilling production area.

“We save companies a tremendous amount of money,” says Yarkin. “It’s all about giving consumers and businesses a choice.”The customer base includes walk-in consumers, small businesses, and large corporations. A franchisee will find a great business in repeat customers and will also offer a pick up and delivery service for larger accounts.

“We help our new franchisees find locations and assist with the build out of their stores. We offer a complete four-week training program and cover all the details of the business including marketing. We are then at the store opening and provide in-depth support as they first begin.

All equipment and inventory are supplied. The store only requires a small staff and there’s a sophisticated point-of-sale computer system to help franchisees manage the details of their business. An intranet aids in the ordering of products and in connecting with other franchisees. “We’ve put a lot of money into our technology,” says Yarkin, “to support our franchisees.”

Because the business is both retail and B2B, the ideal franchisee has both sales and networking skills, although both training and support are provided by the corporate office in finding business customers. “Our franchisees come from a wide variety of backgrounds,” says Yarkin, “and our training is flexible enough so that we can provide help in whatever area the franchisee needs. It’s a great business for people of all ages and backgrounds.

“Franchisees really get to know their customers and the customers always leave happy because they’ve saved money. Much of the time we are able to refill the cartridges as they wait so they have convenience as well,” says Yarkin.

“There’s probably more opportunity in our business right now than in most franchise systems. If you look at other industries – like food or cleaning, for example – these are mature industries. Our business is right at the beginning of a high growth movement,” says Yarkin. “That’s the exciting thing – that franchisees can get in now and end up having multiple stores because some of the best areas are still available. Over the last two years we’ve seen great success stories. Right now 30% o our franchisees own multiple locations.”

Cartridge World is the largest retailer of ink refilling services in the world. Potential franchisees have the opportunity to join an organization that will dominate the industry, requires only a moderate investment, and has the potential for a very rapid return. “This is a fun business with high demand,” says Yarkin. “In addition, we have the resources to invest in the business to make sure our franchisee have everything they need to be successful.”

The Benefits of Owing a Cartridge World Franchise