Page Yield: What Is It? And Why Is It Important?

Companies are constantly seeking ways to save money. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic struck the world, creative cost-cutting solutions have become more relevant. Offices have become more remote, more processes have become automated, and digital life has become more present than ever. However, there will always be a need for essential office supplies and equipment. One, in particular, is known to be a bit more costly: the printer. But did you know it doesn’t have to be that way?

What is Page Yield?

Many business owners overlook a simple label on their printer cartridges that may be costing them more than they realize. The page yield (or yield) can be found on all ink cartridges. You have probably seen, and ignored, that little yellow label affixed to your cartridges. Unfortunately, ignoring this may be costing you hundreds of dollars each month, especially for high-volume companies.

The page yield is the estimated number of pages that a cartridge can handle before being replaced. Most printing manufacturers calculate this number based on cartridge volume and the standard coverage amount. Another item they consider is the percentage how much each page will be covered with the toner, estimating an average coverage rate of around 5% (roughly 6 sentences) on a page with a standard size 11 font.

Why Page Yield is Important

Understanding page yield factors can help you determine your costs when it comes to your specific printing needs. In simpler terms, you can take the cost of the printer cartridge and divide it by the page yield. Doing this will give you an idea of what your cost is per page.

For Example:

Toner Cartridge 1 costs $200, with a yield of 50,000 pages.
$200 ÷ 50,000 = $0.004/page
Toner Cartridge 2 costs $300, with a yield of 135,000 pages.
$300 ÷ 150,000 = $0.002/page

Now let’s say your company prints 300,000 pages per month.

Toner Cartridge 1: $0.004 × 300,000 = $1,200.00
Toner Cartridge 2: $0.002 × 300,000 = $600.00

When looking at these comparisons, it’s clear that toner cartridge 2 would be the better investment going forward. It would lower your cost by half on your monthly printing needs and in turn, provide a more efficient annual budget.

Factors

Obviously, there are other factors that will determine your actual printing costs, such as page size, font, and page coverage. In these cases, you can further use this base calculation to determine your predicted monthly (and yearly) printing costs. For example, if you anticipate 20% page coverage for the majority of your printed pages, you will multiply that 5% yield by 4 and continue with your base formula. This can assist in setting budgets, measuring office KPIs, and determining future costs and needs.

Supplies Connect is your one-stop-shop for all of your business equipment needs. We carry a variety of cartridge brands and have a team ready to assist with any of your questions. For more information, please check out our website! www.suppliesconnect.com.