Nothing new here. But it might be new to you. (This was over a year ago.)
There have been some legal issues about other companies making ink carts for Epson, HP, Lexmark and other big name companies. Here is a rfeport about how Lexmark toke action because a small company was selling cartilages nearly equal to Lexmark.
Link:
https://www.consumerreports.org/printers/third-party-printer-ink-cartridges-pros-cons/Consumer reports is a credible source. Here is part of what they found:
Third-party printer ink was in the news this spring when the Supreme Court ruled in Impression Products, Inc. v. Lexmark International, Inc. that third-party companies could refill toner cartridges originally sold by a printer manufacturer.
Lexmark had argued that Impression was violating Lexmark patents by refilling and reselling such cartridges. Neither company would comment on the lawsuit. And Lexmark, HP, Epson, and Impression Products did not agree to discuss ink prices with Consumer Reports.
The ruling would cover both laser printer and ink-jet printer materials.
They go one to say:
In CR's printers survey, 63 percent of respondents who used aftermarket cartridges say they’re just as good as name-brand cartridges, while 36 percent think they’re not up to par.
Our testers have found inconsistencies with third-party cartridges.
Rich Sulin, who leads CR’s printer-testing program, says that some samples worked without any problems but that other samples of the same products “set off warning messages from their printer or failed to print a test page.” Additionally, he says, “some aftermarket inks worked initially but quickly clogged printer heads.”
So yes, it is legal for third-party firms to sell you ink like the real thing. But the quality varies. You might find printer life is shorter with cheap ink.
Whats your experience?
Laser?
Ink-Jet?