LNL Free Printers for Schools

[OverWorked]

I've just received in the post a brochure from LNL promising a free Konica Minolta printer.

 

http://www.lnl.co.uk/PrintersforSchools.html

 

Does anyone have experience of this scheme? Is it any good?

 

They promise a colour laser on free loan for one year (with a 'small charge' to extend the period). All we have to do is buy at least three sets of toner from them throughout the whole period.

 

The toner price seems to be slightly over the going rate, but not excessive.

 

Any comments?

[Ric_]

All sounds a little bit too good to be true. Check the fine print.

 

Personally, I hate colour lasers due to their excessive running costs - and what's wrong with printing in B & W anyway!?!

[MkII]

I had a similar offer ages ago. They obviously bank on you using it a lot. Is there a minimum spend on toner - i'm sure that was the catch for me.

[OverWorked]

Thanks. I think I'll leave it. We don't need another printer at the moment anyway.

[tarquel]

It *may* say that you have to use toner from them also in that printer you get.

 

I'm pretty sure its a big ol' fashioned con.

 

Like the time when someone rang me saying they'd send out a toner to evaluate how good their "compatibles" really were...and gave me the impression that it was free.

 

Fast speaking woman she was too

 

She said that we could try the toner then we either sent it back after 14 days or something, or we paid for it.

 

And i'm sure the price of them would have been the same or higher than a original cart.

 

I got worried quick - because the slightest recieving of goods without it being ordered is a crime beyond all humanity - so i promptly said No thanks - then she tried to tell me that it was really good and carried on trying to convince me. I got a bit stern and she sounded a little pissed off and finally hung up thankfully.

 

Like the charity conners, they will be recording the call and if you say that you agree, they've got you - they pray on the fact that you dont know that you cant use a un-authorised voice recording in a court of law - but they could say that it doesnt record the bit that tells you you are being recorded hehe

 

.....short story - steer clear hehe

 

Nath

[OverWorked]

Tarquel,

 

Your experience sounds like Millenium Computer Systems. Our LEA warned us about them. They ring and ramble on and on about sample 'long-life' toners (there's no such thing), not saying that they're not free. They then send you loads of the stuff week after week and keep billing for it. Staff at other schools have been verbally abused when they tried to get the deliveries stopped.

 

The person who rang (she called herself Laura) tried to get me to give her an order number for the samples. She kept asking me just to 'get the next number off the list'. I held fast and refused so she just put the phone down sounding annoyed. Fortunately nothing arrived.

 

A few months later Laura rang again, giving a different company name, but the spiel was basically the same. I got shot of her quickly that time.

 

 

I think the LNL offer is legitmate, I just wondered if anyone else had had experience of it.

[ChrisH]

I had some Irish woman on once trying to sell me some kind of compatibles with a higher than normal capacity. She went on and on and tried to make it sound like it was free but when I got her to mention a price she would say it very quietly. This was just when she said the price though and her voice went back to normal when not mentioning a price. She was promising me alsorts about the product and saying she would take me out for dinner when she was in the area next month etc etc. I found the whole thing absolutely comical

[OverWorked]

Yep, that was her. Some strange accent - could've been irish. Offered to take me out for a pint etc.

[tarquel]

I had a similar thng like that - office supplies type ppl...

 

Lyreco or sumthin - all very nicey nicey, and keen - even came and visited [one of them pretty hot too - bonus hehe] but they were very good at the sales crap...

 

They went off and I managed to beat their prices - they were really confused and said I dont see how they [insight] can sell that low - thats less than our cost price etc [yeah right].

 

The accounts woman ordered some paper from them but there was a lot of nastiness and stuff from them so she didnt ever since.

 

Sales people eh? ')

[OverWorked]

They may be the same company, or just another with similar practices. They keep changing their name. The name we were warned about had a name similar to Millenium Computer Systems, but was something slightly different - I can't remember what. I got the first call from MCS, then a second call from the same person months later, but the company name had changed again.

 

My suspicions were confirmed when I couldn't find a web site for them - very strange for an IT supplier.

[StewartKnight]

I has the same, but not only is there no website, you can't get a contact number, and even a return address is nearly impossible.

 

I think it was the same person, mine was called Laura too, and yes, she was Irish, with other nationalities thrown in.

 

Can we convince her to come to the EduGeek conference, then she can buy us all dinner / drinks!!

[tarquel]

lmfao good idea Stewart

 

Then we'll all shout "NO THANKS! I dont want your stuff" hehe

[OverWorked]

Great!

[russdev]

yep that is mcs

 

russ

[alexknight]

I received the same offer from LNL for a free printer.

 

You have to purchase three sets of toner during the time you keep the printer, this could be 1,2 or 3 years say.

 

It dioes also state that if you find 'genuine consumables' i.e not refilled toner, at a price less than they are offerng you can either buy elsewhere, or they will match the price!

 

Sounds ok to me. As long as you keep the bumff

 

Alex

[LNLPrintersforSchools]

Just a quick relpy about our scheme since there seems to be some misunderstanding.

 

This is definitely NOT a 'con'. We are a reputable and well established IT supplier. Why not ask Konica Minolta about us.

 

The scheme has now changed to provide free use of a printer to a school (subject to our acceptance) for three years.

 

The school does have to commit to purchase three sets of toners in the three years as a minimum from us however the agreement provides that if the genuine consumables can be bought elsewhere at a lower cost we have to either match the price or allow the school to purchase elsewhere ( or end the contract). Subject to verification.

 

there is no need to keep the 'bumpf' as any school offered the scheme has a detailed signed contract confirming the terms and conditions.

 

Given the number of schools throughout the country who have benefitted from our scheme you should not find it difficult to make contact with one that can tell you about it from experience rather than just assuming the worst.

 

Any school is welcome to enquire and receive full details of the scheme by email or post; It just might save them time and money!

[NetworkGeezer]

Okay and now it's Laura's turn to put her side of the story

[SimpleSi]

I suppose if Mr Konica increases the laser printer subsidy to near total cost and increases toner and other consumables price to cover the difference then it could end not being a con.

 

Does the same deal apply to other consumables - e.g if we can find originals cheaper - match price/deal off?

 

What happens when (sorry-if) the printer develops a fault - who pays to mend it?

 

regards

 

Simon

[OverWorked]

Just a quick relpy about our scheme since there seems to be some misunderstanding.

 

This is definitely NOT a 'con'. We are a reputable and well established IT supplier.

 

Like I said, I believed (and still do) that LNL were legitimate.

 

The market of supplying printers and consumables to schools seems to be full of rogues. I don't know why this should be, but it is. A lot of us have been stung by "too good to be true" schemes (scams).

 

I was just checking with my peers to see if anyone else had any experience of LNL.

[contink]

he market of supplying printers and consumables to schools seems to be full of rogues. I don't know why this should be, but it is. A lot of us have been stung by "too good to be true" schemes (scams).

Unfortunately schools are just another market but when you consider that consumables are worth billions you understand why there's a lot of companies jumping on the consumables bandwagon. Printers really are cheap in comparison to the actual toner, ink, cartridges, etc...