I spent a good chunk of my day horsing around returning what I believe is the third or fourth Kodak ESP 5250 All-in-One Printer I've had the misfortune to own in the past year. I truly have lost track. I was surprised several months ago to learn that Kodak was no longer going to be producing cameras and was going to turn all of its attention to the manufacture of printers. I also have a Kodak camera, and for what I paid for it, I couldn't have asked for a better product. But the printer has succumbed at least three times in one year and, to give them credit, Kodak has either replaced the printer or the print head each time even though I was over warranty by a month the last time it took a nose dive. Of course, each time this has occurred I've been required to return the old printer.
This time I was told I didn't have to return the printer. At first I thought, "Great!" Then I wondered how I was going to dispose of it and e-mailed Kodak to find out if I could just put it in the trash since I had transferred the old print head and ink cartridges to the new unit. I was told I should dispose of it in accordance with my local requirements or I could return it. Since I have no idea what laws govern the disposal of computer printers or how to find that out, I decided, once again, to go through the steps for returning the printer.
First you locate the "Return Instructions for your KODAK All-in-One Printer" that came with the new printer...
...which you had cleverly saved even though you had been told in an e-mail from Kodak that you didn't need to return the printer...
Then you retrieve the box in which the new printer arrived that, luckily, was still in the woodshed and had not yet been turned into kindling for the wood stove.
Next, holding the printer in one arm and a plastic bag provided with your new printer with the other hand, you wrestle the defunct printer into the bag. I'm not sure why this protective covering is necessary since supposedly Kodak was willing to allow the destruction of the printer, so must be going to destroy it when it arrives at their end..or, if you purchase one of these you may get my old one refurbished? Who knows.
Even more protection for the defunct printer that had been heading to the dump is provided by pieces of foam, top and bottom...
...which the instructions insist must be used..."1. Use all packing materials to pack your original printer in the new box."
Then you must have an ample supply of sealing tape...
...Step 2 of the instructions stresses, "Seal the box with strong tape."
After you get the box taped shut, you must complete and affix a provided UPS return label...
...this requires going back to the e-mails you have exchanged with Kodak to determine the required Reference Number...
Step 4 of the return instructions indicate in bold type, "Important! Keep the bottom portion of the label for 6 months for proof of shipment." I can't fathom under what circumstances I would be required on October 1 of this year to confirm shipment.
Then, if you affix the label on a different place on the box like I did instead of over the old label as directed, you have to black out all of the information on the original labels still attached to the box...
...God forbid it should come back to you!
Then you load it into the car, along with the water jugs, dry cleaning, dirty laundry, thrift store finds yet to be unloaded, etc., etc...
...and trek it to a UPS store because, if you arrange to have it picked up, you have to pay the shipping charges. After three times, I'm an old hand at this so knew I could drop it in Nederland at The Business Connection, the local office supply and copy store...
So, Happy May Day and venez m'aider for sure. Teddee
P.S. I've gone to a larger font because I've been told the type size I've been using is difficult to read on smaller laptop screens.
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