Selling Ink or Toner Cartridges

This page outlines requirements for listing ink or toner cartridges, and explains how to categorize them into appropriate sub categories on Amazon. Please see Ink or Toner Listing Guidelines for additional information on how to appropriately list these products on Amazon.

Category Requirements

Amazon limits the types of ink or toner cartridges that sellers can list to ensure that customers are able to buy with confidence from sellers on Amazon.com. Please note the following requirements:

• Amazon prohibits sellers from listing ink or toner cartridges in "Refurbished" or "Used" condition. All listings, including remanufactured, refilled and compatible ink or toner, must be in “New” condition.
• Remanufactured, refilled and compatible ink or toner products must be listed as separate ASINs. You cannot use the same ASINs as the original/OEM ink or toner products. See Ink or Toner Listing Guidelines for additional details.
• All ink or toner cartridges must be packaged in unopened retail packaging, and product images must accurately depict the retail packaging the customer will receive. Sellers are prohibited from listing ink or toner cartridges in open box condition or in inner factory foil packaging.
• All ink or toner products must be fully functional and free from defects that could render them unusable or harmful to printers (for example damaged, dried or leaking cartridges).
• Sellers may offer custom bundles of ink or toner cartridges (that are not manufacturer-created multipacks), provided each individual cartridge in the bundle is in its original retail packaging. A custom bundle must be listed as its own ASIN, with image, bullet points and product description clearly indicating that it comprises individual packs bundled together.
• Please refer to the Product Bundling Policy for additional listing requirements.
• All major brands require UPCs. See Product UPCs and GTINs for further details, which includes requirements for products sold as bundles and requirements for products sold as packs.
• Best Before, Use Before, Use By, and Warranty Ends are all considered expiration dates. Expiration dates are the dates suggested by the manufacturer, and are printed on the product packaging, the product, or both.
• The expiration date printed by the manufacturer should be clearly visible when the product is shipped. Ink or toner, if they have an expiration date suggested by the manufacturer, should only be shipped to customers when the ink or toner is at least 180 days prior to the date of expiration. FBA sellers should ship their products to FBA reasonably prior to 180 days before the date of expiration.

Categorizing ink or toner cartridges

Categorize ink or toner cartridges according to the definitions below.

1. Same-Brand Ink or Toner Cartridge in Retail Packaging
   • A same-brand ink or toner cartridge is manufactured under the same brand name as printer in which the cartridge is used (such as, Hewlett-Packard, Canon, Epson, Lexmark, Brother, etc.).
2. Compatible Ink or Toner Cartridge
   • An ink or toner cartridge designed to work with a particular printer, but was not manufactured under the same brand name as the printer in which the cartridge is intended to be used. These cartridges are produced using mostly new or all new parts and components.
3. Remanufactured Ink or Toner Cartridge
   • A cartridge that has been used, remanufactured, and refilled with ink or toner. To varying degrees, the cartridge may have been taken apart, cleaned, and had parts replaced.
4. Refilled Ink or Toner Cartridge
   • A cartridge that has been used and refilled with ink or toner. All of the cartridge's current components were manufactured by the same company that manufactured the printer in which the cartridge is intended to be used. The refilling process did not involve any disassembly, cleaning, or replacement of parts.