Rochester, N.Y. — Wal-Mart will carry one of Kodak’s inkjet all-in-one printers, the two companies said today.
The $129-suggested EasyShare 5100 will be launched in 2,600 of the chain’s Super Center stores and online with a new, limited-time promotion that bundles three extra color ink cartridges with the printer, said Steve Marzio, inkjet systems business manager.
Kodak’s aftermarket cartridges cost $9.99 and $14.99 for black and color ink, respectively. The promotion has a retail value of $45.
The launch at Wal-Mart will be accompanied with a radio and print campaign in select markets, Marzio said.
Wal-Mart is the third retailer to stock Kodak’s new inkjet printers. The company launched its printers exclusively at Best Buy and has since expanded distribution into Office Depot. More dealers will be added “in the coming weeks” Marzio said. While declining to name them, he said that they will be among the top 10 retailers of printers and consumables in the nation.
According to Marzio, internal Kodak studies have shown that consumers are using an average of nine cartridges a year vs. an industry average of around four cartridges. “People have bought into the message of low-cost ink,” he said.
