The watchword in many companies nowadays is cost-cutting, which applies equally to larger-scale investments and consumables, such as toner. Because of this more and more manufacturers who offer alternative products cheaper or even promise original merchandise at a lesser price have entered the market. However, cheap doesn't necessarily mean good. If a lesser-quality toner is used it can not only impact print quality, but also lead to irreparable system damage. A one-off cheaper purchase can then become an expensive business.