123inkjets Review 2026: Prices, Guarantee and Complaints

123inkjets is a discount ink and toner store based in Southern California, and it has been selling online since 1999, as its Customer Support page explains. This 123inkjets review brings together what shoppers report on ConsumerAffairs, SmartCustomer, ResellerRatings, PissedConsumer and US-Reviews, an editorial ranking from Top Consumer Reviews, and the store's own shipping and returns rules.

Quick verdict

123inkjets is a real, long-running retailer rather than a scam, and its written guarantee on compatible and remanufactured cartridges looks generous on paper. The problem is consistency. Recent reviews describe slow or partial shipments, cartridges that printers refuse to recognize, and refunds that take longer than promised.

It suits patient buyers who double-check part numbers, stock up before they run dry and keep the old cartridge until the new one prints. If you need ink tomorrow for a fussy HP inkjet, or you dislike chasing customer service by phone, a local office-supply store is the safer bet.

What 123inkjets sells

The catalog covers ink and toner for most printer makers. The store's homepage has a finder where you choose a printer brand, then a family, then the exact model, with brands running from HP, Canon, Epson and Brother to Xerox, Zebra and many smaller names.

Three kinds of cartridge sit side by side on the site. Top Consumer Reviews counted 23 cartridge brands and found genuine OEM cartridges, remanufactured ones and a house brand of compatibles sold under the LD label. That reviewer also pointed out that the site doesn't make it obvious LD is the store's own brand, so it's easy to buy one without realizing it.

In short, OEM cartridges come from the printer maker and cost the most, compatibles are newly built by a third party, and remanufactured cartridges are used originals that get cleaned, rebuilt largely with fresh parts and refilled; the company pitches that last group as the greener choice. Refill kits are on offer too.

LD compatible toner cartridges

LD is the store's own label for newly made compatible toner, aimed mainly at laser printer owners who want to stop paying OEM prices. Because it counts as a compatible product, it sits under the lifetime satisfaction guarantee on the 123inkjets Returns page, with a refund or replacement in the first year and store credit after that. The price checks further down show LD toner well below genuine cartridges, though the same toner turned out cheaper at a sister store in one comparison, and the site does little to explain that LD is a house brand.

123inkjets remanufactured and compatible ink cartridges

On the inkjet side, the store sells remanufactured cartridges, meaning emptied originals that are rebuilt and refilled, next to newly made compatibles for HP, Canon, Epson and Brother printers. The Customer Support page presents the remanufactured line as one of its largest and as a way to reuse materials and pass the savings on. These cartridges carry the same lifetime guarantee as LD toner, but they also draw most of the complaints about printers rejecting or misreading a new cartridge, which the quality section below covers in detail.

Prices: how much can you really save?

Prices depend entirely on your printer, so there's no single figure that sums up the store. The clearest snapshot comes from Top Consumer Reviews, which checked two printers: LD compatible toner for a Brother DCP-L2640DW cost $35.99, while the OEM version was $64.83. For a Canon ImageCLASS MF654Cdw, it found an LD four-color pack at $157.96 and OEM standard-yield color cartridges at $104.65 each.

So the house brand clearly undercuts genuine cartridges, just not its own relatives. The same Top Consumer Reviews write-up found the Brother LD toner about $6 cheaper at 4inkjets, a sister store, and concluded that 123inkjets' prices are not much of a draw. Its broader buying guide puts typical savings from compatible or remanufactured toner at 30-70% versus OEM prices, which is a fair yardstick for judging any deal you find here.

Discounts do turn up. One long-time SmartCustomer reviewer only orders during emailed sales, such as 15% off ink, and adds a cash-back portal on top. Coupons also appear through the newsletter and site banners, according to Top Consumer Reviews.

OEM vs compatible vs remanufactured at 123inkjets

The table uses the only product prices any source states, with the return terms for each type.

Shipping: fast on paper, uneven in reviews

Orders over $55 ship free to the contiguous U.S., and the 123inkjets homepage says most orders leave the warehouse on the day they're placed. The Customer Support page goes further, claiming 99% of orders ship the same day, though it also carries a holiday notice that stretches the shipping window to 3-8 business days. Packages travel by USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL or Ontrac, and the tracking number arrives by email once the box is out the door.

There are a few wrinkles. Top Consumer Reviews notes that expedited delivery requires a phone call for a quote, and that the site lists conflicting order cutoff times in different places.

Older reviews on ResellerRatings describe well-packed boxes turning up within a couple of days. Recent complaints paint a rougher picture.

A PissedConsumer reviewer in Ohio paid for an order on March 12, 2026 that was quoted at 2-5 business days and still hadn't shown up when they posted. Another spent 55 minutes on hold chasing the missing black cartridges from an $80 set of 902XL ink. On US-Reviews, several 2024 posts describe orders stuck on "processing" for 10 days with no reply to emails.

Returns and the lifetime guarantee

This is the strongest part of the offer on paper. The 123inkjets Returns page promises a lifetime 100% satisfaction guarantee on compatible and remanufactured ink and toner: a replacement or full refund during the first year, then store credit after that. Store credit has to be spent through a phone order with a representative, and for anything past the first year you either send the item back or place a fresh order before any money moves.

Genuine OEM cartridges get a much tighter window. Under the 123inkjets returns policy, problems must be raised within 30 days; unopened, defective or damaged items qualify for a full refund within 15 days, and days 16-30 earn store credit only. Refunds are due 7-15 business days after the warehouse receives the return.

Two more rules catch people out. Anything ordered by mistake and then opened can't be refunded, and lost, incomplete or wrong shipments have to be reported within 30 days, per the same returns page. On the plus side, Top Consumer Reviews credits the store for stating plainly that there's no restocking fee, even if it found the guarantee details hard to pin down on the site.

In practice, results vary. A ConsumerAffairs reviewer who canceled a $307.45 drum and transfer belt order had the full refund back six days after ordering. A different ConsumerAffairs reviewer shipped a defective cartridge back at their own cost, was still waiting after 17 business days, and eventually recovered the money through a PayPal dispute.

Some stories end worse. On ResellerRatings, a 2025 reviewer says the store declined a refund on $116 of HP 8600 cartridges the printer rejected. An HP OfficeJet 8630 owner on SmartCustomer says cartridges bought as genuine HP were flagged as counterfeit by the printer, and the claim was turned down because it fell outside the 30-day window.

Cartridge quality and printer compatibility

Quality reports split sharply depending on the printer. Fans on ResellerRatings describe years of trouble-free compatible toner and high-yield laser sets at the lowest prices they had found. A long-time buyer answering a question on SmartCustomer said the ink hadn't clogged their print heads in 10 years.

The complaints cluster around HP inkjets. SmartCustomer reviewers describe HP74XL and HP61XL cartridges that threw error messages, smeared ink across pages or refused to print black, with the reviewers then buying a working cartridge at Staples or Walmart. One PissedConsumer customer says they sent back about 12 cartridges over 3 years because the printer would not recognize them.

If you own an HP machine, keep the old cartridge until the new one prints cleanly and report a dud quickly. Top Consumer Reviews also suggests confirming that non-OEM toner won't void your printer's warranty.

Customer service: how easy is it to reach someone?

Support runs by phone at (888) 465-7765, Monday to Friday from 6:00am to 5:00pm Pacific, with weekends closed, according to the Customer Support page. Email and a web form are also offered. The company lists a Simi Valley, California mailing address but doesn't accept walk-ins or pickups.

Getting through is the single most repeated complaint. A SmartCustomer reviewer waited up to 24 minutes on hold and got a callback the following afternoon, and several others say emails and contact forms went unanswered.

Positive service stories exist too. A 2026 ConsumerAffairs review describes a fast, helpful reply when a package marked delivered had gone to the wrong house, and a US-Reviews buyer received a replacement for a defective cartridge within 3 days.

Is 123inkjets legit? What the ratings say

Scores swing widely by platform, so it helps to know how each one counts.

• ConsumerAffairs shows 4.2 stars from 61 reviews, but that average is weighted toward the most recent 24 months; the full star filter still lists far more one-star reviews than five-star ones.
• SmartCustomer sits at 2.4, with 50% of ratings at one star and 33% at five.
• US-Reviews reports that 41% of its 17 reviewers would buy there again.
• Top Consumer Reviews rates the store 2.0 ("subpar") and cites an A- BBB rating without accreditation, a 3.9 Trustpilot score from just over 50 reviews, and 4.57 on ResellerRatings across more than 2,100 reviews, most from 2020 or earlier.

PissedConsumer is a complaint site by design, so its feed skews negative, but its oldest entries describe the same kinds of problems seen today: missing items, slow refunds and unanswered phones.

Taken together, this is a legitimate company with real, written policies that often stumbles once something goes wrong, especially for HP inkjet owners.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Lifetime guarantee on compatible and remanufactured cartridges, with no restocking fee
• Free delivery within the contiguous U.S. once an order passes $55 (123inkjets)
• Huge range of printer brands, with a model-based cartridge finder
• LD house-brand toner costs far less than OEM toner in Top Consumer Reviews' price checks

Cons

• Recent reports of missing, partial or delayed orders
• HP inkjet owners report cartridges their printers won't recognize
• Long hold times and emails that go unanswered
• OEM cartridges only have a 30-day problem window (123inkjets Returns)
• A sister store sold the same LD toner for less in one price check

Who should buy from 123inkjets, and who should skip it

Consider it if you run a laser printer or an older inkjet, buy several cartridges at once, and want a long guarantee on non-OEM supplies. Planning ahead turns a slow shipment or an exchange into an annoyance rather than an emergency.

Skip it if you need ink urgently, own a newer HP inkjet that is picky about third-party cartridges, or live outside the contiguous U.S., where the free shipping and tracking promises don't apply.

Alternatives to consider

PissedConsumer lists ClickInks, 1ink, 4inkjets and CompAndSave as similar online cartridge sellers. Of those, 4inkjets is the most direct comparison, since Top Consumer Reviews reports the two stores are linked and found the same house-brand toner cheaper there, with OEM prices also slightly lower.

For a cartridge you need today, office-supply chains are the practical fallback. Several SmartCustomer reviewers ended up buying a replacement at Staples, Walmart or Office Depot after a 123inkjets cartridge failed, and say the store-bought ones worked.

Our ratings

Overall: 3/5, because 123inkjets backs its compatible and remanufactured cartridges with a written lifetime guarantee on its Returns page, while recent reviews on SmartCustomer describe missed shipments, rejected cartridges and slow refunds often enough to make each order a bit of a gamble.

LD compatible toner cartridges

LD compatible toner cartridges earn 3/5, since Top Consumer Reviews found them far cheaper than OEM toner and covered by a lifetime guarantee, yet priced above the same cartridges at sister store 4inkjets.

123inkjets remanufactured and compatible ink cartridges

123inkjets remanufactured and compatible ink cartridges get 2.5/5, because HP owners on SmartCustomer repeatedly report cartridges that throw errors, smear or go unrecognized. The guarantee softens the risk, but a refund or swap still costs time when your printer is down.

FAQ

Does 123inkjets offer a money-back guarantee?

Yes, for its compatible and remanufactured products. The 123inkjets Returns page offers a replacement or full refund in the first year and store credit after that. Genuine OEM cartridges are different: full refunds apply within 15 days and store credit from 16 to 30 days.

Is 123inkjets legit or a scam?

It's a legitimate business that has operated since 1999 from Southern California, per its Customer Support page. Its reputation is mixed rather than fraudulent: most complaints involve slow shipments, unrecognized cartridges and slow refunds, not orders taken with no intent to deliver.

What is the 123inkjets shipping policy?

Orders over $55 ship free to the contiguous U.S., and most ship the same day, according to the 123inkjets homepage. During busy holiday periods the Customer Support page extends the shipping window to 3-8 business days. Expedited shipping is available by phone.

How do you reach 123inkjets customer service?

Call (888) 465-7765 Monday to Friday, 6:00am to 5:00pm Pacific, or use email or the web form listed on the Customer Support page. Reviewers report long holds at busy times, so the callback option or email may save you time.

Does 123inkjets ship internationally?

None of the sources confirm international shipping. The free shipping offer and order tracking described by the store cover the contiguous U.S., and one US-Reviews reviewer was surprised to be charged in USD, so buyers abroad should confirm costs before ordering.

Do remanufactured cartridges affect print quality?

They can, and results vary by printer. Laser printer owners on ResellerRatings mostly report good results, while HP inkjet owners on SmartCustomer describe smearing, error messages and cartridges that aren't recognized. Keep the old cartridge until the new one works, and report problems quickly.

OEM vs compatible vs remanufactured: what's the difference?

OEM cartridges are made by the printer brand itself and cost the most. Compatible cartridges are new units built by another manufacturer to fit your printer, and at 123inkjets they're sold under the LD house brand. Remanufactured cartridges are used originals that get cleaned, rebuilt and refilled; both non-OEM types carry the store's lifetime guarantee, while OEM items follow a much shorter return window.

How do you check that a cartridge fits your printer?

Use the finder on the 123inkjets homepage to pick your printer brand, family and model, then compare the part number with the cartridge already in your machine. Do this before opening anything, because items ordered by mistake and then opened can't be refunded.