Is it safe to order through your website?

Yes, it is completely safe. When you enter your payment details on our website, this data is encrypted by our secure server software (SSL) before being sent to the bank for authorisation. Our secure server uses 128 bit encryption – the highest level of encrypted security available. We take the security of our customers’ personal details very seriously, and will always use the best technology available in order to provide you with the highest degree of protection possible and prevent unauthorised access.

If you are still concerned about ordering on the website, you can telephone or fax your order to us, click here for our contact details.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Solo, Electron and Delta credit or debit cards. Unfortunately we cannot accept cheques or postal orders at this time.
Your credit card will be charged at the time of ordering. All our prices are quoted in GBP(£) and are inclusive of Value Added Tax (VAT) where applicable.

Do you accept international orders?

Currently we accept orders from the United Kingdom (including the Channel Islands), and Europe only.

How do I search for products on the website?

There are two ways you can find products on the site; either browse through the listings or use the Search feature.

To browse, click on the most appropriate tab at the top of the page and then click on the most relevant link on the left hand side until you find what you are looking for.

To search for products, simply type in a relevant keyword in the search box at the top of the page, click ‘Search’, and all the products relating to your keyword will be displayed. Your keyword can be a product name, code or printer model. For example, if you have an Epson Stylus Photo 890 printer, you can type in “Photo 890” and you will be shown all cartridges that can be used in that printer. If you only type in “890” you will be shown cartridges for the HP Deskjet 890, as well as the Epson Stylus Photo 890. The more specific your keywords are, the more specific your results will be.

How do I order from the website?

Once you have found the products you are looking for, click on the “Buy” button to add the item to your basket. If you would like more than one item, simply enter the number you would like in the quantity box, and click amend. You can always change your order once you have placed items in the basket (see below).

How do I make changes to an order?

Click on the shopping basket on the left hand side, to view your order. From here you can remove products in your basket, by clicking on the remove button. You can also change the quantity of each product you’ve ordered, by typing the number in the quantity box and clicking amend.

How do I track my order?

You can track your order by clicking on the “Account Details ” button on the left hand margin, and then clicking on “Order Tracker”. You will be able to check the status of your current order, and also view any previous orders in the “Order History” section.

How do I cancel my order?

If for any reason you would like to cancel your order, please call Customer Relations quoting your order number, and we will be happy to offer a full refund.  Please note, once you have placed an order, provided the goods are in stock, within half an hour your order will be picked and packed and on its way to you so we may not be able to cancel it at this stage. Please check our Returns Policy if you have received your order and would like to return it to us.

How do I change my personal details?

Click on “Account Details ” on the left hand side, and then click on the “View/update Account Details” link. You will then be able to type in your new details where appropriate, and click “Update Account Details” when finished.

How long is the delivery time?

All items are sent out via First Class Packet Post at a cost of only £1.49 regardless of order size. If in stock, the item will usually be despatched within 24 hours, and should reach you within 2-7 working days . If you order several items and one item is out of stock, we will part ship the goods we have in stock so as not to hold up the whole order. Items that are not in stock will be shipped as soon as we receive them.

Occasionally, there are delays in the postal system, so your parcel could take up to 10 working days to arrive. Unfortunately, we cannot start tracing parcels until after this time has expired. If you still have not received your goods after the 10-day period, please contact us so that we can assist in the matter.

Currently we deliver to the United Kingdom (including the Channel Islands) and Europe only.

 

Why are Compatible/Recycled cartridges better value than the original ones?

1. They do not spend millions a year on global advertising.
   
2. They do not invest in designing the printers.
   
3. They often sell direct to the retailer cutting out the middle man.
   
4. They often keep costs down by using small packaging.
   

Do compatible cartridges last as long as the originals?

Yes. Compatibles contain at least the same amount of ink as originals, and in many cases they contain more, so they could last longer.

Do compatibles differ in quality to the originals?

We have selected Think as our supplier of compatible cartridges, because they are manufactured to a high quality, and in our tests produce the best results compared to other compatible cartridges. As with all of our products, the compatible cartridges come with a 24 month guarantee, and if found to be faulty we will offer a one for one replacement.

What are recycled cartridges?

Recycled cartridges are original manufacturer’s cartridges that have been cleaned and refilled with ink by a third party company. Some manufacturers have patents on their cartridges and therefore cannot be copied. Recycled cartridges work in exactly the same way as the original cartridges, and not only are they a cheaper alternative, but more environmentally friendly too.

Are your Epson compatible cartridges 'chipped'?

The ‘T’ range of Think compatible cartridges are pre-chipped for plug and play ease.

What type of memory should I buy?

Digital Memory comes in many varying forms and in most cases the type you should buy depends on the types and brand of device that you own. Digital Memory can currently be used in PDAs, Digital Cameras, Mobile Phones, camcorders, voice recorders and MP3 players. The different types of memory are:

• Multimedia Cards (MMC)
• Reduced Sized MultiMedia Cards (RS-MMC)
• MMCmobile Cards
• Secure Digital Cards (SD)
• SDHC Cards
• Mini SD
• CompactFlash (CF)
• SmartMedia Cards
• xD-Picture Cards
• Memory Sticks
• Micro SD

MultiMedia Cards

The MultiMediaCard is the size of a postage stamp and weighs less than two grams. It is designed to provide flexible storage for today's small, portable digital devices, such as, digital music players, digital camcorders, mobile phones and global positioning systems (GPS). MMC cards have a high storage capacity and are highly shock resistant making them very durable. They are compatible with all devices featuring a MultiMedia Card compliant slot.

RS-MMC

The Reduced Size MultimediaCard (RS-MMC) is a small, removable flash memory card used in mobile phones for the storage of content, images, video and music. It also has an adapter to make it interoperable with other MMC based devices. The additional storage capacity that these cards provide helps to maximize the potential of your feature-rich mobile device. RS-MMC allows you to share music and image files between your PC and your mobile device, effortlessly transferring data with a full-size MMC adapter or an SD/MMC USB adapor.

MMCmobile Cards

MMCmobile cards come in the reduced-size MMC form factor (18 x 24 x 1.4mm). In addition to the required features of MMCplus cards, MMCmobile cards operate at both 1.65-1.95V and 2.7-3.6V ranges as a requirement. The smaller size and dual operating voltage ranges are ideal for mobile phone and other portable device applications where space saving and extended battery life are essential.

Secure Digital Cards (SD)

Secure Digital is a relatively new format of digital memory. This highly secure, stamp-sized flash memory card was developed jointly by Matsushita Electronic (manufacturer of the Panasonic brand), SanDisk and Toshiba. This lightweight product combines a high storage capacity and fast data transfer rates with high security and great flexibility. The card can be used in various digital products including digital music players, mobile phones, handheld PCs (HPCs), digital cameras, digital video camcorders, smart phones, car navigation systems and electronic books.

SDHC Cards

SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) was established to meet the growing demand for HD (High Definition) video and high resolution image recording now used in many SD-enabled devices that can support cards up to 32GB in capacity.

SDHC is the same physical size and shape as a standard SD Card but meets the new SD specifications of version 2.0. If the SD Card is version 2.0 and 4GB or above it is classed as a SDHC Card.

SDA (SD Association) has also established a Speed Class rating (Class 2, 4 and 6) for the standardisation of data transfer speeds (compulsory for SDHC Cards).

• CLASS 2 – A guaranteed minimum write speed of 2MB/s or Higher*.
• CLASS 4 – A guaranteed minimum write speed of 4MB/s or Higher*.
• CLASS 6 – A guaranteed minimum write speed of 6MB/s or Higher*.

* The minimum speed capability depends on the manufacturer of the host device and model. All cards are compatible with SDHC host however for the best performance the class of card recommended by the host device manufacturer should be used.

This new speed classification concept allows the host device to check the conditions of the SDHC Card (checking the fragmented state, knowing where the empty spaces are in the memory) to calculate the write speed in each section of the memory area. This determines where to write the data according to its speed requirement, for best performance. This was not possible to do with the standard SD Card format.

If the host device requires or recommends one of the rated classes of data transfer speed then that specific class of card should be used for overall best performance with that device.

SDHC Cards are not backwards compatible with standard SD host devices however standard SD Cards are forward compatible with SDHC host devices.

Mini SD Cards

MiniSD memory cards offer all of the benefits of a standard SD card, but they are over 60% smaller in size. They were designed especially for mobile phones and can be used to store digital images, video, MP3 files and other data within such devices. Memory capacity ranges from 64MB to 1GB. MiniSD cards have built in security features allowing users to download, store and play content securely.

CompactFlash Cards (CF)

CompactFlash cards are the most common type of removeable memory. They are about the size of a matchbook and only weigh half an ounce. These rugged, low-power cards can store a high capacity of digital data at a high quality. These cards are the perfect solution for additional storage on digital cameras, handheld PCs, digital audio players, and other devices that feature a CompactFlash slot, significantly increasing productivity.

Compact Flash Elite Pro Cards are designed specifically to help advanced, amateur or professional photographers get the best performance from their high-end imaging devices and applications. These cards work at higher write speeds and consumer lower levels of power than the standard cards.

SmartMedia Cards

The SmartMedia card is a removable flash memory card that can be used in several different types of digital devices including digital cameras, digital music players and digital voice recorders. It offers convenient, portable file storage and has a high transfer rate which allows fast copying or downloading. This older form of digital memory is now gradually being phased out.

xD-Picture Cards

The xD-Picture Card provides the highest capacity in one of the smallest memory formats available today. Featuring rapid data transfer speeds, it is ultra compact for the most portable devices. The xD-Picture Card is fully compatible with all xD devices. xD memory was jointly developed by Fuji and Olympus and so most cameras made by these manufacturers now use xD.

Memory Sticks

Memory Sticks were developed by Sony and so are used with mainly Sony branded digital cameras and video cameras, as well as Sony MP3 players and Sony Vaio computers. Memory sticks hold up to 256Mb of digital memory so the Pro, Duo and Pro Duo varieties have been developed to allow for higher capacities.

Memory Stick PRO

Memory Stick PRO is a high performance memory device providing fast data transfer and large memory capacities as well as advanced security. It is useful in capturing and playing DVD-quality video and storing CD-quality music and high-resolution digital images. It allows for large storage capacities of up to 4GB but is only compatible to Memory Stick PRO enabled devices.

Memory Stick DUO

Memory Stick Duo is a compact memory card with embedded MagicGate technology allowing compatibility to portable digital audio players. It is compatible with all Memory Stick slots, with the use of the Adaptor.

Memory Stick Pro DUO

Memory Stick PRO Duo offers the same high speed data transfer, built-in MagicGate, and high capacities but is half the size of a standard-size Memory Stick PRO card. It is the ideal solution for many portable devices such as pocket-sized digital cameras. With the use of Adaptor, it can be used in all PRO-compatible devices.

Memory Stick Micro (M2)

Launched in early 2006, this is Sony's new ultra-small memory card designed to meet the growing storage needs of highly compact, multifunctional mobile phones. An M2 adaptor in the size of a standard Memory Stick will allow users to exchange data to Memory Stick PRO compatible products.
The M2 media is approximately one-quarter the volume of 'Memory Stick PRO Duo' media, yet only about 1.2mm thick. M2 media is designed as an externally removable media with a controlled eject function to prevent users losing the media.

Micro SD Cards

The Micro SD product (formerly called Transflash) is an ultra small, semi-removable flash memory device designed for use with future mobile phone products. It expands the memory capacity of the mobile phone and enables the transfer of personal content between TransFlash-enabled phones. This product is not intended to be handled or removed on a frequent basis. It can be used with most SD-enabled devices with the use of an adaptor.

What are external card readers?

Memory Reader/Writers are the ideal way to bridge the gap between your PC and your flash compatible devices. By plugging a reader/writer into your USB port (Universal Serial Bus) you are able to transfer all files between the memory card and the PC.

USB Flash Drives or Pen Drives?

USB Flash Drives are a great alternative to CDs, DVDs or Floppy disks. These are portable flash drives that can be used to share files between most devices with USB ports, enabling quicker data transfer between PCs.  These devices can support up to 4GB disk space and can be used as portable storage for computers, as well as for uploading or downloading pictures, music, and other data.

What type of memory do I need for my mobile phone?

Most newer mobile phones include a memory card but you will probably want to upgrade this to one with a larger capacity for storing music files and photographs. Different brands of mobile phone use different types of memory. To help you find out which type you require we have created the following table as a basic guide suggesting the types of memory format each manufacturer supports:

Nokia	MMC, RSMMC
Motorola	SD, MiniSD, Transflash
Samsung	SD, MiniSD, RSMMC, Memory Stick DUO
Siemens	MMC, RSMMC
LG	SD, MiniSD
SEMC	Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo
PMC	MiniSD
Alcatel
NEC	MiniSD
Kyocera	MiniSD
Sharp	SD, MiniSD
Sagem
Philips	Memory Stick PRO Duo
Mitsubishi	SD, MiniSD
Sanyo
Sony	Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo

How much data will my mobile phone memory card store?

The following table suggests the approximate number of image (JPRG), video (MPEG) and audio (MP3) files that each size of memory card can hold.

Memory Card Size	Compressed JPEG images (no. of images)	MPEG4 video (minutes)	MPEG2 video - DVD grade (minutes)	MP3 Audio (minutes)
16Mb	8	5	30secs	16
32Mb	20	11	1	32
64Mb	40	22	2	64
128Mb	84	45	4	128
256Mb	168	90	9	256
512Mb	340	180	18	512
1Gb	680	360	36	1000
2Gb	1360	720	72	2000
4Gb	2720	1440	144	4000

(these are approximations only)

How many images will my digital memory card hold?

Photographs are made up of thousands of pixels. Pixel is the name for the smallest point on an image which on its own can be assigned colour and intensity. Higher the pixel ratings generally mean better the results. Compression is the reducution of the number of pixels in the file. Generally the higher the compression, the greater the loss of detail. We compress images so that they take up less memory space meaning we can store a higher quantity of images. The following table provides a rough guide to the number of images that can be stored on the various sized memory cards.

Megapixel capability	Average compressed image size (JPEG) in Megabytes	16Mb	32Mb	64Mb	128Mb	256Mb	512Mb	1Gb	2Gb
2	0.88	18	36	73	145	291	582	1164	2275
3	1.14	14	28	56	112	225	449	898	1706
4	1.88	9	17	34	68	136	272	545	1024
5	2.56	6	13	25	50	100	200	400	819
6	3.11	5	10	21	41	84	165	329	640
8	3.50	3	9	18	36	73	146	292	585

(these are approximations only)

How many MP3 files will my digital memory card hold?

The table below should be used as a guide only. It suggests the number of files each memory card can hold. Click here for an explanation of compression.

A four-minute song compressed at 128 Kbps ± 3.84 MB		A four-minute song compressed at 64 Kbps ± 1.92 MB
Card size	Number of songs	Card size	Number of songs
64MB	16	64MB	33
128MB	33	128MB	66
256MB	66	256MB	132
512MB	132	512MB	264
1GB	264	1GB	528

(The actual number of MP3s per card will vary and depends on the length of the songs, the MP3 format, and the model.)

What is a pixel?

A pixel is the smallest point on an image which on its own can be assigned colour and intensity. Photographs are made up of many thousands or millions of pixels and in generally the higher the pixel rating the better the result will be.

What is compression?

Compression is the process of reducing the number of bits in the file and making it smaller. As the compression gets higher, the loss of detail increases. Compressing images means that a higher quantity of images can be stored within a limited amount of space.