Cartridge World

What Cartridge World does

Cartridge World is an international franchisor and one of the world's largest specialty retailers of ink and toner printer cartridges, operating 600+ franchise locations across 30 countries. Founded in 1988 in Australia as the Australian Cartridge Company, the company began franchising in 1992 under its current name and has since expanded across APAC, EMEA, the Americas, and Africa. The company's core technology is anchored by the Cartridge World Global Procurement Centre (CW-GPC) in Zhuhai, China, a captive procurement and quality-assurance facility that supplies the global franchise network with inkjet, toner, and remanufactured cartridges manufactured to six-sigma standards via a proprietary three-stage QC process. In 2015, Suzhou Goldengreen Technologies Ltd (SGT) acquired the company and established the CW-GPC, embedding manufacturing supply chain ownership into the franchisor. Beyond cartridges, Cartridge World offers Managed Print Services, the Why Buy Printer program (printer-as-a-service), the Printer Pulse App for remote fleet monitoring, automated supply delivery, and cloud/mobile printing integrations.

The business model is a multi-tier franchise system. Cartridge World sells Master Franchise licenses for regional development and Unit Franchise licenses for individual retail stores, charging a $10,000 initial franchise fee plus $44,000-$54,000 in establishment costs and a 5-year initial term. The franchisor earns revenue through franchise/license fees, ongoing royalties, and product margin from CW-GPC supplying franchisees, with reported franchise-level gross margins averaging 60%, payback periods of 2-3 years, and average unit turnover of $192,000-$235,400. In 2020 the company introduced a storeless franchise model and an Authorised Distributor Program to expand into emerging markets with lower capital intensity. The company serves both B2C consumers (home and home-office customers) and B2B business customers (SMEs through large enterprises) via Managed Print Services and bespoke solutions, and has positioned itself as an environmentally conscious alternative to OEM cartridges with 50% of products recycled and 40 tons of cartridges diverted from landfills annually.

Name

Cartridge World

Legal name

Cartridge World

Website

https://cartridgeworld.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cartridge World is a global franchisor and one of the world's largest specialty retailers of ink and toner printer cartridges, operating 600+ franchise locations across 30 countries and serving both B2C consumers and B2B business customers through retail stores, Managed Print Services, and a captive Global Procurement Centre in Zhuhai, China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Printer Consumables Retail

NAICS

Printing and Related Support Activities (3231)

SIC

Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Service Industries For The Printing Trade (2790)

akta.pro primary industry

Inkjet Printers (HDACAEAA)

Keywords

• Printer consumables retail
• Ink cartridge supply
• Toner cartridge supply
• Managed print services
• Printer franchise network

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Franchise Fees: Initial franchise fee of $10,000 for unit franchise, with establishment costs of $44,000-$54,000 and working capital of $9,000-$13,000. Initial franchise term of 5 years.
2. Product Sales - Inkjet and Toner Cartridges: Sale of high-quality, high-margin inkjet and toner cartridges through franchise network. Products supplied through Global Procurement Centre ensuring consistent quality. Cartridges include both new and remanufactured options.
3. Managed Print Services: Managed Print business models where franchisees build networks of placed printers under service agreements. Includes 'Why Buy Printer' program providing printers at no cost with ongoing consumables supply.
4. Master Franchise Licensing: Master Franchisees operate under the global brand and grow the franchise network through multiple revenue streams by developing and franchising licensed territories.
5. B2B Solutions and Services: Bespoke B2B solutions and services including print consumables, printer provision, maintenance, repair, and managed print services for business customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cartridge World is a global franchisor operating more than 600 franchise stores across 30 countries, providing high-margin inkjet and toner cartridges, remanufactured cartridges, printer hardware, maintenance, and managed print services to both individual consumers and business customers. Products flow through the company's Global Procurement Centre in Zhuhai, China, which enforces a proprietary three-stage quality assurance process to six sigma standards.

Product overview

Cartridge World operates as a franchise-based specialty retailer and B2B solutions provider in the printer consumables industry. The company offers a portfolio of products including premium inkjet cartridges, toner cartridges, and remanufactured cartridges, all backed by its Global Procurement Centre's three-stage quality assurance process. Beyond products, Cartridge World provides managed print services, the Why Buy Printer Program (offering no-cost printers with consumable purchases), an Authorised Distributor Program, and various franchise models including retail store, master franchise, and storeless franchise options. The company also offers educational content through e-books and self-help videos. The business serves both B2C consumers and B2B corporate customers across 600+ locations in 30 countries, with innovations in mobile and cloud-based printing solutions for the evolving hybrid workplace.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inkjet Cartridges High-quality inkjet printer cartridges sold to B2C consumers and B2B customers through Cartridge World franchise stores, sourced through the Global Procurement Centre with six-sigma quality standards.
• Toner Cartridges Premium brand toner cartridges for laser printers, sold through Cartridge World franchise stores to consumers and businesses, processed through the Triple QC Check quality assurance.
• Remanufactured Cartridges Professionally cleaned, refilled and tested cartridges that deliver print quality comparable to original cartridges, verified by the Triple-Check System and positioned as a cost-effective, environmentally friendly alternative for B2C and B2B customers.
• Managed Print Services Comprehensive print management solutions for businesses including printer supply delivery, maintenance, repair, remote monitoring via the Printer Pulse App, and ongoing service contracts covering the placed printer fleet.
• Why Buy Printer Program Program providing printers to business customers at no upfront cost on the condition of ongoing toner and ink purchases, with servicing, maintenance and repair included at no extra cost, designed to lock in recurring consumables revenue.
• Retail Store Franchise Full unit franchise opportunity enabling entrepreneurs to operate a branded Cartridge World retail store selling cartridges, printers and print services to B2C and B2B customers, supported by a turnkey package of hardware, software, operations manuals, training, marketing and store design.
• Master Franchise Regional master franchise opportunity allowing a licensee to operate under the global Cartridge World brand and grow the franchise network within a licensed territory, earning multiple revenue streams through sub-franchising and direct sales.
• Storeless Franchise Storeless franchise business model enabling franchise operation without a physical retail storefront, designed for emerging markets and first licensee launched in Nigeria under the new model.
• Mobile Printing Solutions Mobile printing offerings that enable remote and hybrid-workplace printing through mobile devices, providing new franchise revenue streams across the Cartridge World network.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2-3 year payback period on franchise investment
• +5 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LD Products: One of the largest independent online retailers of printer consumables (ink and toner), directly competing with Cartridge World in aftermarket cartridges with own-brand and remanufactured SKUs at price-leading positioning.
• 4inkjets: Online-first aftermarket printer cartridge retailer offering compatible and remanufactured ink and toner, with a similar B2C/B2B mix to Cartridge World and overlapping value proposition on cost vs. OEM.
• 123inkjets (123Ink): Pure-play online cartridge retailer with broad compatible and remanufactured inventory, competing head-to-head with Cartridge World on price and SKU coverage for B2C and small-business buyers.
• TonerBuzz: Online retailer of compatible and OEM toner/ink cartridges serving B2B and B2C customers, directly overlapping Cartridge World's product set and B2B managed print positioning.
• CompAndSave: Discount online retailer specializing in compatible and remanufactured printer cartridges, competing with Cartridge World on price-led positioning in the same aftermarket segment.
• Clover Imaging Group: Major remanufacturer and distributor of imaging supplies (ink, toner, MPS) supplying resellers and dealers worldwide; competes with Cartridge World at the wholesale/procurement layer that Cartridge World's GPC also targets.
• Image Star (Cartridge Depot): Long-running online aftermarket cartridge retailer offering compatible and remanufactured cartridges, with comparable B2B service offerings to Cartridge World's B2B solutions arm.

Broad incumbents

• Staples: Major office superstore and B2B supplier offering cartridges, printers, and managed print services; overlaps Cartridge World's product and services portfolio within a much broader office supplies business.
• Office Depot: Large office supplies retailer carrying OEM and aftermarket cartridges alongside broader office categories; competes with Cartridge World at the retail and SMB procurement layer as a broad incumbent.

Emerging players

• Katun: Wholesale distributor of aftermarket imaging supplies and MPS solutions serving dealers and resellers globally; comparable to Cartridge World in serving the imaging aftermarket channel rather than direct end consumers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjPIHJfVYmHtRPi0y8WFq4w
• Xx.com/cartridgeworld
• Facebookfacebook.com/CartridgeWorldNorthAmerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cartridge-world

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cartridge World