Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge is now in stock at Mascom International for KSh 1,000, supplied as the genuine Epson S015633 black fabric ribbon and available over the counter at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD. Every unit is brand new and sealed in its original Epson carton, carrying the global part code C13S015633. The Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge prints up to 2.5 million characters in Letter Quality mode before it needs changing. It drops into the print carriage in under a minute, with no tools and no hand cleaning afterwards.
Accountants, matatu SACCO cashiers, pharmacy dispensers, clearing agents at the Port of Mombasa, and county revenue clerks still run 24-pin impact printers for one reason: carbon copies. The Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge is what keeps that daily workflow moving. When the tape fades, receipts print grey, the second and third copies come out unreadable, and customers dispute what they were charged. Many Kenyan offices lose half a working day hunting for a replacement in shops that stock only re-inked cassettes. Mascom International holds the genuine Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge on the shelf, so that hunt takes one phone call.
Unlike traditional electronics retailers in Kenya that stock refilled cassettes in plain plastic bags, Mascom International sells the original Epson-manufactured ribbon with the S015633 code moulded into the shell. Users consistently report that refilled tape frays after a few thousand pages and sheds fibres onto the 24 print pins, which shortens a print head rated at 400 million strokes per wire. At Mascom International, we're witnessing steady repeat demand from finance departments that buy four to six Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge units at a time. Walk into our Kimathi Street shop Monday to Saturday, or call for countrywide delivery with payment on arrival.
Common Questions About the Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge
Which ribbon cartridge does the Epson LQ-350 printer use?
The Epson LQ-350 uses the S015633 black fabric ribbon cartridge, sold globally under the code C13S015633. This is the only Epson-original ribbon the manufacturer specifies for the model, and it is exactly what Mascom International supplies at KSh 1,000. The code appears on the cassette shell itself, so you can check it against your old ribbon before installing. If a seller offers a cartridge without that code, you are being handed a third-party or re-inked unit rather than an Epson-made one.
How many pages will one ribbon print before the text fades?
Epson rates the S015633 at roughly 2.5 million characters in Letter Quality mode and about 3 million characters in draft mode. For a typical A4 invoice carrying 2,000 characters, that works out to well over 1,000 documents from a single cartridge. An office printing 50 receipts a day usually gets several months from one ribbon. Fading arrives gradually rather than suddenly, so you will notice grey text on the last carbon copy days before the original goes light.
Is KSh 1,000 a fair price for this ribbon in Kenya?
Yes. Genuine Epson S015633 ribbons typically retail between KSh 950 and KSh 1,800 across Nairobi dealers, while re-inked copies sell for KSh 400 to KSh 600. At KSh 1,000 from Mascom International you pay near the bottom of the original-ribbon range. Measured against the rated yield, that is under KSh 1 per printed invoice. The cheaper re-inked option costs less once but risks print head damage that runs into tens of thousands of shillings.
Will this cartridge fit other Epson dot matrix printers?
Epson lists the S015633 as compatible with the LQ-350, the LQ-300+II, and the LQ-100. All three share the same carriage mount and cassette dimensions, so one part number covers a mixed office fleet. It does not fit the LQ-310, the LQ-2090, or 136-column wide-carriage machines, which take different ribbon codes. Bring your printer model number when you visit Kimathi Street, or send a photo on WhatsApp, and our team confirms the match before you pay.
How do I know Mascom sells a genuine Epson ribbon and not a refill?
Every cartridge arrives sealed in Epson's own printed carton with the C13S015633 code, a holographic label, and the moulded Epson mark on the cassette body. Refilled units usually come in plain bags or generic boxes and feel lighter, because the spool holds less nylon tape. You can open and inspect the packaging at our Kimathi Street counter before paying, or inspect it at your door under pay-on-arrival delivery. Mascom International sources through authorised Epson distribution channels only.
How do I change the ribbon on an LQ-350?
Switch the printer off, lift the top cover, and slide the print head to the middle of the carriage. Lift the old cassette straight up by its handle, then lower the new one until both clips snap into their mounts. Turn the tightening knob two or three times clockwise to take up slack in the tape. Close the cover and print a test page. The whole change takes under a minute and needs no tools.
Why do Kenyan businesses still use dot matrix printers in 2026?
Impact printing is the only method that produces carbon copies in a single pass. Delivery notes, dispatch documents, hospital admission forms, matatu SACCO receipts, and warehouse waybills all need two or three identical copies signed at once. A laser printer cannot do that. The LQ-350 also runs on continuous fanfold stationery, which costs far less per page than cut sheets. With a mean time between failures of 10,000 operating hours, these machines outlast most office laser units.
How long can I store a spare ribbon before using it?
A sealed Epson ribbon holds its ink for roughly two years when stored below 30 degrees Celsius and away from direct sunlight. Coastal humidity in Mombasa and Malindi is the main risk, since damp cardboard can warp the cassette shell. Keep spares in their sealed cartons inside a drawer rather than on a windowsill. Once installed, tape dries out faster, so fit a fresh cassette only when the current one begins fading.
Can I get this ribbon delivered outside Nairobi?
Yes. Mascom International ships the S015633 ribbon to all 47 counties with payment on arrival, so you hand over the KSh 1,000 only when the cartridge reaches you. Nairobi and its environs receive same-day delivery. Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisii, Garissa, and every other major town receive it the next business day. Because ribbons weigh very little, most upcountry offices order three or four at once and keep spares in the stationery cupboard.
Technical Specifications
Cartridge Identification and Core Function
- Part number: Epson S015633, global code C13S015633, the only original ribbon Epson specifies for the LQ-350
- Ink colour: black only, since the LQ-350 is a monochrome impact printer with no colour ribbon option
- Ribbon material: nylon fabric tape wound on an internal spool that turns and re-inks as printing continues
- Working principle: 24 print pins strike the tape against paper, transferring ink and pressing through carbon copies
- Cassette format: sealed plastic shell with a tightening knob and lift handle for one-handed changes
- Supplied condition: brand new and sealed, never refilled, re-inked, or repackaged before reaching our shelf
Printer Compatibility and Office Fleet Coverage
- Primary match: Epson LQ-350, the 80-column 24-pin desktop model rated for 10,000 hours between failures
- Also fits: Epson LQ-300+II and LQ-100, both sharing identical carriage mounts and cassette dimensions
- Not compatible: LQ-310, LQ-2090, and 136-column wide-carriage machines, which take different ribbon part codes
- Fleet benefit: offices running mixed LQ-350 and LQ-300+II units stock a single part number for both
- Verification: send a photo of your printer label to +254 708 852 521 and our team confirms the fit
- Print head protection: correct-fit original tape avoids the fraying that wears pins rated at 400 million strokes
Print Yield, Running Cost and Output Quality
- Letter Quality yield: up to 2.5 million characters per cartridge under Epson's published rating for the LQ-350
- Draft yield: roughly 3 million characters, because draft mode fires fewer pins for each character formed
- Document estimate: over 1,000 A4 invoices of about 2,000 characters each from one sealed cartridge
- Cost per document: under KSh 1 per invoice at the KSh 1,000 counter price in Nairobi
- Resolution support: carries the tape density needed for the printer's 360 x 180 dpi text output
- Copy capability: inks an original plus three carbon copies in one pass through the platen
Materials, Build and Storage Durability
- Tape construction: woven nylon chosen to resist fraying and shedding fibres into the print carriage
- Ink formulation: Epson ink spreads evenly along the tape, so character density stays steady to the end
- Shell rigidity: moulded plastic holds tension and stops the cassette jumping during 347 cps draft runs
- Tension control: manual knob takes up slack, preventing the tape folds that cause jams and smudged lines
- Climate tolerance: handles Nairobi dry-season dust and coastal humidity while sealed in its original carton
- Shelf life: about two years sealed, stored below 30 degrees Celsius and out of direct sunlight
Installation and Daily Handling
- Tool-free fitting: lift the cover, centre the print head, drop the cassette in, clip both sides down
- Change time: under one minute, so a cashier can swap ribbons between customers at a busy counter
- Slack removal: turn the knob two or three times clockwise before closing the cover and testing output
- Clean handling: the sealed cassette keeps loose ink off your hands, your paper, and the carriage rails
- Fade warning: the third carbon copy greys first, giving several days of notice before originals weaken
- Handling caution: never pull the tape by hand, as stretched nylon feeds unevenly and prints patchy lines
Sourcing, Stock and After-Sales Support
- Sourcing: authorised Epson distribution channels only, with original cartons and holographic labelling intact
- Counter stock: held at Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD
- Bulk supply: finance departments and clearing agents commonly collect four to six cartridges per visit
- Payment options: M-Pesa, cash, or card in store, plus pay-on-arrival for every countrywide delivery order
- Technical help: our Nairobi CBD desk advises on print head care, fanfold stationery, and printer settings
- Related consumables: Mascom International also stocks continuous fanfold paper and cut-sheet A4 reams
Package Contents
- One genuine Epson S015633 black fabric ribbon cartridge, sealed in its original Epson carton
- Epson-printed outer packaging carrying the C13S015633 global part code and holographic label
- Fitting instructions on the carton covering cassette removal, seating, and tape tightening
- Mascom International purchase receipt for warranty reference and accounting records
Note: this cartridge ships as a single-unit consumable. Printers, fanfold stationery, print heads, and USB or parallel cables are sold separately. Mascom International stocks all of them alongside the ribbon.
6 Months Warranty
The Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge carries a 6-month Mascom International warranty on manufacturing defects, covering faults such as uneven inking, a seized tightening knob, a cracked cassette shell, or tape that frays well before its rated yield. Cover does not extend to a ribbon exhausted through normal printing. Our Nairobi CBD service desk handles claims directly at the Kimathi Street counter.
Where to Buy the Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge in Kenya
The Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge is available now at Mascom International, Old Mutual Building, First Floor Room 4, Kimathi Street, Nairobi CBD. Walk in Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and our team will check the part code against your printer before you pay KSh 1,000.
Order through any of the following:
- Phone/WhatsApp: +254 708 852 521
- Email: info@mascomintl.com
- Website: www.mascomintl.com
Mascom International ships the Epson LQ-350 Ribbon Cartridge across all 47 Kenyan counties with pay-on-arrival delivery you settle the bill only when the cartridge reaches your desk. Nairobi and its environs receive same-day delivery. Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, Mombasa, Kakamega, Kisii, Garissa, and all other major towns receive next-business-day delivery. Mandera, Wajir, Marsabit, Lamu, Tana River, and Turkana receive delivery within 2-3 business days.
Every cartridge is backed by the 6-month Mascom warranty above, with claims coordinated at our Nairobi CBD service desk.
Buyers across Kenya rely on Mascom International for original printer consumables, honest Kenyan pricing, and after-sales advice from a team that works with dot matrix hardware every day.
