How to get refunds when things fail?

How to get refunds when things fail? I am in a real fix. I had a Dell 966 printer that did not last 18 months.

I could only buy the extended ink cartridges from Dell so I would buy them in advance so I would have them when the others ran out. Otherwise I would be unable to print until new cartridges came in. That makes sense to me.Then the printer had a part break on the inside. The tech said it was cheaper to throw it away and buy a new printer.

Here comes the problem. No refund on $127 of ink because I had bought it more than 15 days before the printer broke. We have called and called, but the answer is that is the policy and we cannot allow you to return the ink. At least that is what the people in India and Malasia said when we finally got someone we could understand. We have never been able to speak to an American.

We are a Dell preferred customer and have bought a lot from them, but can get no response