POS printer - poor print quality

Hey there.

Got a headache with my store's receipt printer.

Since we had to upgrade everything to handle those new IRS-mandated QR codes, we updated our whole system.

The printer handles the code just fine, but the actual print quality is absolute trash.

The font looks terrible, the print is faint, and while the QR code scans perfectly, all the other info is tiny and basically unreadable. I’m pretty sure within a week all this data is just gonna fade into nothingness.

What's the deal? Paper issue, software glitch, or just a bad printer?

It's an IBM.
https://www.amazon.com/black-printer-thermal/dp/B00EXAMPLE

I really don't want to drop cash on a new printer if I can just fix this one to work like it used to. I haven't touched any settings... ever since we got the new license and started printing the code, the whole print job went downhill.

That link isn't working, so I can't really tell what kind of printer you're dealing with. If it’s not just a settings issue—like adjusting the print density—then you're looking at a hardware failure, whether it's a faulty toner cartridge or the machine itself. It might be worth calling a technician to take a look, or if it's still under warranty, you should probably file a claim. Though, given how much work you have to get through, I'm guessing a repair isn't an option right now.