The invention discloses a heat transfer printing printer and a control method of the heat transfer printing printer. The heat transfer printing printer comprises a distributing shaft (21) and a recycling shaft (22), wherein the distributing shaft (21) is used for supporting unused thermal transfer ribbons; the recycling shaft (22) is used for rolling back used thermal transfer ribbons; the heat transfer printing printer further comprises a distributing motor (23), a recycling motor (24) and a control mechanism, wherein the distributing motor (23) is in transmission connection with the distributing shaft (21) and is used for driving the rotation of the distributing shaft (21); the recycling motor is in transmission connection with the recycling shaft (22) and is used for driving the rotation of the recycling shaft (22); and the control mechanism is electrically connected with the distributing motor (23) and the recycling motor (24) and is used for respectively controlling the rotation of the distributing motor (23) and the recycling motor (24) before executing an printing operation so that the thermal transfer ribbon are wound on the distributing shaft (21) and the recycling shaft (22). According to the heat transfer printing printer and the control method of the heat transfer printing printer, the relaxation of the thermal transfer ribbons can be avoided, and then the printing quality is improved.