(Weymouth, MA) June 27, 2006… InfoTrends recently released an extensive study on the Store Brand Imaging Supply market. This study provides research on OEM, store, and aftermarket branded inkjet cartridges, laser printer cartridges, copier supplies, and photo paper. From this study, InfoTrends has excerpted three standalone sections that focus on photo paper, inkjet supplies, and toner supplies.

Each study provides in-depth research and analysis on which brands people report using, which brands they expect to use in the future, and which stores or other resellers they typically use to acquire those products.

A common trend in all of the reports is that store brand users do not rate reliability and quality as highly as OEM and aftermarket users. Store brand users appear to be seeking a balance. They value a number of factors, including reliability, quality, convenience, price, and one-stop-shopping. Store brand users typically believe that OEM products are better, but their primary focus is receiving a better overall value.

The document entitled Store Brand Imaging Supplies Study - Toner Supplies Edition reveals that owners of monochrome and color machines showed very few differences when rating the importance of quality, reliability, cost, and other features of color and monochrome toners. There was also almost no difference between the two groups’ ratings of OEM, store brand, and aftermarket brand products.

“For years, we assumed that users would be more reluctant to try non-OEM color toners than non-OEM monochrome toners,” commented John Shane, a Director at InfoTrends. “Nevertheless, the nearly identical response between the two groups suggests that most consumers are quite willing to try non-OEM color supplies, once non-OEM color toners are comparable to the quality of monochrome non-OEM toners.”

Quality, reliability, and cost are of paramount importance to the photo printing market. According to InfoTrends’ document entitled Store Brand Imaging Supplies Study - Photo Paper Edition, 65% of survey respondents reported using special photographic inkjet paper to print their photos. Respondents cited price and paper finish as the two attributes that most influenced their paper purchases, but the ultimate decision often came down to the information on the box and the lowest cost.

The document entitled Store Brand Imaging Supplies Study - Inkjet Supplies Edition indicates that many current users of non-OEM inkjet cartridges expect to shift from aftermarket brands to store brands. Store brands accounted for 40% of the non-OEM market in 2004, but this percentage is expected to reach 66% by 2009.

When respondents were asked to specify the store brands that they currently used, office superstore brands like Staples, Office Depot, or OfficeMax proved to be the most popular. This is not surprising, because office supply superstores have been emphasizing their store brands as of late. While the Store Brands are gaining in popularity, the study also reveals that Wal-Mart is the most popular location for purchasing inkjet cartridges overall and particularly popular with Lexmark users.

Each report is available immediately for purchase. For more information about the reports or to make a purchase, visit our online store or contact Nicole Shown at , ext. 207 or .