(Luton, U.K.) July 24, 2006… According to a recent InfoTrends survey of 1,743 Internet users in Western Europe, almost three-quarters of respondents indicated owning a digital camera. Most respondents reported printing some photos, although only a small portion of respondents reported printing more than 20 photos per month. Home printing was used most often by more than half of respondents. Retail services were the second most popular printing location.

“One of the most surprising findings of this survey was the level of loyalty among those who print at home, however, photo print volumes are shifting towards retail locations and online photo services as awareness of these other printing methods is increasing,” commented Mette Eriksen, a Consultant for InfoTrends. “We discovered that the preferred print location depends on the size of the print job; printing just a few photos is best suited for home, while large jobs are sourced to retailers or online photo services.”

The survey indicates strong regional differences in printing behavior. On average, respondents from Germany and the U.K. were more likely to print at home, while respondents from Spain and Italy were more likely to print at retail.

“The significant differences in print behaviour in each country indicate that vendors should not treat their marketing activities as Pan-European, but must instead establish and address the needs of consumers in each country,” commented Ms. Eriksen.

The maturing digital camera market also presents vendors with new challenges. In relation to early adopters, mainstream consumers and late adopters are less tech-savvy, less likely to use their digital cameras often, less likely to print photos, and less likely to understand how to store photos. 24% of digital camera owners reported having no long-term storage plans in 2006, compared to just 7% in 2005.

The percentage of respondents who use hard-copy prints as a storage method in 2006 was about half of that in 2005, suggesting that the most familiar method of storing photos is no more likely to appeal to late adopters than it did to early adopters. Although the electronic storage market is difficult to monetise, industry vendors would be well-advised to maintain consumers’ positive digital photography experiences by ensuring the accessibility of all photos.

InfoTrends report, entitled 2006 Western European Digital Photography Survey: Digital Camera and Photo Printing Analysis, is available for purchase immediately. The report presents the findings from a Web-based survey of 1,743 Internet households in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The surveys were conducted in January 2006 and covered digital cameras, camera phones, photo printing (at home, retail, and online), and long-term storage of images.