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(Weymouth, MA) March 22, 2010 . . . InfoTrends’ latest U.S. Consumer Photo Prints Forecast indicates that photo prints will remain a vital part of the growing digital photography ecosystem. Despite the wide variety of ways to view, share, and store digital photos today, photo prints remain one of the best ways to share and safely archive important digital photos that will one day be passed on to future generations. While overall photo print volumes are declining slightly, the market is generating billions of prints and billions of dollars in revenue. Retail will remain the most popular method for fulfilling print orders through the forecast period, accounting for 65% of print volume by 2014. The net-to-retail print method, where prints are ordered online and then picked up at a retail store, will be the most popular retail method, growing from 36% of the retail market in 2008 to 45% by 2014. It is not surprising that more customers are ordering their prints online, as many other digital photography activities, including viewing and storage, are also being accomplished via electronic means. Nevertheless, with all of today’s technologies, the traditional photo album is still the best way to preserve important family photos. InfoTrends’ research shows that photos stored on CD/DVD is the top method that consumers plan to use for passing on photos to future generations, but CDs/DVDs degrade over time. Other non-print methods are not much better, as hard drives crash and Web sites can go out of business. Prints, on the other hand, have longevity on their side. Once prints are made on high-quality paper with high-quality inks and put in an album, it is safe to say they will still be viewable over many decades. David Haueter, an Associate Director at InfoTrends, stated, “It is a scary fact that a large percentage of consumers do not know that CD/DVDs have a limited shelf life and are also relying on vulnerable electronic methods for long-term archiving of digital photos. Prints are the best way to insure that important photos will be around to pass on to future generations in an easily viewable and accessible format. Vendors and retailers must focus on taking these messages to consumers to raise awareness and increase the stability of the print market.” InfoTrends believes that with the right market education in place, prints will continue to play a prominent role in the digital photography market and that more consumers will begin to understand the archival quality of photo prints. Available for immediate purchase, InfoTrends’ U.S. Consumer Photo Prints Market Forecast: 2009-2014 provides volume and revenue estimates for prints made at home, online, and at retail, as well as their relative growth rates through the forecast period. It also forecasts prints by capture device. Printing trends that impact the forecast are also examined based on relevant information from various InfoTrends consumer surveys. For more information visit InfoTrends’ online store or contact Robyn Wuori at +1 ext. 103 or e-mail . InfoTrends, a Questex company, is the leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. We provide research, analysis, forecasts, and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to grow their businesses. Additional information about InfoTrends is available on the Web at www.infotrends.com. Copyright 2010 InfoTrends. All rights reserved. Reproduction or reuse of InfoTrends materials is strictly prohibited without prior written consent. If you are interested in referencing InfoTrends content, please submit your request to . |
