The latest InfoTrends study shows us that 40% of digital camera owners in the United States are using a retail photo printing service. Consumers are ordering prints at photo kiosk print stations, over the counter at retail stores, and placing an order online for in-store pickup. The study shows that digital camera owners are using multiple sources for prints, but more people are shifting to retail outlets.
The percentage of US digital camera owners who use retail printing services is up from 23% last year and 13% in 2004.
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InfoTrends Study Shows that Nearly 40% of U.S. Digital Camera Owners are Using a Retail Print Service
According to a recent U.S. consumer study from InfoTrends, the use of retail photo printing services continues to grow. Retail services might involve ordering prints from a photo kiosk print station, ordering them over-the-counter at a retail store, or placing an order through a retailer's online site for pickup in the store. The study confirms that digital camera owners continue to use multiple sources for obtaining prints, but more people are shifting to retail. Not only is usage increasing, but frequency is as well. While only 13% of digital camera owners reported printing at retail most often during 2004, this percentage had increased to 23% in 2005.
Digital camera owners believe that printing at retail generates high-quality prints and is also a good way to obtain large orders, but these consumers also enjoy convenience. As photo kiosk print stations become more widely available and storefronts continue to roll out net-to-retail services, retailers' share of print volume is expected to rise. Many questions remain, including whether retail outlets can balance ease-of-use and quick turnaround times with the consumer comfort that is needed to encourage creativity and large print orders.
"The profile of the digital camera owner/printer has shifted from the tech-savvy early adopter to the mainstream family memory keeper, whose primary goal is to preserve images," says Ann Morris, a Research Analyst at InfoTrends. "Retailers should keep this in mind when introducing potential customers to printing digital photos at retail."
InfoTrends' report titled 2005 Photo Kiosk and Retail Digital Photofinishing End User Study Analysis is available immediately. The document explores how consumers approach different printing options and also considers their resultant printing behaviors. It looks at who prints, how they print, and what type of printing they do, including size of pictures and print orders. This study also discusses why some digital camera owners do not currently print at retail, and whether this will change with increased retail offerings and lower print prices.
