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July 25, 2006 – Retail and online photo printing is on the rise in Western Europe, according to a study released yesterday by InfoTrends, a marketing research and consulting firm.
The study surveyed 1743 western Europeans (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K.) with Internet access. Of those web users, nearly 75 percent reported having owned a digital camera. Measuring printing habits, the study reported that half of the people surveyed printed their digital images at home, following by retail printing as the second most popular choice.
"One of the most surprising findings of this survey was the level of loyalty among those who print at home," said InfoTrends consultant Mette Eriksen in yesterday’s InfoTrends press release. "However, photo print volumes are shifting towards retail locations and online photo services as awareness of these other printing methods is increasing," said Eriksen.
The study showed that printing habits depended on the volume of photos. Digital camera owners were more likely to print at home for a small number of images. For larger queues, digital camera owners were more likely to print through retailers or online services, stated the press release.
Additionally, printing varied by country. In Germany and the U.K., users were more likely to print at home. In Spain and Italy, digital cameras owners printed from retailers more often.
"The significant differences in print behavior 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," said Eriksen.