The latest PMA Monthly Printing and Camera Trends Report for the year ending November 2007 indicates that digital print volumes are continuing to grow for most methods of printing and online and retail printing have gained market share. The rate of growth has however slowed across the board from the previous 12 month period. The total volume of prints (all sizes) made from digital-still camera images increased by 27 percent for the year ending November 2007, quite the drop from the 49 percent increase in the year ending November 2006.
  Online activity was much slower for the year ending November 2007, growing at a rate of 66 percent compared to 122 percent for the previous year, reports PMA Marketing Research. Online market share has however increased from 11.4 percent in November 2006 to 14.3 percent in the most recent 12-month period. Printing volumes at retail minilabs and kiosks grew 23 percent and 30 percent, respectively, for the period of November 2006 through November 2007. In the previous year, growth was higher, at 60 percent and 41 percent for retail minilabs and kiosks, respectively. The retail channel, including prints ordered online and picked up at the store, however accounted for a total of 49.1 percent of prints made in the year ending November 2007, up slightly from 46.3 percent in the previous year. Growth in home printing for the year ending November 2007 is low, but remains positive at 11 percent. Last year, growth in home printing was much stronger, at 28 percent. In addition, home printing lost market share, falling to 35.6 percent this year versus 40.8 percent a year ago. Lastly, digital print volumes for other methods, such as the workplace, grew 34 percent for the year ending November 2006, but decreased by 17 percent this past November.
  With the continuous enhancement of the custom photo gift market, there is less of a need for basic prints as a means of showcasing memories, hence the slow down in print growth. When basic prints are needed however, making them at the same time as custom items may perhaps explain the why the online and retail markets have gained market share over home printing.