PMA Data Watch: Camera phone penetration continues to rise
According to the 2009 PMA U.S. Camera/Camcorder Digital Imaging Survey, more than half (58 percent) of U.S. households own at least one camera phone. In 2007, 46 percent of households owned at least one camera phone and in 2006, 37 percent of households were camera phone owners. Ten percent of U.S. households own three or more camera phones. There are a variety of reasons why people choose to use the camera phone rather than another camera for picture taking, according to PMA Marketing Research.
The most common reason, cited by 57 percent of camera phone owners, for using the camera function was that they did not have a digital/film camera at the time. Camera phones are the perfect solution for those spur of the moment picture opportunities. More than one-third of camera phone owners take pictures with the camera phone so they can have the picture with them at all times. Thirty percent of camera phone owners just wanted to try the camera function for fun. Other reasons for using the camera phone rather than another camera is the desire to send or upload the photo quickly, the occasion was not important enough to bring a regular camera, do not have a digital camera and the camera phone is the main digital camera.
When using the camera phone to take, share or store photos, 67 percent of users felt that the camera phone performed as expected. Fifteen percent of camera phone users felt the camera performed below or far below their expectations, but 18 percent claimed the camera phone performed at a level above their expectations or far beyond their expectations.
PMA Data Watch: Digital photo frames continue to gain popularity
According to the 2009 PMA U.S. Camera/Camcorder Digital Imaging Survey, digital photo frames certainly continue to gain popularity. Twenty-two percent of all U.S. households owned a digital photo frame in 2008, doubling from 11 percent the previous year. In addition, 16 percent of households purchased a digital frame in 2008, more than the total percentage of households owning one the prior year. Prices have fallen making them a great way to display photos every day and even making them ideal gift options. Digital photo frames were a key item on the pages of many sale ads this past holiday season.
Twenty-eight percent of digital camera households own digital photo frames. Only 15 percent of digital camera households owned one in 2007. Not surprisingly, high income households are much more likely to own digital frames than lower income households. Just 12 percent of households earning an annual income under $30,000 own digital frames compared to almost one-third of households earning an annual income of $75,000 or more.
Digital cameras are now present in the majority of U.S. households and consumers are looking for the accessories to go along with them. Once the cameras are obtained, digital frames are a great way to creatively display the pictures taken. Consumers can view and show off multiple sets of images without having a computer handy and without making a whole stack of prints.
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PMA Data Watch: Picture sharing popular among young people
According to the 2008 PMA Youth Digital Camera Usage Study, 86 percent of young people post pictures online on sites such as Facebook, My Space, Flickr, and Kodak EasyShare Gallery, however, younger teens are even more likely to do so. Ninety percent of teens between 14 and 18 years old post to online sites compared to 82 percent of those 19 to 29 years old. While 83 percent of young people share pictures via email, 87 percent of 19- to 29-year-olds do so, compared to only 79 percent of 14- to 18-year-olds. More than two-thirds (69 percent) of young people share pictures through the camera phone (by picture email or MMS — multi media message).
There are also some gender differences when it comes to picture sharing among these young people. Ninety percent of females post pictures to online sites, such as those mentioned above, but only 82 percent of males do. Females are also more likely than males to share pictures through online albums or slide shows, printed photo albums, and scrapbooks. Males, however, are more likely than females to share pictures through DVD players and televisions. Finally, not surprisingly, young males are more than twice as likely as young females to share pictures through video game consoles.
The full 2008 PMA Youth Digital Camera Usage Report will be available shortly in the Marketing Research section of the PMA website.
PMA Data Watch: Baby boomers most likley to print at home
According to PMA Marketing Research, the Baby Boomer generation is most likely to utilize home printing methods. Generation X and especially Generation Y consumers are much more likely to use online methods for printing.
Baby Boomers are 6 percent more likely than the average person to make prints using a home computer printer, and 4 percent more likely than average to use a photo printer designed specifically for a digital camera. Generation X consumers, on the other hand, are less likely than the average person to print at home, and this trend is even more pronounced in Generation Y consumers. Baby Boomers are just as likely as the average person to bring their photos to the retail minilab to be printed, but they are 13 percent less likely than average to use the digital self-service kiosk. Generation X consumers are slightly less likely than average to bring their photos to the retail to be printed, but they are slightly more likely than average to use the kiosk. Generation Y consumers, on the other hand, are just slightly more likely to bring pictures to the retail minilab, but they are 37 percent more likely to use the digital self-service kiosk.
Online printing, the fastest growing method of printing, is most common among the younger generations. This is not surprising as they are more likely to have high-speed internet access than the Baby Boomers. Boomers are 33 percent less likely, and 37 percent less likely than average to use online to mail and online to retail printing methods, respectively. Generation X consumers are much more likely than average to use both of these online methods, and Generation Y consumers are even more likely than average to do so.
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PMA Data Watch: Printing volumes down for all methods
As digital camera sales were feeble in December, digital printing is also being affected by the weak economy, according to the latest PMA Monthly Printing and Camera Trends Report. There was still some growth in printing, but not to the same degree as the same month the past couple of years, according to PMA Marketing Research. Some printing methods even experienced declines this past December when compared to the previous years.
Online ordering activity, the fastest growing printing method, grew at a rate of only 21 percent in December 2008, compared to a rate of 64 percent in 2007. Looking back even further to 2006, online ordering grew at an astounding rate of 129 percent. Printing volumes on retail minilabs grew, but only 4 percent, compared to growth rates of 24 percent and 51 percent in 2007 and 2006, respectively. Results were even grimmer when it came to printing from instant kiosks and printing at home. Printing volumes for both of these methods fell by 2 percent in December 2008. In 2007, printing volumes on instant kiosks had a growth rate of 35 percent and home printing grew at a rate of 9 percent. In 2006, growth rates in printing on instant kiosks and at home were even higher, 41 percent and 25 percent, respectively.
The weakness in printing volumes is certainly not surprising as retail sales in general were lacking in the fourth quarter of 2008. Many consumers simply have less disposable income than they have in the past. As mentioned above, camera sales suffered, with digital camera sales down 7 percent in December and down 2 percent for the full year. Purchases of additional digital camera units and replacements are likely to have declined last year; however, household penetration was estimated to have increased to 73.5 percent in 2008, up from 68.2 percent in 2007. January’s inauguration may boost print volumes for the month, but it is likely that the slow growth will continue into 2009, as there are typically fewer photo opportunities between the start of the year and graduation season.
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