PMA Data Watch: Photo book creation among U.S. households

According to the PMA 2010 U.S. Camera/Camcorder Digital Imaging Survey, less than half of U.S. households have heard or seen anything about photo books, or 41 percent to be exact. Establishing awareness is critical when it comes to new products. By not articulating how consumers benefit from photo books and why they make better alternatives to standard photo prints, the industry is leaving a lot of growth potential untapped. Fifty-nine percent of U.S. households have yet to be introduced to photo books, even though they have been available for several years.

Of households that began making photo books in 2009, 33 percent left some books unfinished. This was, however, a decrease from the previous year when half of photo book making households left books unfinished. More than half, or 51 percent, of those who left some books unfinished intended to finish at a later time. Twenty-one percent said they left books unfinished because it takes too long to make them, followed by 18 percent who did not have all of the pictures they wanted, and 13 percent who said the books cost too much.

The most popular reason for making photo books is for the purpose of having a family keepsake, given by 60 percent of those who made photo books in 2009. This was a drop from the 69 percent who said the same in the year prior. Forty-six percent of photo book makers made them as a gift for family, a two-fold increase over the preceding year. Making photo books for the purpose of gifting them to friends also increased this year.