About Futuresource Consulting

Futuresource Consulting, the specialist research and consulting company, is delighted to be the official knowledge partner for CEATEC JAPAN. The company can trace its roots back to the 1980s and provides market insights into consumer electronics, digital imaging, entertainment media, broadcast, optical manufacturing, storage media, professional IT and education technology.
With more than 70 full-time employees providing in-depth analysis and forecasts across consumer and professional electronics categories, Futuresource is able to advise on market, competitive and technological developments, providing clients with access to the information that helps produce the best possible results.

Vol.052011/9/6

USA Photobook market on track to reach 25 million units this year

Demand for photobooks from consumers in the USA continues to rise, providing a profitable revenue stream to many companies operating within the sector, with the market growing last year by nearly 25% to achieve in excess of 20 million units sold. Moving forward, this market is on track to make double-digit volume growth again this year and also through into 2012, with Futuresource forecasts predicting 25 million photobooks in 2011 and nearly 29 million in 2012.

Despite the increase in sales volumes, there is a high level of competition and a glut of softcover and smaller sized photobooks, which is driving down the average retail price per unit. In particular, competition is strong among the online consumer portals, such as Shutterfly, Snapfish and Kodak Gallery, as well as the fact that there are a greater number of high street retailers offering photobooks.

The decline in average retail price per unit will continue across the forecast period, out to 2015, but because of the rise in volumes being sold, the retail market value of photobooks is on track to rise by 17% in 2011.

The online channels are still the main source of photobook orders, but photobooks ordered in store will begin to take a larger share of the market. However, online orders will still account for around 75% of the market by 2015. The growth of in-store is being driven by a growing installed base of photobook-capable equipment at retail. Some of the mass-merchandisers, such as Walmart and Target, and pharmacy chains like CVS and Rite-Aid have either fully or partially re-equipped their stores with dry minilabs, while pharmacy chain Walgreens has installed Xerox printers to print photobooks and other photo-merchandise.

Just as the 4"x6" photo prints market has been impacted (and will continue to be impacted) by electronic image-sharing via social networking sites and the rise of mobile devices that combine camera and connectivity capabilities, Futuresource research shows that these technologies will also have some impact on the photobook market moving forwards, particularly with the growth in the installed base of Tablet PCs that can facilitate image sharing on a larger and very portable screen.

Nevertheless, aided by improving consumer interfaces, expanding retail production capacity for photobooks and a wider range of choice in terms of style and size of photobook, USA consumer volumes will continue to increase. Looking further ahead, volumes are set to keep on growing through to 2015, albeit at a slowing rate.

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