About Futuresource Consulting

Futuresource Consulting, the specialist research and consulting company, is delighted to be the official knowledge partner for CEATEC. 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.132012/1/11

Multiple platforms now the norm when sharing personal photos

Highlighting many similarities in camera ownership and behaviour between consumers in the UK and USA, a new wave of consumer research by Futuresource Consulting looks into image-capturing and photo-sharing behaviours across these two major markets.

Futuresource conducted 2,000 online surveys with UK and USA consumers aged 18 and over to review the range of devices used for capturing images and the way in which these photos are stored and shared.

The research reveals that consumers aged 18 to 34 are more likely than any other age group to be capturing images with a camera phone, particularly in the UK. This allows them to easily share images through the use of social networking sites including Twitter and Facebook, and access them using a range of connected devices including smartphones and tablets.

Responses show that consumers age 55+ are least likely to be using camera phones, choosing the traditional digital camera to capture images.

Around 80% of respondents across both the UK and USA are sharing some or all of their photos with family and friends.


The primary method of sharing photos is directly from the camera, with 38% and 35% of UK and USA consumers respectively choosing this option, and secondly 26% (UK) and 34% (USA) are sharing via email. As a third option, UK consumers opt for viewing on a laptop or netbook PC and conversely, consumers in the USA tend to use the desktop PC.

Around 60% of respondents in the UK and USA are using websites to store, share and print their images. Facebook is seen to be the principal choice for consumers and is predominantly female dominated, with Flickr in the UK and Snapfish in the USA in second place.

In addition, other websites have witnessed considerable activity over recent months with Dropbox and Google+ witnessing the fastest uptake, this could be temporary though with the initial spike from Google+ resulting from its launch in summer 2011.

There is a notably higher number of active 'silver surfers' in the USA, with over 30% of those using websites being in the 55+ age group as opposed to only 19% in the UK. Kodak Gallery and Snapfish are proving to be the most popular destination of choice for consumers in this age bracket.

With more than 100 billion photos stored using these online services, there is a potentially lucrative opportunity to boost growth in the photobook market through effective CRM strategies, considering 75% of respondents who have previously purchased photobooks indicate that additional purchases are likely within the next 12 months. Acquisition is also a key strategic focus in order to capture more consumers by providing them with a motive to purchase. With this in mind, brands are locking into the older consumer market as they have a higher propensity to print photos. They are then building promotional campaigns around the 'saving memories' approach with a notable move towards TV and newspaper advertising.

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