With the digital market growing significantly, and the use of film based photography shrinking, the future of the local camera store has been in jeopardy. Fortunately, there death has been premature. It seems the public is still willing to have their prints made professionally, but instead of the roll of film, they are bringing in their compact flash card.
A new study shows that “retail digital photofinishing is becoming an increasingly important segment of the consumer digital printing market. According to an August Internet survey conducted by in 2004, 33% of digital camera owners who print photos had obtained prints at a retail location, up from 14% in 2003. The two major product categories of the retail digital photofinishing market are digital minilabs and photo kiosks. This report looks at these two product segments and accesses their growth over the next five years. “
The full report costs approximately 5,000 USD, so I will not be purchasing it, however, if you so desire, it is over at Research and Markets.