Promoting Pictures – A Priceless Opportunity

Black Friday results for imaging were less than we had expected, and really a disappointment in a sector which has, for so many years, been an exciting holiday electronics driver.

Not only were point-and-shoot camera unit volumes down, but DSLRs declined in units for the first time ever in our weekly data, although just by one percent, despite a lower average price of $618. NPD’s Consumer Technology Holiday Snapshot report revealed that a quarter of those who were intending to buy a DSLR this holiday season were going to put off their purchases. Digital picture frames, 5 inches and greater, were still up 10 percent in units, and were one of the few categories of unit growth over Black Friday, but down seven percent in dollars.

It’s clear that on top of the recession, saturation is playing a large part in the lackluster performance specifically for the point-and-shoot digital camera segment. Three quarters of U.S. households have at least one digital point-and-shoot camera. Retailers and manufacturers need to find ways to reignite a passion among those who may be waiting to trade up. They have to be more aggressive and creative in messaging to consumers, not just about buying cameras, but about all the connections consumers can make with their personal images.

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