Here is some news from the recent PMA Newsline published by the Photo Marketing Industry Association.

Now this information is for the month of October (because it takes time to collect this stuff) but considering these numbers do not include the mammoth volume of photos inspired by holiday cards and gifts... pretty significant.

Online ordering activity grew at the rate of 62 percent in the 12 months ended October 2007, and printing volumes in minilabs and kiosks grew 24 and 31 percent.

Most digital prints were made in the retail channel, including kiosks, while approximately 35.7 percent of printing was done by home computer printers, small format consumer photo printers and docking combos.

 NPD reports a 14 percent increase in demand for film and digital still cameras for the month of October. Analog camera demand was down 45 percent and one time use camera demand dropped 34 percent. Digital camera sales were up 16 percent and more than nine out of 10 units sold were 6-megapixels or more.

So what can we take away from this?

1. If most people are printing photos in a retail channel (instead of at home) and all scrapbookers use photos-- if you don't have a photo printing kiosk in your store you are missing out on sales.

2 Where oh where is the camera manufacturer who is creating a line of cameras targeted to the scrapbook customer??? (yes I am whining) We scrapbookers like our toys too. Plus, it would be great if scrapbook retailers could have a camera line not sold in big box stores designed with the features a scrapbooker needs most... a product that has a little margin that the retailer can make a little money on.

Are you listening camera manufacturers? Call me! I have lots of ideas on this topic and if you create a line specifically for scrapbooking stores- I will cover it! --Beth