The digital photo frame (DPF) market is on track to reach a trade value of nearly 750m Euros across Western Europe this year, up from less than 700m Euros in 2008, according to a new industry report from Futuresource Consulting.
Hot on the heels of last month’s market assessment for 2008, Futuresource’s new Digital Photo Frame report focuses on products with a screen size of 3.5″ or above and evaluates the Western European marketplace on a country-by-country basis, providing projections through to 2013. “Despite the DPF market continuing to witness healthy growth, our ongoing research highlights two key hurdles: the replacement market has yet to gain momentum and consumers are still not purchasing for their own use,” says James Wells, Consultant, Futuresource Consulting.
“For the segment to continue to flourish, it’s essential that companies evolve their product offerings to give them life beyond the gifting market. “We’re already seeing the emergence of crossover products, such as portable/docking photo frames, leather-bound electronic -˜photobooks’, fridge-mounted messaging centres and products with integrated cameras, microphones and speakers which allow for communication over the internet. However, our research shows that the DPF market has very high price elasticity, so maintaining a low price point is crucial.”
The UK continues to blaze the trail for the segment, and is projected to account for 26% of total Western European shipments this year; France will account for 20%, with Germany coming in at around 14%, followed by Italy and Spain at 10% and 7% respectively. 7″ screens will continue to represent the lion’s share of demand across Western Europe for at least the next four years, largely due to aggressive price points at a level where consumers are prepared to purchase on impulse. However, the price of 8″ screen models is expected to drop close to the 100 Euro level this year, which will see the share of 8″ screens rise from 20% of Western European volumes in 2008 to nearly 40% by 2013. “Despite the decreasing average trade price, overall trade value will continue to rise through to 2010,” says Wells, “and we still expect to see short to medium term growth in this sector, with forecasts peaking in 2011 at nearly nine million units shipped.”
