Printing photos cheaper than ever

Point. Shoot. Print. Getting a hard copy of your memories has never been easier. Picture this: More than two-thirds of the estimated 17 billion prints from digital cameras made this year were created from the comfort of snap-happy American homes. Another 27 percent came from the photo-finishing services of retailers, where people either use self-serve computer terminals at the counter or place orders online for pickup later at the store.

The remainder, according to market researcher IDC, were delivered straight to consumers via online services that nowadays charge as little as a dime a print, not counting shipping costs. In fact, while prices vary, market researchers say the retail route is generally cheaper than do-it-yourself inkjet printing. But this much is clear: "You have a lot more flexibility now than what you used to have with film where you always had to just drop it off," said Chris Chute, digital imaging analyst at IDC.

Source: Associated Press

For more information, please contact:
Howard Sholkin
howard_sholkin@idg.com
617-239-7882