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Strategy For Making Consumers Print Photos At Home
Posted By: revive-rainmaker on 2/9/2005 4:39 AM (CST) 250 Points
consumers buy printers that are really good but use them to make a few documents and sometimes a child's project and rarely do they print photos and greeting cards and things like that. research reveals that pricing and ease of use are some barriers but removing those dont necessarily mean more photos at home. What is going on? What strategies and triggers are needed to make consumers print more at home? What can the company do?

Posted by: Sans Prix Accepted Answer
2/9/2005 5:02 AM (CST)
Rainmaker,
Two things for you to ponder: iTunes and Razor Blades.
1. iTunes has unbundled the traditional CD. No longer do you have to buy all 15 tracks of a CD. You only buy the tracks you want/like. People are probably doing the same with the photos: no longer do they want to print every picture on their digital camera...only the ones they want/like
2. Go to the supermarket and check out the price of (say) a Gillete Mach 3 razor. Last time I check, they were about $8, and a set of 5 replacement blades cost $20. Once you're locked into the razor, you're locked into the cartridge/blades. The same principle (aka 'razor blade pricing') is seen with printer cartridges, photo paper, etc.
Just my thoughs...hope it helps.
j
 
Posted by: amosmndawe* Accepted Answer
2/9/2005 5:11 AM (CST)
I think you need to educate the consumers about the capabilities of the printing machines and produce the manual that can show them precisely what to do and which paper to use also demonstrate live in front of them.
 
Posted by: ASVP/ChrisB Accepted Answer
2/9/2005 6:27 AM (CST)
You are confusing ease of use with convenience.

It might be easy to print photos at home, but it still takes time. Plus the cost of quality gloss papaer and ink makes the commercial printing lab seem like better value for many people.

What can the company do?

Not much, in my view. The time factor is probably the major issue and another generation of hardware and software will be required before that gets much better.

Hope this helps.

ChrisB
 
Posted by: Papadoc (Steve)* Accepted Answer
2/9/2005 1:57 PM (CST)
I echo the convenience issue as well, but there are ease of use issues that remain. Labs can and do make some quality adjustments that consumers don't know how to do and don't want to learn.

Anyone who's been around printers for long knows the frustrations. Printers run out of ink and paper jams are no big thing unless you are paying .35-.40 per sheet and putting that much ink on.

Myself, I am often print photos. My wife on the other hand, wouldn't touch it... too much hassle.
 
Posted by: revive-rainmaker Author Response
2/9/2005 10:41 PM (CST)
so bottomline seems to be... educate and sample and make it really easy - all that means more marketing dosh...any tips / ideas on how to make people print more - in the digital arena we are in people simply view photos on devices - how do we make them print more...
 
Posted by: profs* Accepted Answer
2/9/2005 11:29 PM (CST)
I think quality is an issue of concern to users as well.

There is still a stigma that a photo printed at home won't be as bright, clear, or just have that glossy photo feel that a professionally printed photo does.

One potential approach could be similar to that of those silly suave commercials "which one (was printed at home)? we won't tell you!"

I don't print photos myself, the only time I do is if I am in a hurry for some reason. Maybe emphasizing "get your photos NOW" instead of trying to change their mind about convenience would work.
 
Posted by: Chadoe* Accepted Answer
2/28/2005 4:10 PM (CST)
The simplicity and perceived quality are the issues I always see.

Sure you can print photos at home, but you have to plug in the camera or the media card, open the correct photo software, figure out the right size and orientation, hit print, and wait 5-10 minutes just to find out the printer cut off part of your child’s head. Give up, take the card/camera to local store with a photo kiosk, connect card/camera use touch screen to crop and size images, hit print and get edge-to-edge "real" photos in a couple of minutes. Pay the same or a little more as you did in the old "film" days and go home happy.

The biggest issue is the almost infinite number of printer and computer setups. Then you throw in all of the different programs for working with digital images, the different knowledge levels of those trying to use all of the above and things get REALLY weird.

That may be harsh, but that is what I've personally run into with family & friends.

The simplicity of the kiosk photo printers has to be implemented into the home computer printers. Tough to do, but I think the person/company that does it will be sitting pretty.

I don't know if this was any help, but at least I got to vent. :)
Greg B.
 
Posted by: Nontharos* Accepted Answer
3/10/2005 5:41 AM (CST)
well, I think first we have to look at the customer insight,'why they don't print at home, the reason could be 1. Since the new digital ages come, ppl like just to view the picture that's all, and send the picture thru mail or web, no need to print
2 ppl will print the photo only the one they want to keep as hard copy for life But even the cost of printing one photo compare to before you have to print it in a roll, isn't much different, but people nowaday pay for value,
even one piece of photo, they want to make sure that the quality of printing is good, so that's why they seek the printing shop.
so is it the end of the way? ,well i think there's a possibility to recover this printing photo at home but, it takes time and you might need to create the customer wants.
see... ppl would like to print at home because..for example
1. they don't have to walk to the photo shops
2. they pay less than go to photo shops
3. they can be sure that the quality has no different with photo shop or similar
4. they can add any technic they like on the paper, or print it with their own name tag or card


if you look at each point, and try to solve their problem
you can twist the problem to be opportunity
1. Say how fast you can print your photo at home,(speed of printer.should say)to compare the time to go out, state, time is money! time is bla bla... and also can do other thing else at home.... why to go out
2. you should survey how much they paid for 1 pic at photo shop and how may pic totally they can print from home with the total cost, which might be cheaper.... in long term
3.compare the quality
4 try to add the kit for printing the photo to other kind of paper for example,post card, name card,name tag, or greeting card.this might help

well hope it helps
Cheers!!!
 
Posted by: Dwell13 Accepted Answer
3/23/2005 1:33 PM (CST)
I think it may be hard to get consumers in general to print more photos at home - but there is a niche market you may be able to target - Scrapbookers. I don't do this myself, but I have read how incredibaly HUGE it is getting, and have watched the Scrapbooking show on the DIY Network. Here are people truly invested in the printed photo and how to present it. I think if you do some research into this marketplace, you could do some targeted promotion and perhaps even develop some product specifically for this group.

Hope this helps.
 
Posted by: Sanjeev Kumar Vyas Accepted Answer
3/23/2005 9:31 PM (CST)
Well to me the following are the reasons for not printing.
1. It is not very cheap.
2. There is not much use.

The cost is a factor. Printer ink paper are not very cheap. Although the quality is fine.

The main reason for peole not printing photos is the need. Earlier people printed photo so that they could see and show photos to others. Now they can see and show photos using digital means, Phones, computers, PDa, etc. Why then should I print a photo unless I like the photo so much that I amm planning to put it on the wall.
How can you make the people print more photos?
Well I think you can't. Because marketing does not create a need.
 
Posted by: tour_prof* Accepted Answer
3/27/2005 7:15 PM (CST)
The reason why most people dont print their pics at home are as follows:

1. Expensive cost per page (consumables);
2. Quality (most home printers are inkjets);
3. Time Consuming;
4. Machine Reliability;
5. Technology (digicams and the likes)

Hope the above answers your query. Answer them promtplt and effectively and people will have to start printing in their homes.
 
Posted by: Shelley, MProfs Moderator Response
4/3/2005 9:54 PM (CST)
Everyone, thanks for participating. I am closing this question since it's gathered a considerable amount of dust.
 


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