*NEWS*STORE BRAND TONERS GAIN POPULARITY

[Anonymous]

Store Brand Imaging Supplies Gain Popularity Over OEM and Aftermarket Brands
Weymouth,
MA: April 2006 — InfoTrends, a leading market research and strategic
consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions
industry, has announced the results of its landmark study, Store Brand
Imaging Supplies 2006. The study provides extensive research on OEM,
store, and aftermarket branded ink jet cartridges, laser printer
cartridges, copier supplies, and photo paper.
The $28 billion ink
jet and laser printer supplies market is a critical source of revenue
and profits for equipment manufacturers and resellers. The leading
office superstores and contract stationers have been expanding their
product line and marketing of store brand products, threatening OEMs
and traditional aftermarket suppliers. InfoTrends estimates that sales
of store brand imaging supplies are growing at 40% annually and will
account for approximately 10% of total industry sales by 2009.
Consumers
and office managers have a high level of trust for many of the major
retailer brands, noted John Shane, director of InfoTrends�
Communication Supplies Service.The research suggests there is an
opportunity for the consumer electronics, computer superstore, mass
merchandisers, and contract stationers to increase their sales with a
store-branded line of imaging supplies.
The study included
interviews with 1,318 consumers and 805 office supplies decision makers
in the United States. The 415-page report is split into sections on ink
jet cartridges, color and monochrome laser cartridges, photo paper,
copiers, and empties collection. The research included conjoint
analysis to simulate the choices customers have and understand the
trade-offs they make for different brands, price points, and purchase
situations. Purchasers of this report may obtain access to the
simulation tool to run their own brand preference scenarios. The
forecast includes details on ink jet and laser printer cartridge sales
(units and retail dollars) split by OEM, store, and aftermarket brands.
Another
interesting finding from the survey is that color laser users are ready
to try non-OEM laser cartridges,� continued Shane. �When non-OEM color
laser supplies become generally available with qualities as similar to
the OEMs as monochrome laser cartridges currently are, users will be
willing to try them.
�We were surprised by users� preferences and
expectations regarding non-OEM supplies, remarked Shane.Aftermarket
brand supplies users rate quality and reliability just as important as
do OEM supplies users. But store brand users are not quite as concerned
with quality and reliability, and instead weigh additional criteria
when making their purchase decisions.
Survey respondents indicated
Wal-Mart and the three office supply super stores as their top
locations to purchase OEM and non-OEM products. Amongst consumer
respondents, Wal-Mart was the top retail chain where the respondents
reported purchasing ink jet cartridges and ink jet photo paper.
Data
on brand trust from the survey suggests that besides the office
supplies superstores, other stores might do well to introduce their own
brand supplies, commented Shane.In some cases, it’s clear that users
would place more trust in a store brand than some of the brands that
the stores are currently offering.
The report provides essential
data and analysis for printer and supplies manufacturers and resellers
to support their product planning, marketing, and distribution
initiatives.

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April 28, 2006 at 11:50 AM