Survey: Printers Remain Optimistic On Print's Future

Trends/Issues

October 9, 2012 -- In an independently conducted survey of 485 members of Xerox’s Premier Partners Global Network, more than 70% of printers said they are optimistic about the future, believing that print will always be part of the communications mix, but that volumes will still decline.

Additional findings:
 

• The recession continues to be less of a negative factor than in previous years, yet its effect is still felt – 65% of respondents say the impact of the recession is making investment difficult. This is down from a high of 73% in 2010.

• Opportunities printers feel will provide new or increased revenue:

  • Direct marketing - 38%

  • Packaging – 18%

  • Photo specialty products – 18%

  • TransPromo – 16%

  • Book publishing – 12%

• Seven of ten respondents say digital printing generates new revenues and 80% report digital printing enables them to expand their business.

• Respondents report graphic communication customers are especially interested in:

  • Full-color variable printing – 76%

  • Online ordering/web-to-print services – 64%

  • Wide-format printing – 48%

• The added-value series printers say customers are looking for the most:

  • Web-to-print – 74%

  • Personalized URLs – 46%

  • QR codes – 44%

  • Personalized packaging and booklets – 42%

  • Integrated video – 14%

• The greatest challenges to business success:

  • Differentiating business – 70%

  • Establishing new services – 68%

  • Meeting customer demands without sacrificing quality – 50%

  • Transforming to marketing service provider – 50%

• Respondents say the future of print will:

  • Always be part of the communications mix, but volumes will decline – 70%

  • Always be part of the communications mix and volumes will stabilize – 60%

  • Come back for cross-media campaigns – 51%

  • Dramatically decline to a nice application – 40%

About: The 2012 survey of 485 printer members of Xerox’s Premier Partners Global Network was independently conducted by research firm GMC Analytics.
 

Source:  Xerox, Optimism about the Future of Print Highlighted by Printers in Survey, October 9, 2012.