Photo Retailers Report Strong Digital Camera Sales Over Holiday Season

Photo retailers, for the most part, saw their holiday sales either hold steady or decline slightly year over year, with digital cameras leading the way. According to market information provider NPDTechworld, Port Washington, N.Y., USA, digital camera sales began strong, up 40 percent on the Friday following Thanksgiving, compared to 2000.

In fact, Frank Ponder, general manager of Bel Air Camera, Los Angeles, Calif., USA, sold "more digital cameras than I could ever imagine." Ponder pointed out December sales of digital cameras alone through Christmas already represented 10 percent of his total camera sales for the first 11 months of 2001. He said sales of analog cameras were "way down," however, resulting in a similar slide for film sales, with photofinishing "struggling to stay even." Ponder credited a 7 percent gain in sales from Dec. 20-24 for bringing his holiday sales "very close" to a year ago.

At Colonial Photo & Hobby Inc., Orlando, Fla., USA, Vice President Mike Rausch said holiday sales would have "easily equaled" those of 2000 had it not been for problems getting several products in stock. He said the Nikon Coolpix 775 and 5000 digital cameras were hot sellers. Rausch saw a 7 percent decline in holiday sales as a result. He added sales of SLRs were stronger than anticipated, despite the shift into digital. Rausch said the events of Sept. 11 impacted sales, especially in October - a strong month the prior two years - and consumers this year seemed to wait until December, instead, to shop.

Randy Wells, manager, The Camera Trader, Englewood, Colo., USA, said holiday sales were down slightly from 2000, but added a lot of last-minute shoppers and impulse buyers flocked into his store. The Camera Trader carries a limited amount of digital products, and film sales were still strong, Wells said.

Carol Rupp, manager of Southwest Photo Supply Inc., Dodge City, Kan., USA, said high-end products didn't sell as well this past holiday shopping season, and overall sales during the period held steady. Rupp also experienced stronger-than-expected SLR camera sales, but saw fewer last-minute shoppers than in past years.