(Weymouth, MA) July 29, 2011. . . According to InfoTrends’ latest Western European end-user research, over 40% of consumers have lost some or all of their photos. Many respondents indicated that their most favoured photo recovery solutions are back-ups stored on an external hard drive or on CD/DVDs. While these are not bad options, there is one part of the preservation equation that is often being overlooked: photo prints. Less than a quarter of consumers reported using printing as a storage solution.

Mona Belle, a Consultant at InfoTrends, states, “Consumers do not realise the value of backing-up images until they lose their favourite photos. Vendors and retailers need to remind and encourage consumers to use a combination of back-up methods: storage on an external hard drive, safe online storage, and photo prints. This is the best way to ensure that photos will be available for years to come.”

Although they are popular storage methods, CD/DVDs and hard drives can deteriorate or crash over time, whilst high quality prints stored in photo albums are more likely to outlast these storage methods. Photo albums are also readily available to view and are more momentous. It is essential for vendors and retailers to offer a range of products that appeal to all consumers to encourage them to print their favourite photos in many different ways, playing up the benefits prints offer in terms of storage and viewing. A cherished photo should be printed for storage, as a gift, and for displays around the house.

As part of a larger end-user survey across Western Europe, InfoTrends has published reports on photo printing behaviours in Western Europe as well as on photo storage and transfer. To purchase either of these reports, visit InfoTrends’ online store:

Photo Printing Behaviours: 2011 European Digital Photography Survey

Photo Storage and Transfer: 2011 European Digital Photography Survey

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