Focus on Digital SLR Market Movements

According to Futuresource Consulting’s weekly price tracker system, the average selling price (ASP) of Digital SLR cameras across EMEA has witnessed a decline of 1.6% (20 Euros) in the past ten weeks, dropping to just over 1,250 Euros as of last week.

“Our price tracking system shows that some of the largest decreases in ASP appear in the 6-7MP pixel segment,” says Adam Cox of Futuresource Consulting. “This group has seen a decline of nearly 8%, just short of 50 Euros, over the past 10 weeks.

“With most newly-launched DSLRs occupying the 10MP segment, which is experiencing relatively slow price erosion, older models such as the 6.1MP Nikon D40 are remaining price competitive. In fact, over the past 10 weeks this particular model’s ASP has decreased by more than 7%.”

The 10+MP segment now accounts for the bulk of the DSLR market, and the average selling price is dropping relatively slowly: less than 3% in the last ten weeks. The Olympus E-420 is a strong example of a DSLR camera from this segment, and it has witnessed a decline in ASP of just over 4.5%.

“Continued aggressive pricing of compacts and DSLRs is having an impact on the value of the camera business,” says James Wells, Futuresource Consulting, “although as margins continue to be squeezed, the industry will find it increasingly difficult to rely on price cutting to encourage consumers to upgrade.

“However, large like for like price declines did have a significant impact on the market in 2007, with overall digital camera shipments growing 25% globally. In terms of 2008 growth the DSLR market outlook looks particularly strong, with Futuresource projections showing growth of 19% to 8.9m units, equating to €5.4Bn worldwide, this despite the credit crunch.”

Notes
The “Analyzer Desktop” internet-based weekly price tracking system provides Futuresource clients with consistent pricing information, readily accessible and easily analysed within minutes. Weekly pricing data sets consist of:

* Sample frames covering 100s of websites. In major categories this equates to more than 75,000 prices captured worldwide every week
* Each product model is cross-checked against a master database to ensure consistent naming conventions and allows full segmentation by key specification or price band
* Each source website is published and accessible directly from the data set, ensuring easily verified

Arguably the world’s most advance system for internet-based weekly price tracking, Analyzer Desktop enables clients to update each pricing data file with a single click, ensuring the information is accessed quickly and easily, and enabling clients to spend more time on value-add activities.

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Further Information
For industry comment, forecasting and trends, contact:
Andy C Watson
Head of Marketing & PR
Futuresource Consulting
Direct Dial: +44 1582 500169
Email: andy.watson {at} futuresource-hq(.)com
Web: www.futuresource-consulting.com