ScrapBizness

Are you a Mamarazzi?

2008-11-17T02:52:00.000-08:00

We went to the holiday concert for our elementary school last week. I actually DIDN'T take any cameras with me. After 7 years of concerts, I have found that A) the photos never turn out that great in the dark auditorium from 20 rows back and B) I never do anything with them anyway. So, I decided just to enjoy the concert.

Being camera free gave me the chance to view the "Mamarazzi". A "Mamarazzi" is a mother with a camera who is out to get the "Money Shot" - the one photo that makes people stop and gasp when they see it on a scrapbook page. The "Mamarazzi" will go to great lengths for that shot.

You could hardly see the concert for the glow of the cameras being held overhead to try to get a shot without the head of the person in front of them. One Mamarazzi crawled over 8 people from the center of a row (and these are not well-spaced rows - you literally have to crawl over people to get out) so she could stand in the aisle through half of the last song and take photos. Of course, that blocked the view of people behind her (and violated the fire code for the civic auditorium). When she was satisfied with her shots, instead of respectfully waiting until the last song was over, she crawled BACK over the top of people to get back to her seat. It was really obnoxiously rude.

I have pretty much stepped away from bordering on a Mamarazzi lately. I have come to realize that I don't need to take my camera to EVERY soccer game. I only took it to ONE this year - took a bunch of great shots and then spent the rest of the season enjoying the game. I left it home and enjoyed the concert, too. It's been kind of liberating. I have plenty of photos to scrapbook and I'm starting to realize I don't need to document every second of my kids' lives to be a good mother. I was nearly to the point where I was watching them grow up in a little window on my camera.

But, like the Mamarazzi, we are all in a quest for that PERFECT shot - the kid diving for the ball, splashing into a pool, doing the perfect leap, smiling the best smile. It's what drives us as scrapbookers at times. But sometimes, we need to remember we already have 300 shots of them dancing and it's time to get down to business and scrap the photos we already have and stop worrying about the photos we might be missing.

Holy Smokes - Creative Memories Files Chapter 11

2008-11-13T15:05:00.001-08:00

LINK to the article.

I wonder what the future of Creative Memories will be? My gut tells me times are tough for the direct sales companies. I don't see many recruiting messages anymore for most of them. I would imagine that it's very hard to sustain that model since there are so many places you can get scrapbook products these days.

Custom Scrapbook Paper

2008-11-13T04:15:00.000-08:00

This is one of the coolest things ever! As you know, I'm a HUGE fan of updating the traditional scrapbook store using technology and cool finds from the imaging industry. Our customers are more tech savvy than they were 5 years ago and retailers should be too!

Craft Sassy has introduced what would have been impossible just a few years ago - CUSTOM SCRAPBOOK PAPER! Using the similar concept of printing a single photo book on a digital press, they are able to print a SINGLE SHEET of custom scrapbook paper!!!

This is SO COOL! I have received samples of their paper and the quality is breathtaking. Maura offered to print an image for me so, liking to challenge new things, I found a pretty detailed image to her print. I knew it was good before I even received it when her husband, the printer, was impressed by how it turned out. The vellum was unbelievably beautiful. Every detail was clear and crisp. Even though the paper stock is smooth, I ran my fingers over it because it looked textured as the image gives the impression of texture on it.

The only way you could tell it was printed on a different press was the slight waxy feel to it. I would recommend a good permanent adhesive due to the different surface texture. But the paper is acid-free so you don't have to worry about it harming your photos.

You could have paper made from your children's artwork or from a beautiful piece of cloth or whatever your imagination can come up with.

If you're a retailer or kit-maker, you can have your OWN CUSTOM PAPER made that no other kit club or store has! We are all looking for ways to set our businesses apart from others doing the same thing - having your own line of custom papers is an easy way to do that!

Contact Maura at Craftsassy if you want more information! She'll be one of the featured suppliers at my class at PSRO 2009! We'll have SAMPLES!!!!! But don't wait until then!

Desiging your own Christmas Card

2008-11-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

I have card blanks this year and had all the intent to make my own Christmas cards as I have done in the past. I was going to put a recipe on the front of each card. Well, as time is ticking away, I decided to ditch that idea and go for the photo card.

But, just like I don't like showing up in the same outfit as someone else at a party (happened at my Junior Prom - same Gunne Sax dress - how embarrassing), I don't like sending the same photo card as everyone else. So, I went over to Dreamstime and did a search for "Christmas card" and got a TON of backgrounds that would work to design my own.

I found the one above - it's pretty non-traditional but I like it. I've got a Xerox Phaser laser printer that prints out photo quality prints so I'm going to print them at home on nice paper.

That's one less thing to worry about for the next month. I might even be that really annoying person who sends them off the first week of December. We'll see... I still have to address them all.

Got Five Minutes? Start a Business!

2008-11-10T15:34:00.001-08:00

Want to be a business owner 5 minutes from now? How about a PhotoBookBiz? As fast as you can fill out the form and pay, you can have your own photo book and gift business.

The coolest part is what you DON'T have to do:

You DON'T have to buy any inventory
You DON'T have to ship any products
You DON'T have to process any credit cards

You even DON'T have to set up a website - you can literally set this business up at a blog. But, if you want a website, we have a simple template available to purchase. All you need is a domain, a host and a web designer who can upload and personalize it for you (you can see what the template looks like at PhotoBooks{etc}).

Of course, you'll have to round up customers but you're already way ahead of the game in the first 5 minutes!

If you've got 5 minutes, grab your business and get going on your way to success!

Help Wanted

2008-11-07T12:23:00.000-08:00

I am teaching a class at PSRO 2009 on technology in the traditional scrapbook store and I need help from traditional scrapbook store owners who have embraced technology. If you are a store owner (or know one) who has added custom photo books and gifts, photo scanning, a large format printer for printing scrapbook pages, a photo kiosk, digital scrapbook products and classes, etc., then PLEASE contact me at Kim at ScrapBiz.com!!!! I want to hear about your experiences with technology!

Thanks for your help!

A great holiday photo project

2008-11-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

This is a great (and easy) project for a gift. Frame a beautiful poem about FAMILY with photos of the family. It's really, really simple!

Are you going to be there?

2008-11-04T06:24:00.000-08:00

I am! In fact, I'll be teaching a class and leading a tour of the show! There are so many interesting things to discover at PMA and with the addition of a special PSRO Convention this year, you will have some FANTASTIC educational opportunities that will truly help you be a better business owner!

PSRO is a tremendous opportunity for retailers and suppliers in the industry. If you are a forward-thinking retailer wanting to respond to the changes in the industry in the last few years, then you'll discover lots of "goodies" at PMA. That's exactly why I'm leading a tour of the show specifically designed to show scrapbook retailers what PMA has to offer.

My class will also focus on helping retailers in our industry tap into the technology offered by the greater photo industry. We'll show you all sorts of fun products and services you can offer your customers that will bring your store into the 21st Century.

If you want to learn about how to run your business and how to tap into technology to make your business better, then come to Las Vegas in March and join us at PSRO 2009!

Why PhotoBookBiz Works

2008-11-03T06:31:00.000-08:00

The last (boo-hoo) edition of Scrapbook Retailer Magazine has or is about to hit your mail box. Check out our full page ad in the middle part of the magazine (look for the ROCKET!). In talking with my oh-so-smart husband the other day, I came up with all the reasons I love the choice I made of working with Rocket Life! It's a GREAT program unlike any other I have seen out there and fits PERFECTLY with my philosophy that independence is the best road to success!

Here are my Top Ten reasons I think PhotoBookBiz is a GREAT opportunity for retailers in our industry:

Works with all types of businesses - it doesn't matter if you want to just have a business out of your home helping friends make books or if you are a bricks and mortar store. It works with online stores, home-based businesses and stores!
Competitive Prices - you get to set your own price above your wholesale cost! This was EXTREMELY important to me. And, the fact that you can compete with other companies was important. I didn't want anyone to have to sell their books so high that their own customers wouldn't use them.
Creativity Platform - the Rocket Life Smart Arrangement Technology means that you can make a REALLY FAST book. But, you can also do all the work yourself. AND, it was also important to me that digital scrapbookers could upload their OWN digital products and easily use them. This software works for everyone from the beginner to the advanced photo book maker/digital scrapper
Class Opportunity - the creativity platform, while pretty easy - has a learning curve just like any piece of new software. But, once you learn the tips and tricks - you have an "aHA!" moment. With an LCD projector and an internet connection, you could easily teach your customers how to use the program in a classroom setting. Then, the ability to offer discount codes for attendees is like icing on the cake for those who pay to attend the class.
Quality - the product quality is top-notch! I've ordered a lot of books from a lot of different companies and the PhotoBookBiz/Rocket Life books and products are some of the best in terms of quality.
Private Label - nearly everything that comes to your customer after they place an order has your brand on it. From the confirmation emails generated by the system after the order is placed to the envelope that the product comes in to the products themselves, it's all YOUR brand and YOUR name.
Cost of the program - it's $98 to sign up. Other companies are charging FAR MORE for a private label option like this
Margins - the profit margins vary by product but so far, PhotoBookBiz businesses are averaging between 20 and 25% profit on their total sales - which is HUGE given the next point.
No shipping or inventory or credit card processing - all that's handled by Rocket Life! Wouldn't it be nice if it worked that way with traditional scrapbook products?!
Digital scrapbooking with a profit! The traditional industry has struggled to figure out how to monetize digital scrapbooking. It hasn't made sense to teach classes or sell CD's and we've lost a lot of our traditional customers to digital. This gives retailers a profitable way to tap into the growing popularity of custom photo books and digital scrapbooking.

Happy Halloween Photo Book

2008-10-31T07:05:00.000-07:00

By PhotoBooks{etc}
Don't forget you can get 10% off your order of $50 or more until December 15 when you use the word HOLIDAY in the coupon box at check-out!

Sometimes you just can't WAIT to have time to scrap...

2008-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

This is gonna be a REALLY FUN layout to do!!! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Start a PhotoBookBiz (or add one to your current Biz)

2008-10-30T04:20:00.000-07:00

Did you know that by the end of this year nearly 10% of U.S. households will have made a photo book? Digital scrapbooking is growing in popularity as are photo books and custom photo products like puzzles, mugs, mouse pads, T-shirts, key tags, luggage tags, etc.

My webmistress posted a great quote on her Facebook page the other day - she said, "You can't walk backwards into the future". That's sort of where we are in the scrapbook industry. Traditional scrapbooking with the card stock, embellishments and beautiful papers that we all love, will never go away. But, digital scrapbooking and photo books have certainly become part of our future that we can't ignore.

So, ScrapBiz has now partnered with Rocket Life to offer a new PhotoBookBiz option to our program. You can now sign up to start your own business in this very fast growing segment of our industry.

This new option works great for:

Digital scrapbook product designers
Online traditional retailers
Bricks and Mortar stores
Custom scrapbookers
Photographers (great for a home-studio!)
Direct sales consultants

You can utilize your current customer base to introduce this new service to them. You might even be able to lure back former customers who have moved into digital scrapbooking.

Check out our FAQ's if you have questions about the new PhotoBookBiz program (scroll to the bottom). Then email (Kim at ScrapBiz.com) me if you have additional questions!

We are REALLY excited to offer this opportunity to you! It fits perfectly within our core philosophy which is to offer our members a program that allows them to be completely independent!

Check out the new ScrapBiz Website!!!

2008-10-28T18:12:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited - we finally revamped our site. I liked the old one, but it was made by some programmers in a far off land and it had many "funky" parts to it that drove my webmistress nuts at times.

So, we decided to remodel the place! It looks pretty darn good! TAKE A LOOK!

Information about ScrapBiz is easier than ever to find! And, our members can finally stop searching for that itty-bitty "member log-in" link that was clear at the bottom of the home page on the old site. Now, it's front and center!

And, you'll notice that we added ANOTHER option - the PhotoBookBiz option. We now have 4 products to help you start or run your business:

Start a Biz - everything you need to learn about and start a business in the scrapbook industry including the very important support you need to keep it fresh.
Just the Start Up Guide for those just looking for information but not really ready to start a business in the near future
Support for existing businesses - if you're already in business but looking for like-minded people to hang out and share with, then this is the option for you!
And our new PhotoBookBiz option! We're SO EXCITED about this! You can literally start your own branded private label photo book and product site! Check out what I've done with my site HERE. This is great for digital scrapbook designers, custom scrappers, retail stores, online stores - pretty much anyone who wants to add custom photo books to their traditional offerings!

A Memory Bouquet

2008-10-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

I sent a friend a cookie bouquet a few weeks ago. She LOVED it! I had it sent to work (because it's always better to get something like that in PUBLIC) and everyone went nuts over it. No one in her office had seen a cookie bouquet. My friend said she won't eat the cookies but that she would keep it until it fell apart. It made quite an impression.

So, in the shower one day, the idea of a "Memory Bouquet" - an arrangement of mini pages on sticks in a nice container- popped into my mind. I had some mini-layouts from a class I taught at Ikea a few years ago - all I needed was sticks, some styrofoam and a container.

By bedtime that night, this is what I whipped up. Even my 11 year old son stopped watching his movie long enough to say, "That's really cool, Mom!"

Wouldn't you love to have a Memory Bouquet delivered to you???

Please tell me this isn't ANOTHER store doing this?

2008-10-24T15:25:00.000-07:00

Check out THIS thread at 2 Peas in a Bucket. Oh.... My... Heck!!! I blogged about another store doing this in September HERE.

This reminds me of a story I heard - probably not true, but still tragically funny. A man arrived at the ER with all his fingers sliced off. When they doctor asked him what he had done, he said he was mowing the lawn and realized his boxwood shrub could use a trim. So, he decided to mow it since it was flat. He put the lawnmower up on the shrub, mowed it and then grabbed the sides with his hands to put it back on the ground, WHILE IT WAS STILL GOING. And.... his fingers were history.

Later that day, ANOTHER man came into the SAME ER with HIS fingers all cut off. They asked him what happened and he said that he was driving through his neighborhood earlier that day and saw a man mowing his shrub and thought it was a great idea...

Is this what happened here? Did one store owner see the email of the OTHER store owner and decide it was a great business strategy to shamelessly beg for money from your customers?

Please say it ain't so.

What Scares Me This Year....

2008-10-22T08:56:00.001-07:00

This has sort of become an annual post so why stop now? The first time, it was Rosie O'Donnell using Blow-Pens and Scotch tape on photos to scrapbook. Then, it was Zombie Business Owners who just keep ordering and ordering and ordering without any knowledge if they are even making money.

This year, there are so many things to be scared of - the election, the stock market, on and on. But, this is about scrapping so I'll pick something in the scrap universe.

I think this year that I am scared by the drop in business for most retailers. I know that scrapbook stores operate at the edge of their financial universe most of the time. I wonder how many will be able to survive the storm - mostly because they lack the skills to help themselves.

I am optimistic about the industry. I think that memory preservation is important to most people - especially the moms who make up our demographic. They are still taking photos and still wanting to display those photos. So, how do we help and encourage them to keep doing that?

"Change" - that's a word we hear a lot lately. I think change is what we need in our industry. A few days ago, I wrote this:

"But, now we need to put our collective heads together and figure out Phase 2 of our industry. When this industry was born in the late 1990's, no one could fathom anything but the printed photo. The internet was just a few years old and computers were way too slow to make and print out a high-resolution image. Customers wanted the fun papers and fancy stickers - it was a decorative diversion from plain photo albums.

Now we have online stores, digital photos, digital scrapbooking, home photo printers, large format printers and custom photo products. Yet, many retailers are still plugging away with card stock and stickers in a world where customers want solutions, and not JUST products, for their photos. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, "Not that there's anything wrong with that", except that you may not have done anything to adapt to the change and you may have paid a price for that. Every store doesn't have to adapt, but many should. You can't ignore the technology that has crept into our industry."

So, what do we do about this? How do we enter a new phase of our industry and sweep away the cobwebs? The paper and stickers will never go away, but perhaps customer attitudes have shifted a bit with regards to the use of those papers and stickers.

That is the million dollar question... In the meantime, don't be spooked by the climate of our industry - help your customers by solving their memory preservation dilemmas. Instead of pushing that paper, push those solutions. Instead of staff who can coordinate Bazzill with Basic Grey, maybe you need to train them to offer ideas to go along with products.

A relationship of trust is more important in times like this than any other time. Customers have precious little to spend, they want to spend it well and know that what they spend it on will showcase their memories in a way they will love and will last for generations.

The economic climate has played tricks on your customers, be the one who gives them treats when they walk in your door (cheesy, I know - LOL!)

SALE on Photo Books and Gifts!

2008-10-20T11:15:00.000-07:00

Check out my Photobooks{etc} Blog for information on a great holiday gift giving sale!

There's plenty of time to make a very personal gift that's sure to be a hit!

PSRO 2009 Conference Flyer

2008-10-17T03:07:00.000-07:00

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

The website can be found HERE

I love the Renaissance theme - the scrapbook industry is truly experiencing a Renaissance.

Get your own - Open publication

Scrapbook Business Owner Group at Facebook

2008-10-16T11:51:00.001-07:00

Are you part of Facebook? I created a group there for scrapbook business owners. It's a place to hang out and talk about the industry.

Come apply for membership (it's a closed group). You can find the group HERE. You don't have to be a ScrapBiz member to join, nor do you have to be a home-based business. All business types from stores to direct sales consultants are welcome.

Taking Shelter from the Storm

2008-10-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

WOW! What a week it's been! I think even those who are doing okay because they have a solid home loan and no debt (there are a few of us out here) are feeling just a little queasy about what the stock market's doing.

If you're a business owner, you're probably feeling REALLY queasy about the whole thing. Some store owners are reporting that their sales are sharply down. Retail sales reports came out today and the news isn't good over the whole retail world.

So, are you standing out in the storm all by yourself? Are you wringing your hands and wondering what to do next? You shouldn't be alone at a time like this - you should be looking for a community shelter full of others who understand and can help.

I think that if there was EVER a time in the history of the scrapbook industry that retailers needed to band together, it's NOW. We need to stand together in the storm and collectively figure out how we are going to adapt and grow.

Last week I received an email from business book author Jeffrey Gitomer (fun fact- Ali Edwards' sister is his girlfriend). He suggested that there are two ways to look at change. Which side are you on? I would say that I fall on the bright side of change and especially love that CHANGE IS OPPORTUNITY.

On the dark side:
Change is eliminating.
Change is terminating.
Change is hiding or avoiding truth.
Change is disappointing.
Change is scary.
Change is morale busting.

On the bright side:
Change is refinement.
Change is growth.
Change is movement.
Change is acquiring.
Change is upgrading.
Change is opportunity.

Well, CHANGE is happening - in our industry, in our economy and among our customers. It's caused a lot of failure in the scrapbook industry. Some store owners may not even have known how to bail the water out as their boats sank.

A business group is useful in that you have a group to help you start bailing the minute you see the water coming in. They can't keep you from sinking altogether, but they give you a better chance of NOT sinking.

There are several business groups in this industry that can help you weather the storm of change. I'm biased so I'll just say that ScrapBiz is a great group to join. We have been talking a lot this last couple of weeks about what's going on and how things are selling. The consensus is that customers are buying consumable supplies and using their stash. The Professional Scrapbook Retailers Organization is another group to join. They don't yet have the feeling of community that other groups offer, but they are pumping out lots of information for retailers to help them stay afloat. Another group if you are a bricks and mortar store is the SMART Group. They, too, can help you find shelter from the storm. There are other groups out there, too, that can offer you some help during these challanging and changing times.

Some retailers might think that they can't afford to pay to join a group like this. But, I would say that you can't afford NOT to. Time is so precious for most retailers and these groups can save you a lot of time by providing answers to questions and information nearly at your fingertips. Also, the peer to peer networking can be invaluable to your business. Many retailers in our industry have resisted working with their competition for years. ScrapBiz members have always worked well together despite this.

But, now we need to put our collective heads together and figure out Phase 2 of our industry. When this industry was born in the late 1990's, no one could fathom anything but the printed photo. The internet was just a few years old and computers were way too slow to make and print out a high-resolution image. Customers wanted the fun papers and fancy stickers - it was a decorative diversion from plain photo albums.

Now we have online stores, digital photos, digital scrapbooking, home photo printers, large format printers and custom photo products. Yet, many retailers are still plugging away with card stock and stickers in a world where customers want solutions, and not JUST products, for their photos. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld, "Not that there's anything wrong with that", except that you may not have done anything to adapt to the change and you may have paid a price for that. Every store doesn't have to adapt, but many should. You can't ignore the technology that has crept into our industry. Many of these groups are talking about it and trying to figure out how to use it to our (and our customers') benefit.

If you are a lone retailer in the scrapbook industry - be that a home-based business, an online store, a custom scrapper or a bricks and mortar store - I would invite you to take a look at joining a group like ScrapBiz to take shelter from the storm with others who understand and can help.

One of my favorite pages

2008-10-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

I just love this photo! My dh is in on the left, his brother, Paul, who is just younger than him is in the middle and his older brother, Dave, who just passed away on Sept 29 of ALS, is the Cowboy. Their mom used to make costumes for them. This is in the early 1970's in Moab, UT.

The paper is from Daisy D's and I think the giant die cut is from Stamping Station. It was such a simple page but it always makes me smile!

What I wish the industry understood about PMA and PSRO...

2008-10-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

Each month I get the PMA magazine. You can view the current issue HERE. I read most of it every month and thoroughly enjoy the information. No, it's not all geared towards the scrapbook industry, but it has at least one article about some aspect of retailing in the scrapbook industry. For instance, this month has a fabulous article about scrapbook store failure. Lisa Fedele, who owned two stores in Canada, talks about the mistakes she made that ultimately caused the failure of her two stores. It was a very eye-opening article that every retailer should read. It's on page 34.

There are also articles about small custom frame shops and camera stores. They are facing the exact same issues as small retailers that scrapbook retailers are. This month, there is an article about very small custom framers trying to set themselves apart from their competition. Sound familiar???

Being on the advisory committee for PRSO (The Professional Scrapbook Retailers Organization), I can tell you that they are doing GOOD THINGS to help retailers in this industry. They work for RETAILERS and understand that as retailers go, so goes the industry. They have some things in the pipeline I'm very excited about and that will help you be a better business owner. They are interested in your success whether you're a small home-based retailer or a bricks and mortar store.

People say, "Hey, I have no interest in going to PMA". Okay, that's not why you should join - a trade show can only do so much to help you be successful. You need information and support - especially in this economy. You don't have the time or money to fly by the seat of your pants anymore.

I will say that PMA is a GREAT show to attend if you want to think outside the box and be a forward-thinking business. In fact, I'll be leading a tour of the show next March for scrapbook business owners. They really have quite a bit to offer us. No, you won't find paper with cupcakes on it or dotted ribbon. But, you will find photo gifts, albums and digital products and services you can add to your business to increase your customer base.

My point is that I don't see any other trade association for our industry that focus' on retailers in the way that PMA/PSRO does. They are all about YOU! If you've been thinking about joining them, now is a GREAT TIME to do so. Good things are happening...

Just in case someone forces you to be in a photo...

2008-10-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

If you're like me, you're guilty of never allowing anyone to take a photo of you unless you are looking up and they are standing at least 3 miles away from you.

I am doing better at it than I used to. I know it's important that I am in SOME of the family photos. I've taught Mark to be better at photographing me. He has a better eye than he used to.

Here are some great tips from PhotoJojo on looking good in photos - if you must be in them. Stand a little sideways and STRETCH THAT NECK like you're a giraffe!!!

Unfinished Business

2008-10-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

This is interesting since photo books shouldn't take that much time to finish. Perhaps there is a good case here for scrapbook retailers to offer products through their stores and help digital scrappers finish their books. What's the point of starting one if you don't finish it? It's not like a half-finished scrapbook that people can STILL enjoy. Don't let your photo books get stuck on your hard drive somewhere. Get them done so you can enjoy them!

One interesting point is that interest in photobooks continues to climb. Nearly 10% of U.S. households have made a photo book. Contrast that with about 4% that have made a traditional scrapbook. Traditional retailers should figure out how to embrace BOTH types of memory keeping. Our PhotobookBiz program offers that option. Stay tuned, our new site should be launched in the coming week and information on how to join PhotoBookBiz will be there!

According to the 2008 PMA Camera/Camcorder Digital Imaging Survey, 8.8 percent of U.S. households made photo books in 2007, up from 7.3 percent in the previous year. Seventy-one percent of households that made photo books in 2007 completed all of the books they started, while 29 percent did not complete all of the books started. PMA Marketing Research estimates the average number of unfinished books is two. If looking at the population as a whole, it is likely that there are many more unfinished books.

The top reason cited for not completing a photo book that was started was the intention to finish at a later time, given by 53 percent of households. Perhaps some of these books will eventually become finished products. Twenty-nine percent of households said the process takes too long. This is an indicator that the most important improvement in the photo book market is in the software. Fifteen percent of those who started but did not finish a photo book did not have enough pictures to finish and 12 percent who just got bored with it. Some consumers simply may not be aware of all that is available to them. Other reasons for starting but not finishing a book were they did not have the pictures they wanted, it cost too much, and the process was too difficult to understand.

Photo books may have started out not varying much from a basic album, but recently not only has printing quality improved, but cover and embellishment options are anything but boring. Photo books can be a time consuming project and in order for the market to grow, it has to reach out to those who have little time and those who are not highly skilled in the area, but would like to have custom books with their pictures. These consumers who started making the books are especially interested in what photo books have to offer and if the manufacturers and retailers are sensitive to their needs, they may see an increase in finished products.

-- By Kristy Clairmont

PMA Marketing Research Analyst

Get 10% off at these ScrapBiz member businesses

2008-09-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

CLICK HERE to see our ad in the latest Memory Makers magazine.

Each ad has a live link that will take you right to that scrapbook business' site. Happy Shopping!