Print Markets Update — Where Print’s Hot, And Not
Discount Retail (-17 percent) is the only Discretionary component in demand decline. Same-store sales are down—from the great “Wal-to-the-small-Stein-marts”—because of increased prices of imports and a financially stressed underclass that can’t absorb the increases.
Durables: A lesser selling oppor- tunity (at less than one-sixth of all print) is to the Durables. Real Estate and Automotive (each +4 percent) drive this group with $12.3 billion and $8.9 billion in annual print procurement, respectively, mostly folded sheetfed, digital narrow and wide-format, outdoor, OEM parts and packaging. Home Improvement (-5 percent) at $6.2 billion in demand needs print to rebuild, but isn’t buying it. Or, maybe we’re not selling them (the print buyers).
Vincent Mallardi, C.M.C., is a the chairman of the Printing Brokerage/Buyers Association International (PBBA) and is a Certified Management Consultant in the paper, printing and converting industries. He is also an adjunct professor in economics. Contact him via email at vince@pbba.org
