Print in the Channel - October 2022

PRINTER TRENDS ANALYSIS

Get ‘em while they’re hot In the first of a new series, statistical analyst Wickus Bester investigates some of the major trends in the printer sector. Here, he rounds up what happened in October.

It has been a busy time for the printer sector, as we have found at Stock in the Channel in recent months, and the data on the trends is revealing. The data from million of product entries has been processed and the results are as follows: Large format printers making it big

As formidable in revenue as in print size, one market segment excelling this year is that of the large format printers. Starting its incline in February of 2022, these printers have been showing considerable growth in each quarter – 46% between Q1 and Q2, and then a further 29% in the past quarter at its peak on September 7. Why are we seeing this stellar rise? One driving force behind the growth is the stellar increase in sales of Epson’s large format printers. Giving HP a run for their money, Epson is selling almost as many units as the historical top dog. However, both brands have seen a decline in sales over the past week, but when this momentary freeze ends, will HP still be on top? The data shows that as more people are returning to the office, the demand for large format printers is

Wickus Bester Data analyst at Stock in the Channel

growing again. While it has tailed off slightly since peaking in September, demand is still much stronger than a year ago. But with this growth, it does mean that sales are outstripping stock, which can lead to greater lead times for customers.

A great year for large format printers (Sept 2021 – Oct 2022)

Epson is making its way to the top Large format printers (Oct 2021 – Oct 2022)

Brand

Sales (3 months) Stock (3 months)

Canon Epson HP

Source: Stock in the Channel (2022)

Date

Label printers are leaving their mark Show, don’t tell, and more importantly – sell. The label printer market has taken that to heart, doubling its sales from the start of 2022, increasing at an average of 53% per month over the past six months. At the same time, stock is rising at an equal pace. Why are we seeing this increase in the channel? Although people are ready to venture into

cities again, they aren’t yet giving up their home comforts. With online retailers, delivery companies, warehousing, fulfillment and logistics businesses growing continually so does the dependency on labels with RFID technology. The technology behind print and labels is also advancing and evolving. This technology ensures accountability for order delivery, making it easier to manage the flow of stock around