Premium point-​and-​shoot cameras and instant print cameras see year-​over-​year growth. U.S. dollar sales of premium point-​and-​shoot cameras and instant print cameras are up 24 percent and 148 percent, respectively, for the 12 months ending September, according to NPD.

In the 12 months ending September 2016, premium point-​and-​shoot cameras and instant print cameras are two of the categories that have experienced growing dollar sales, as camera makers focus on offering unique products targeted to specific customer needs and interests. According to global information company The NPD Group, sales of premium point-​and-​shoot cameras (priced above $1,000) have grown 24 percent over the last 12 months (ending September 2016), led by Sony, Fujifilm and Leica. Separately, the resurgence of a retro trend – instant print cameras – has led to an increase of 148 percent in sales during that same period.

According to AudienceSCAN research, 7.2% of Americans plan to buy cameras or video cameras in the next 12 months.

The holiday season (October – December) is a sales driver for the camera category; for the last three years sales have been consistently highest during the fourth quarter of the year. The 2015 holiday season saw substantial sales growth for instant print cameras when compared to the year prior, resulting in U.S. dollar sales that were three times higher than the 2014 holiday season.

Retailers can show off their best point-​and-​shoot options in TV spots, because AudienceSCAN research revealed 48.6% of Camera Shoppers took action after seeing them in the past month.

“With new product introductions by camera industry leaders, we can expect camera enthusiasts will continue to drive premium point-​and-​shoot sales this holiday season,” said Ben Arnold executive director, industry analyst for The NPD Group. “On the other hand, instant print camera sales, which carry a much lower price tag, are being driven not by the enthusiast – but by the technology’s ability to capitalize on the social nature of photography, allowing users to instantly share photos as soon as they are taken.”

Shoppers looking for instant options will want to see them in their search lists. AudienceSCAN data showed 43.2% of Camera Shoppers took action based upon sponsored search results (like on Google, Yahoo or Bing) in the past month.

Instant print cameras are a strong example of how new form factors and social use cases find success in the digital imaging market. Unit sales of instant print cameras grew 166 percent in the 12 months ending September 2016. During that same time period, instant film sales doubled, as more than 3.5 million units were sold. Fujifilm is leading the market in instant print camera sales, followed by Polaroid.

AudienceSCAN data is available as part of a subscription to AdMall for Agencies, or with the SalesFuel API. Media companies can access AudienceSCAN data through the AudienceSCAN Reports in AdMall.