Aggressive channel promos keep printer sales up

The market for printers in ANZ was up both sequentially and year-on-year in the second quarter of 2011, although challenging economic conditions saw sales fall short of forecasts.

According to market analysts IDC, the printer market was up 10% year-on-year and 5% sequentially, with overall shipments hitting 760,000.

Arunachalam Muthiah, market analyst for IDC, says with business and consumer spending conservative, it was up to the supply side to drive the market forward.

"Price discounting for channels and end users, particularly for lower price point inkjet models, greatly aided growth across the entire ANZ region," Muthiah says.

The market is expected to drop for the third quarter before picking up towards the end of the year as vendors and channels clear off excessive stock.