Camera & Photographic Supplies Stores Industry Profile

Companies in this industry sell cameras and other photographic equipment and supplies from physical retail locations. Major US companies include Calumet Photographic, Ritz Camera & Image, and Samy's Camera.

The US camera and photographic supplies retail industry includes about 800 companies with combined annual revenue of more than $3 billion. Key challenges include competition from online retailers and mass merchandisers.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand depends on consumer income. Profitability of individual companies is linked to marketing and efficiency of operations. Large companies can have economies of scale in purchasing and operations. Small companies can compete successfully by offering superior service. The US industry is concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for more than 80 percent of the market.

Major competitors are big-box retailers, like Wal-Mart and Target, and electronics superstores, such as Best Buy. Photo kiosks and mini-labs are also found in many major drugstore chains. Digital photography has had a major impact on the industry. The combination of more competitors and consumers' new habits has hurt many camera and photo supply retailers.

PRODUCTS, OPERATIONS & TECHNOLOGY

Sales of photographic equipment and supplies account for about 70 percent of industry revenue. Stores also offer repair services and sell related items like memory cards, picture frames, and albums.

A typical store occupies about 3,000 to 5,000 square feet and stocks a few thousand items, which are distributed from central warehouses of big companies. Smaller companies buy from ...