IDC's Beyond the Box PC Survey Reveals Attitudes on the Consumer Printing Market Opportunity

Abstract

This IDC study, based on IDC' s Beyond the Box PC Survey, explores the buying habits of U.S. consumers when they are purchasing accessories for their PC. The theory was that consumers' PC purchases often present upsell opportunities for related accessory items. While the collection of products that could be sold with a PC is large, this analysis focuses on the relationship between PCs and printer/MFP devices. Specifically, the study examines:

• PC and printer/MFP bundling
• When is the printer/MFP purchased — same time as the PC or some post–PC purchase period
• Price paid for the printer/MFP
• Presence of a home network and how the Internet is accessed

"While consumers may not always purchase a printer or MFP with a new PC, our survey results reveal significant insight into the bundling practices, purchasing/pricing trends, and home networking penetration that shape the opportunity for consumer printing devices," says Sahaja Sarathy, senior analyst for IDC' s Hardcopy Peripherals Group.