According to International Data Corporation (IDC), printer consumable market in the Asia/Pacific region declined 1.2% sequentially but increased 2.6% year-on-year (YoY) to reach US$1,744.36 million in Q3 2014. Developing economies like India, Indonesia and Thailand continue to record growth in consumable shipment, but seasonal decline in the PRC, Malaysia and South Korea has affected the overall consumable market in the region.
Out of the total consumable market, third party brands contributed nearly US$394 million, which was approximately 23% of the total value. Even developed economies like Australia and New Zealand are witnessing adoption of third party products for laser printers. Third party vendors are partnering with large format retailers and office stationery suppliers, to increase their foot hold in the market.
As office stationery suppliers are entering into Managed Print Services (MPS), third party vendors are providing a broader range of products (all OEMs) at economic prices to provide competitive solutions for their target customers. E-commerce is also opening new avenues for third party vendors as they can reach out to more audience through multi brand e-retailing portals.
“Digitization is an emerging trend in Asia/Pacific as corporations as well as government sectors in AP countries are trying to reduce their printing needs. Educational institutes are evaluating the adoption of tablets; hospitals are digitizing patients' records; and governments are going to digitize government records including certificates issued to citizens such as educational, medical, residential, birth certificates and etc, " says Pankaj Chawla, Research Manager for IPDS Research at IDC Asia/Pacific.
“These policies will limit the creation of paper records and reduce printing. It may reduce the shipment of printer consumables in developed economies such as Australia and New Zealand.”
As OEMs have come up with high capacity ink cartridges which are economical, it will affect overall unit shipment and revenue of the ink cartridges market in the longer term, but currently, it is helping OEMs to gain market share in the ink cartridges market.
OEMs are also revitalizing the laser toner market and launching economical laser printers with low priced laser toners. Though page capacity of these toners is lower as compared to standard toners, the economic prices of toners may help OEMs to target SMBs, SOHO and home users particularly where color printing is not in demand.
