BULLETIN 01732 759725 4 The future of print In November 2023, IDC conducted a survey among imaging and printing OEMs designed to uncover the top challenges, areas of focus and plans for business expansion in 2024. Respondents cited the cost of inflation, growing demand for sustainability, uncertainty around demand due to the economic climate, and the fact that less printing devices are needed in offices, as the top challenges they expect to face in 2024. Unsurprisingly, sustainability features high on the list of areas of focus for OEMs, with refurbished devices, remanufactured cartridges and printers all high on the agenda for 2024. Channel strategy and support, alongside brand name and positioning were also referenced as key focus areas by the firms polled. In terms of their offering, respondents confirmed continued commitment to MPS and IT services and solutions, but the majority of OEMs also said they are looking to expand their business into new areas such as audio-visual solutions, business software solutions, artificial intelligence and IOT. Demand for support Channel partners are looking to their suppliers to provide training to enable them to upskill in IT and transform their business to one which has a greater focus on providing solutions. Pricing strategy figures high on the agenda, alongside a sustainable product offering and ink/toner subscription models. For end-users, areas where they are increasingly asking print partners to help and support include cost management, security of documents and data, and sustainability. Easier to use products and software solutions to enable workflows to be digitised are also in demand. Declining page volumes The study found that print volumes continued to decline in 2023 compared to the previous year with IDC predicting this trend will continue into 2024 and beyond. However, it’s not all bad news – page opportunities in 2024 will remain plentiful as print continues to be an integral part of the business process – but, as with many mature markets, further consolidation is likely, and some brands may eventually disappear. www.idc.com Where do you take yours? We’re all about championing print at PrintIT Reseller, and we’d love to know where you read your issue. Whether it's atop a mountain, on a deserted beach, or even in the heart of a bustling city. We want to see where our magazine travels with YOU! We want to see where you take your issue, so get the camera out and send me a pix of yourself reading PrintIT Reseller in the most unusual, far-flung spot you can find, and you could be featured in our next issue! You can reach me at [email protected] We can’t wait to see the incredible places our magazine ends up. This month, Heather Moores and Nathan Milward from Sharp UK’s marketing team rose to the challenge and took this shot while filming a case study on location at RAF Honington. Michael Bailey, Chairman at EBM Managed Services shared this shot with us, taken while visiting Epson’s Hemel Hempstead HQ. Nigel Eaton, General Manager at MyQ catches up with channel news before talking all things MyQ with Epson resellers in Bolton. KRL Group’s Managing Director George Baker and Sales Director Mark Gladstone were spotted reading PrintIT Reseller during a coffee break at Epson’s reseller event in Bolton this month.
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