When shopping for a photo printer, 25 percent of consumers indicate price is the most important reason for purchasing a specific brand, followed by printer quality, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Photo Printer Customer Satisfaction Study.
The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with photo printers based on five factors that drive overall satisfaction: performance, appearance, connectivity, ease of use and cost. When examining photo printer performance relative to the drivers of overall satisfaction, Kodak and Lexmark perform particularly well among printer brands.
"Price and quality play a critical role in the purchase decision and also have a considerable impact on overall satisfaction once the ownership experience begins," said Steve Kirkeby, executive director of telecommunications and technology at J.D. Power and Associates. “Generally, consumers have a much more positive attitude toward their photo printer if they believe they received a good deal, which creates a valuable marketing opportunity for retailers’ and manufacturers’ sales channels. By clearly communicating the value and cost-savings in bundling high-quality printers with cameras and their accessories, manufacturers can improve their chances of attracting customers while providing a more satisfying purchase experience.”
The study finds that 25 percent of customers purchase their photo printers through the Internet. Among those shoppers, 27 percent purchase from a retail Web site, 24 percent purchase directly through the brand manufacturer’s site and 9 percent purchase through an online auction site such as eBay. Customers who purchase through the Internet have higher satisfaction levels with their printer (averaging index scores of 801 points on a 1,000-point scale) compared to owners who purchased in a retail store (averaging 779 points).
"Although it is not always the case, customers generally feel that they are able to find less expensive printers online than in a retail store, particularly at online auction sites," said Kirkeby. "This is further evidence of the critical role price plays in buying a photo printer."
The study also finds that there is a distinct relationship between overall satisfaction and brand loyalty. Among satisfied printer owners—those who provide an overall satisfaction score of 900 or more index points—52 percent will repurchase the same printer brand. Conversely, only 4 percent of indifferent or disappointed owners—those who provide a satisfaction score of 700 points or less—are likely to repurchase the same brand.
"Our research also shows that if customer satisfaction improves by 25 index points, repurchase intent among owners will, on average, improve by 10 percentage points, which can certainly prove beneficial to manufacturers," said Kirkeby.
Additionally, while nearly 70 percent of satisfied owners report they would recommend their printer brand to friends and family, only 5 percent of indifferent and disappointed owners indicate they would do the same.
The 2006 Photo Printer Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 2,391 customers who purchased or received a photo printer between July 2005 and July 2006.
Labels: J.D. Power, printer
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