Photo merchandise market expected to return to growth in 2021, according to Rise Above Research

The U.S. photo merchandise market has had an uncharacteristically down year in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but according to Rise Above Research, photo merchandise product sales are expected to recover quickly and return to growth in 2021.

“Photo merchandise product sales have certainly been impacted by COVID-19, but the market has shown its resiliency amid significant challenges,” said David Haueter, director and founder, Rise Above Research. “The pandemic has led to a better appreciation of the value of printed photos and has caused some people to create and order photo projects that they may not have had time to do before,” he added.

2020 will see an overall decline of 13% in unit sales, driven mostly by a sharper decline in photo cards, according to the firm, adding other product areas such as photo books and wall décor will only see mild declines. A rebound in sales is expected in 2021, with an expected economic recovery from COVID-19 and an increase in events and gatherings that typically generate photo output. Sales of cards, books, calendars, and specialty photo prints/wall décor are expected to generate more than $2.3 billion with unit increases of around 5%.

The 2020 US Photo Merchandise Forecast provides a five-year forecast for the products mentioned above and includes units, revenue, average selling prices, and breakouts of online versus retail order channels. Commentary on key drivers and barriers impacting the market is also provided, according to the announcement.