Growth in the photo book market below potential

Many photo books are still being printed on home computer printers according to PMA U.S. Camera/Camcorder and Digital Imaging Studies. While some consumers in the survey may have misinterpreted the question and confused "photo books" with "scrapbooks", it is certain that many are still attempting to make photo books at home. Consumers may be creating books using software or formats that are not compatible with the interfaces used by online firms, retailers and kiosks.

There may also be lack of awareness in the photo book market. Consumers may also be creating projects with more text and fewer pictures, differing from the industry’s definition of a photo book. Or perhaps the options they want do exist, but have not been made available in the local retail channels.

People do not always finish the books they start indicating another possible upside in the market. In 2008, about one-half of photo-book consumers did not finish at least one book they started. There are various reasons for not finishing a book, however, the majority plan to finish at a later time. Better user interfaces may be the catalyst for simplifying and speeding up the process, resulting in more finished books. Businesses should accept more file types instead of forcing consumers into a certain book type or software.