More than one-third of cameras purchased in 2008 were purchased as a gift for someone else

Lower income households were less likely to purchase digital cameras as gifts than their higher income counterparts. Thirty percent of cameras purchased by households earning an annual income of $30,000 or less were purchased as gifts. This increases to 40 percent for households earning an annual income of $75,000 or more. Lower income households were also most likely to receive digital cameras free through contests, sweepstakes or incentive programs.

  Households where children under 18 are present are also more likely to purchase cameras as gifts than households where children are not present. Forty-one percent of cameras purchased by households with children were purchased as gifts compared to just 30 percent of the cameras purchased by households without children. Not surprisingly, gifting digital cameras was most common among households with children between 10 and 17 years old. Forty-seven percent of digital cameras purchased by households with children 10-12 years old present were purchased as a gift. Households with young children present were most likely to receive digital cameras for free.