PMA Magazine - Connecting the Imaging Communities articles from December 2008

PMA Magazine - Connecting the Imaging Communities archives from December 2008

Association leadership.(Connections)
December 1, 2008... "The scrapbooking industry has focused so much on new products--constantly, constantly, constantly--people just started collecting the stuff and weren't actually using it. We're trying to get them to use it, to preserve their memories." ...

Layaway revisited.(Newsline)
December 1, 2008... Once a Great Depression mainstay, layaway payment plans have faded in popularity with the growing usage of credit and debit cards. In light of the current credit crunch, however, more customers may be looking to buy holiday gifts using this...

Looking good.(Newsline)(Carson Kressley starting new service)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Don't we all want to look good, especially in photos which are now more easily shared? This fall, Nikon Inc., Melville, N.Y., started a series of videos called "Look Good in Pictures" starring style guru and television personality Carson...

Interact online with PMA magazine.(Newsline)
December 1, 2008... Interaction has spread to the PMA publishing world. PMA Magazine--Connecting the Imaging Communities is now online in a new interactive format, accessible at www.pmai.org/magazine. The new browser-based digital edition preserves the layout, and...

PMA data watch: online ordering systems necessary for photo studios.(Newsline)(Survey)
December 1, 2008... According to the 2008 PMA U.S. Professional Photographers Survey, fewer than 6 percent of professional photographers and studios said establishing on online ordering system would be the best way to improve profits. Instead, most studios--42.9...

What the duck.(Connections)(Cartoon)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] MEESE! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] http://www.whattheduck.net/

Not easy being green: while information on green practices can be challenging to find, photographers say results are worth it.(Business & Marketing)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just about everybody, it seems, is going "green" these days. Businesses in many industries are touting their earth-friendly practices. To truly be a green business, however, requires commitment and dedication. ...

On becoming green: environmental, health, and safety consultant shares tips on how to evaluate and operate a green business.(Business & Marketing)
December 1, 2008... You can't pick up a newspaper or magazine, surf the net, or listen to the radio without being bombarded with information about the latest technique for greening your business. If you're like many company owners and managers, you'd like to have...

Steal this store! Find out what to look for and how to prevent shoplifting.(Business & Marketing)(Survey)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Do you see the couple who just came in the store? No, no, the ones over there--the ordinary-looking couple. Notice how she has a shopping bag from the upscale store? See how he has his coat slung over his arm?...

When employees steal: how to handle the situation and dissuade it from happening.(Business & Marketing)
December 1, 2008... We need to talk about a touchy subject: theft by employees. It's touchy for many retail business owners because they have developed a friendship with their employees, having spent so many hours a day with them. They're all but family in many...

Wide-open spaces: adding an extra 450 square feet of retail space increases sales for Camera Land.(Business & Marketing)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ever wonder why square footage isn't mentioned in the "location, location, location," adage? Camera Land Inc. can attest to the fact adequate space is important in enhancing retail success. Originally 1,980 square...

Silent salespeople: find out how to capture customer attention increase sales through store displays.(Business & Marketing)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's human nature to stop really seeing what's around us in an environment where we spend a lot of time. Although--or because--you may spend 40 or more hours per week at your store, it's easy not to notice a messy...

Crossover culture: British Columbia-based Photo Express Foto Source seeks to serve photo and scrapbooking customers.(Business & Marketing)(dialogue with Michele Correa)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... Michele Correa sure talks fast. Whether it's caffeine or simply the knowledge she has a lot of work to get done, she crams 90 minutes of talk into 60. Pushing her is a passion for a business owned by her father, Marcel Comeau, and managed by...

What's next is now: Peter Wolk, president of Tailor-Made film & video Transfers, discusses how Blu-ray is changing the storage market.(Viewpoint)
December 1, 2008... Photo retailers have been providing film and video transfers for customers since the early 1980s, when Beta and VHS went to war to determine a dominant format where people could watch Hollywood movies at home and record video diaries for future...

Online word of mouth: with online consumers sharing thoughts, ratings and reviews take on great importance.(Trends & Technology)
December 1, 2008... It's long-accepted wisdom in the retailing space that word-of-mouth recommendations have enormous sway over where and what consumers choose to purchase. Just as the internet has been a game changer in every other way, it has also impacted how...

Refined for 2009: fast approaching, PMA 09 has plenty of changes to benefit attendees.(Connections)(Photo Marketing Association International)
December 1, 2008... It's show time. Well, almost. The ultimate event for everything photo, PMA 09, March 3-5, is mere months away. Held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, the 85-year-old convention is refreshed each year with innovative services,...

Generation Y talks digital: focus groups of young consumers reveal their attitudes toward digital imaging.(Trends & Technology)(Cover story)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Without my camera, my life would be horrible!" said a teen girl from Chicago, Ill. True, teenage girls tend to have a flair for the dramatic. So what do other young people have to say about cameras and digital...

The Common touch: Creative Commons enables easy sharing of copyrighted creative works in an evolving online environment.(Trends & Technology)
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The internet enables people to freely share their creative works--photos, videos, songs, and more. The internet also enables people to freely use anything they find online--whether or not they have permission to...

Better business: trend analyst Laura Heller offers ideas for seeing the silver lining in a challenging retail environment.(Business & Marketing)
December 1, 2008... As I write this, the stock market is experiencing some of its worst declines since the 1930s; and the United States--no, the entire world economy--is staring down realistic possibilities of a deep and prolonged recession. What insight can a...

Press potential: Nader Anvari, chief marketing officer of DigiLabs, looks at personalization trends and opportunities in the photo press market.(Parting Shot)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... The recent global financial crisis is likely to slow down the growth of the market for personalized photo press products, which is one of only a few markets that, until recently, seemed to be unstoppable in its growth. The question is how...