Lyra estimates that OEM cartridges will account for only 40 percent of all ink jet cartridge shipments in China in 2008. Aftermarket cartridges will account for 45 percent of shipments, followed by refill kits and counterfeit cartridges at 10 percent and 5 percent of shipments, respectively. Aftermarket cartridges are popular in China because of their low cost. Printer OEMs are quick to point out that ink jet printers, media, and ink are designed to work together as a system to provide high-quality output, but many Chinese users will find a lower but still adequate level of print quality a fair trade-off for significant cost savings.
China is unique in that many aftermarket players are already well established as export companies and are now poised to take advantage of the domestic ink jet printer market as it grows by offering fairly reliable cartridge solutions at competitive prices. Consumers and business buyers in China have an immediate, viable third-party solution for marking supplies, and many are more than willing to explore these options.
This information is derived from China Ink Jet Hardware, Media, and Ink Demand Forecast and Analysis. The report provides forecasts for ink jet hardware, media, and ink cartridge shipments and revenue in China through 2008 and focuses on how the shift toward value-added products such as MFPs and photo-specialty printers will affect China’s burgeoning hardware and supplies markets. The report analyzes typical page volumes for Chinese printer users, both in the office and at home, and explains the effect of photo printing on new printer purchases and supplies usage. It also examines the effect of specialty media, especially photo paper, on print volumes and cartridge purchases. The report factors in the strong aftermarket presence in China and provides an assessment of major hardware and third-party supplies players.
