Survey: 40% of Print Buyers Say Prices Have Increased, Nonprofit Organizations Get Hammered

Lexington, Kentucky, USA - June 16, 2001 - WhatTheyThink.com, the leading on-line community and research firm in the graphic arts industry, surveyed print buyers about their perception of pricing received from their print vendors. This survey took place with 247 print buyers from a variety of industry segments located throughout the United States.

The buyers were asked:

In 2001, which best describes the pricing you have received for your printed material?

Overall, 40 percent said they have noticed an increase in prices. 44 percent of buyers said they have experienced no price changes and only 6 percent said they have observed a decrease in pricing. (10 percent had no opinion.)

When cross tabulated by industry segment, the findings show a significant variance. It’s a good day to be an ad agency or marketing firm with only 28 percent of these firms noting an increase in prices. A bad day for nonprofit organizations with 59 percent experiencing price increases this year. 34 percent of professional companies including law firms and consulting firms said they noticed an increase in pricing.

The numbers remained relatively even when compared to the print buyer’s annual budget. Of buyers spending over $500,000 on print, 45 percent said they have seen an increase in prices. 36% of print buyers who described their annual print spend between $50,000 and $500,000 said they have experienced an increase in pricing. Of buyers spending less than $50,000 annually, 41 percent said they have noticed an increase in prices for their print needs.