Sales of OEM originals increased by two percent in the first half of 2014.
Market analysts Context reported on the new figures for Western Europe, noting that toner cartridges revenues for OEMs increased by two percent “via distribution” across the region for the first 22 weeks of 2014 in comparison to the same time period in 2013.
The analysts noted that these revenue increases were “driven” by Average Selling Prices (ASPs), which grew by five percent year-over-year despite a decline in distribution sales of three percent. In turn, Context found that this growth in ASPs “was not witnessed” for the compatible toner cartridge market, which saw ASPs decline by nine percent this year alone.
Unit sales and revenues of original cartridges, as a consequence, increased by 16 percent and six percent respectively across the Western European nations, with Spain seeing a revenue increase of 35 percent, France seven percent, and the UK six percent. However, Italy and Germany both saw falls in revenue of two and nine percent respectively.
In terms of specific OEM results, HP saw unit sales fall seven percent and revenues fall three percent, and the OEM is said to expect “soft” toner sales to continue for the remainder of the year in Europe. It still however holds a 46 percent share of the market in original toner cartridges, with Samsung second with 17 percent, and Lexmark and Brother joint third with eight percent each.
Zivile Brazdziunaite, Imaging Market Analyst at Context, commented: “Following the recent downturn during the recession, OEM toner sales are recovering in Spain, Italy and Germany which has helped to lift some vendors’ performance.
“This is the case in particular for Xerox, which registered the highest OEM toner year?on?year unit sales growth of 32 percent, as well as [seeing] a significant increase in revenues for the period.”