Three Key Takeaways from NAPCO Research’s Who Buys Wide-Format Study

Sign and display graphic buyers and providers that participated in a NAPCO Research survey reported solid growth across all applications this year. Both groups reported current spending is growing or holding steady across nearly all graphic applications, and decreases are limited in scope.

NAPCO Research’s study Who Buys Wide-format Display Graphics: How, from Whom, and Why surveyed sign and display graphic buyers and providers to understand investment, purchasing, and demand trends. (Click here to download the report) A major aim of the research was to identify buyers’ purchasing needs and preferences so that print providers can gauge if their service offerings are aligned with their customers’ desires. The research also addressed COVID-19’s impact on sign and display graphic spending; buyers’ criteria for selecting providers; technology issues, including ordering through online portals; and general market trends.

Here are three key takeaways from the study:

Takeaway 1: Sales of Wide-Format Printed Graphics Poised to Grow.

Sign, display, and specialty graphics are powerful communication tools, compelling marketing vehicles, and effective décor enhancers for marketers. These applications, typically printed on digital wide-format printing devices, often dominate the visual landscape. Banners, posters, billboards, soft signs, window graphics, wall coverings, floor graphics, and others all help organizations communicate with people. With today’s technologies, nearly every surface can carry a message or image that was printed on a digital wide-format device.

According to sign and display graphic provider respondents, business in the 12 months preceding the survey (conducted in Q3 2021) was generally good: 71% reported sales growth with 41% reporting double-digital sales growth. Nearly all of the respondents (89%) expected sales to grow over the next 12 months, including 15% who expected increases could be 20% or more (Figure 1). Assuming the further waning of COVID-19, and absent any additional shocks to the general economy, providers’ near-term outlook for the sign and display graphics segment looks encouraging.

Figure 1: Sales Growth Expectations: Sign and Display Graphic Providers

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Buyers of sign and display graphics report using them primarily as a marketing tool. Respondents said that their top three objectives for using these printed products are: attracting customers’ attention to products and services, cited by 69%, promoting product sales at point of purchase (39%), and promoting events (38%).

Takeaway 2: Buyers Demand Providers Deliver Speed and Agility.

The survey asked sign and display graphic providers if customer demand for select services was increasing, decreasing, or holding steady (Figure 2). Survey respondents said demand was increasing most for shorter turnaround, shorter runs, and complex logistic requirements. Overall, very few respondents reported decreases in demand for any of the services listed.

Figure 2: Demand for Speed, Short Run Work, and Logistics Complexity

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The survey results for sign and display graphic buyers also called out the importance of fast job turnaround. Over half buyers (52%) reported turnaround is an important consideration in provider selection.

Takeaway 3: Customer Experience Key to Provider Selections

Sign and display graphic providers report using a variety of provider types to produce their work, including general commercial printers, sign shops, retail stores specializing in signs and graphics, and online providers. This diversity of sources for sign and display graphic buyers means heightened competition for providers. The most successful providers will be the ones that can understand and meet customer needs.

Buyer respondents report print quality and customer care were the most important considerations — higher than price — when selecting providers (Figure 3). Since the primary purpose of sign and display graphics is to deliver attention-grabbing visual experiences, it is no surprise to see quality rated very important by 85% of respondents to the survey question about factors critical in influencing the choice of a provider. What may come as a surprise is that their perceptions of the customer experience — ease of working with the provider, responsiveness, and service — also weigh heavily in their decisions about where to send their business.

Price is rated very important by 68% of respondents, but more cited quality (85%), ease of working with the provider (78%), responsiveness (74%), and customer service (74%) as very important criteria for selecting providers. Coming in behind price were staff knowledge (55%), and turnaround (51%). To one extent or another, buyers take all of these considerations seriously when evaluating providers of sign and display graphics.

Figure 3: Top Considerations When Selecting Sign and Display Graphic Providers

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Overarching Message: Solid Market Opportunity

The research study indicates the market for sign and display graphics produced on wide-format equipment is strong and offers insights for providers to better serve customers and thrive.

Other key highlights from the study include:

• An overview of primary applications purchased and produced, along with wide-format equipment operated
• Assessment of key business challenges and opportunities for sign and display providers
• A deep dive into the latest purchasing trends of buyers

Download the research study to better meet customer requirements and support competitive actions.