Ritz Camera Centers Launch Fully Digital Single-Use Camera

August 2003 – Ritz Camera Centers, the largest retail camera and photo chain in the United States, today announced the nationwide launch of the Dakota Digital Single-Use Camera at select Ritz Camera and Wolf Camera locations. The cameras, a first to offer consumers a high-quality, fully digital experience at a single-use price, will sell for $10.99 under the company’s Dakota Digital brand.

The Dakota Digital Single-Use Camera, built on the Pure Digital Imaging Platform, gives consumers the exciting benefits of digital photography without the associated cost and complexity. The easy-to-use camera offers functions normally associated with sophisticated digital cameras, including the ability to delete unwanted pictures, a fully automatic flash, metered exposure control, and a self-timer feature. Processing is made simple by returning the camera to any of the Ritz Camera or Wolf Camera locations for film-quality 4 x 6 DigiPrints “in minutes” and a photo CD. Now with a click of the mouse, even the novice computer users can email pictures, create photo greetings, or send multiple photos as a slideshow. Each camera is fully recycled after processing.

“The Dakota Digital Single-Use Camera is the easy and affordable answer to digital photography without giving up prints,” noted David Ritz, Chairman of Ritz Camera Centers. “This worry-free digital camera is a perfect choice to capture the moments of summer or for anyone interested in trying digital for the first time.”

“This new digital single-use camera addresses the two fastest growing segments of the consumer photography market,” said Michelle Slaughter, director of InfoTrends Research Group’s digital photography trends service. “In addition, the digital single-use camera provides Ritz’s customers with the experience of in-store digital photo printing, which will contribute to establishing a behavior for printing digital photos at retail.”

According to the Photo Marketing Association, single-use cameras sales have grown over 15% annually for the last five years, even as film sales have declined. Single-use cameras now represent over 19% of film rolls processed. Digital cameras sales have grown 23% over the past year and are expected to be present in almost 30% of US homes by year’s end. Despite the increasing popularity of digital, less than 19% of digital pictures are printed, primarily due to the complexity, cost, and time requirements of home printing.

The Dakota Digital Single-Use Camera is available now at Ritz Camera and Wolf Camera locations in more than 14 cities, including Washington DC, Baltimore, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Dallas. SOURCE Ritz Camera Centers