MFP Copiers: 2024 Year-In-Review
This OpenBrand year-in-review report recaps product launch activity, portfolio shifts, and pricing captured throughout 2024 with comparisons drawn to 2023. The report features data and insights from OpenBrand’s US MFP Copiers Reports, which include devices intended to sell through the dealer channel.
Read through all the 2024 pricing and promotions insights below or email the report to read later.
Methodology
The data used in this report is leveraged from the OpenBrand US MFP-Copiers Pricing & Promotions Report and the US Dealer Cost Report between the dates of Q1 2023 and Q4 2024. Data includes all products except production models that were captured in dealer price lists or contracts. The launch activity section, however, includes products that were announced but have not been captured in dealer price lists or contracts to-date. This section also features data from 2019 to 2024. This section also includes production models.
Impact Summary
- Launch activity reached 121 new products, declining 15% compared to 2023
- Portfolios continued to shift from A3 to A4
- Average public sector prices increased across several key segments
Product Launch Activity
Copier hardware launch activity was steady for most of the year, while demonstrating a significant uptick in September when Katun and Fujifilm Business Innovation announced major series launches. With a total of 121 products introduced for the dealer channel, this year’s launch activity had 15% fewer product launches than last year, becoming the second-slowest year in terms of launch activity since 2021.
The US copier market demonstrated a significant shift in 2024, with newcomers taking two of the top three spots for launch activity. With 28 new products announced, Fujifilm Business Innovation had the most launches in 2024. The move was marked by the OEM’s September announcement to partner with Marco Technologies, which became the first US dealer authorized to sell Apeos A3 and A4 MFPs. The partnership underscored Fujifilm’s strategy of westward expansion following the dissolution of the Fuji-Xerox partnership in 2021 and the OEM’s formal entry into European markets in April 2024.
Konica Minolta captured second place with 21 product launches in 2024, marking a noteworthy shift in pace after introducing just five products in 2023. The product introductions were made across two distinct launch announcements. These included the launch of eight A4 devices in March and the introduction of 13 A3 MFPs in July.
Katun rounded out the top three with a major announcement in September, when the brand unveiled its new Arivia lineup, effectively marking Katun’s entry into the US (and global) copier market. Although 11 A3 toner-based devices were initially introduced, OpenBrand uncovered four additional configurations within the series, which features color devices ranging from 25ppm to 65ppm and monochrome devices between 25ppm and 55ppm.
Portfolios
The copier market is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by evolving workplace trends, technological advancements, sustainability efforts, and budget constraints. As such, the market increasingly shifted to A4 devices, marking a pivot from A3’s dominant role.
A4 devices demonstrated steady growth over the two years, with product counts increasing by 12% from 214 in 1H 2023 to 239 in 2H 2024. The second half of 2024 ended with 215 A3 products available to dealers. Although this number represents a 3% increase compared to 1H 2023, this count is still lower than the number of A4 models offered. This shift reflects the ongoing market attention toward compact, cost-effective solutions that align with the needs of hybrid and decentralized work environments.
In Q4 2024, brands displayed distinct strategies in balancing their A3 and A4 portfolios. Lexmark and Kyocera leaned heavily toward A4 devices, with 40 and 31 A4 models, respectively. Brother focused entirely on A4 with 19 models, reinforcing its commitment to the SMB and SOHO segments (as well as its lack of A3 technology or partnerships). Canon also leaned more toward A4, offering 27 A4 models compared to 15 A3 devices. Conversely, Xerox and Toshiba prioritized A3 devices, with 43 and 25 models, respectively. HP maintained a balanced portfolio with 32 A3 and 30 A4 models, while Sharp and Ricoh showed similar dual-focus strategies to address diverse market needs.
Pricing
Between Q1 2023 and Q4 2024, A3 color segment public sector prices saw significant growth across all tiers, reflecting the market’s upward shift toward higher-value devices and downward shift into A4. Segment 1 Color rose by 42%, from $3,200 to $4,545 while Segment 2 Color experienced a 44% increase to $5,604. Segment 3 Color grew by 41%, from $5,029 to $7,115 while Segment 4a Color rose by 28%, from $6,372 to $8,133. Segment 4b Color increased by 41%, from $7,725 to $10,872, and Segment 5 Color saw a 21% rise from $11,403 to $13,844.
During the period, A3 mono segment prices experienced significant increases across all tiers. Segment 2 Mono saw a 32% rise, from $2,519 to $3,334, and Segment 3 Mono grew by 41% from $3,415 to $4,818. Segment 4 Mono rose by 28% from $5,028 to $6,423 while Segment 5 Mono experienced a 22% increase from $9,899 to $12,122. Finally, Segment 6 Mono saw the most significant rise at 14%, increasing from $14,608 to $16,691.
A4 color segment prices exhibited mixed trends, with some tiers experiencing growth and others showing declines. Segment 2 Color saw a slight decline of 4% from $993 to $958. Segment 3 Color remained relatively stable, with a modest decline of 3% from $1,834 to $1,774. Segment 4a Color experienced a decrease of 2%, from $3,406 to $3,346 while, in contrast, Segment 4b Color pricing grew 6% from $5,970 to $5,911.
Average A4 mono segment prices also exhibited varied trends across tiers. Segment 3 Mono showed a modest increase of 19% from $660 to $784 while Segment 4 Mono, however, experienced a 3% decline from $1,644 to $1,599. Segment 5 Mono demonstrated 3% growth, increasing from $3,212 to $3,116.
Outlook
The copier market is poised for transformative changes in 2025 as manufacturers respond to shifting customer demands, mergers and acquisitions, and global economic pressures. Product launch activity is anticipated to remain steady, likely focusing on alignment with evolving workplace dynamics that prioritize decentralized and cost-effective equipment that will further the shift from A3 to A4.
Pricing trends will be influenced by multiple factors. While competition could drive down costs in some segments, external pressures such as tariffs on raw materials and components may result in price increases, particularly for high-end devices.
Corporate realignments and partnerships are set to reshape the competitive landscape. Xerox’s planned acquisition of Lexmark, expected to close in the second half of 2025, will lead to a significant restructuring of both companies’ portfolios and market strategies. This merger positions Xerox to expand its presence in the A4 segment, leveraging Lexmark’s established reputation in SMB and enterprise markets. Ricoh and Toshiba’s integration of R&D efforts will likely result in innovative products and enhanced workflow solutions, while the Fujifilm-Konica Minolta joint venture seeks to optimize procurement strategies and reduce operational costs.
Additionally, the industry will continue to keep a close eye on efforts from Fujifilm and Katun. Fujifilm’s continued expansion into Western markets could intensify competition, although the brand may still be challenged to build out its channel network. Additionally, Katun’s entry into the global market introduces new competition, as the company seeks to establish itself in the crowded and mature market.
Overall, 2025 will be a year of significant change, marked by competitive pressures, portfolio realignments, and strategic corporate moves. Manufacturers that effectively navigate pricing complexities, leverage new partnerships, strengthen existing partnerships, and capitalize on emerging opportunities will be well-positioned for success in this evolving market.
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Printer Hardware: 2024 Year-In-Review
Our printer hardware year-in-review report recaps printer hardware launches, placements, pricing and advertising and promotional activity captured throughout 2024 with comparisons drawn to 2023. The report features data and insights from OpenBrand’s Business Printers and Personal & SOHO Printers categories, which feature printer hardware sold through the US ecommerce and brick-and-mortar channels.
Read through all the 2024 pricing and promotions insights below or email the report to read later.
Methodology
Data included in this report is sourced from the OpenBrand Business Printers and Personal & SOHO Printers categories. Data in this analysis (except for advertising data) was captured between Q1 2023 (week of January 1) and Q4 2024 (week of December 8). Advertising data runs through December 31, 2024. Retail advertisements include Banner Ads and Retail Circulars captured at retailers and their dot com counterparts (i.e. Staples and Staples.com). The merchants were updated to only the brick-and-mortar name regardless of channel for simplicity (i.e. any Staples.com ads were updated to Staples). Additionally, the following advertising section features SKU-specific ads.
Impact Summary
- HP, Brother, and Canon were major drivers of product launch activity in 2024
- Placements across channels increased by 5% on average, with ecommerce dominating placement counts
- Average net prices increased by 2%
- In-store average promotion values increased by 11% compared to 2023 while the average discount off of shelf was 27%
- Advertising activity for the full year increased by 2% compared to 2023
Product Launch Activity
Printer hardware launch activity was steady throughout 2024 but fell short compared to the number of product introductions in 2023. With a total of 104 products introduced for open distribution channels, this year’s launch activity had 37% fewer product launches than last year and was on-pace with what was observed between 2020 and 2022.
Personal & SOHO Printers represented the majority of 2024 product introductions at 76%, while Business Printers comprised the remaining 24%. Across the two categories, HP introduced the highest number of products (33), followed by Brother in second place with 18 models, and Canon rounding out the top three with 17.
By technology, laser/LED printer hardware products led with 51 introductions, or 49% overall. Brother represented most of these product launches (18 SKUs), followed by Lexmark (12). Inkjet came in second, representing 42% of launches with 44 new products introduced. HP comprised 26 of the 44 inkjet introductions (59%), and Canon (11 SKUs) and Epson (seven SKUs) were the only other brands to launch new inkjet models. Dye-sublimation technology was third with eight product launches, followed by Zink with just one.
Placements
The average number of placements captured throughout the year increased for both the brick-and-mortar and the ecommerce channel in 2024 versus 2023. The growth in both channels suggests that manufacturers and retailers are pursuing balanced omnichannel strategies, leveraging the strengths of each channel to maximize visibility and accessibility.
The average number of shelf placements in brick-and-mortar stores grew slightly in 2024, rising to 428 placements from 424 placements in 2023. This marginal 1% increase reflects the steady role of physical retail in maintaining product visibility, especially in high-traffic stores. The consistent performance highlights brick-and-mortar's continued importance, even as online channels dominate the count of printer hardware placements.
Listings in the ecommerce channel were observed with a more significant increase in 2024, with the average rising to 4,096 listings, up 5% from 3,903 listings in 2023. This growth underscores the ongoing expansion of ecommerce, as retailers and manufacturers prioritize digital platforms to reach broader audiences and cater to changing shopping behaviors.
In 2024, Brother achieved the most significant growth, increasing its average placement count by 23% year-over-year to 855. HP maintained its market leadership with the highest average placements at 1,250, up 4% from 2023. Epson also showed steady progress, with a 7% increase in average placements to 703. Meanwhile, Canon remained stable with a slight 1% decline, averaging 898 placements, while Lexmark experienced a modest 3% decrease to 589. Xerox faced the sharpest drop, with average placements falling 12% to 231, highlighting struggles to maintain relevance in a competitive landscape.
In 2024, inkjet and laser/LED technologies both saw year-over-year growth, with inkjet placements increasing by 8% to an average of 1,902 and laser/LED placements rising by 2% to an average of 2,622.
Pricing
Average 2024 net prices across open distribution channels (both brick-and-mortar and ecommerce) increased by 2% in 2024 compared to 2023. Prices were down across most brands, including Xerox (-16%), Canon (-7%), Brother (-4%), and Epson (-4%) but were offset by increases from HP and Lexmark. The two brands were observed with respective average net price increases of 15% and 10% year-over-year.
By segment, average net prices increased for A3 devices but were down or flat for A4 models. In 2024, A3 MFP net prices increased by 6% compared to 2023 and were up 2% for A3 SFPs. Meanwhile, A4 MFP average net prices were down 3% and were flat for A4 SFPs.
When broken down by size and color capability, average net prices changes varied between 2024 and 2023. A3 B&W net prices were down 12% on average year-over-year but increased by 8% for A3 color models. Average A4 B&W net prices were flat but down 4% for A4 color devices.
Advertising & Promotions
Total SKU-specific printer hardware ad counts grew modestly in 2024, reaching 2,492 ads, up from 2,436 ads in 2023, reflecting a 2% year-over-year increase. This overall stability, however, masks significant variations at the brand level, with some players ramping up their advertising efforts while others pulled back substantially.
By advertisement type, SKU-specific retail circular advertising remained dominant in both 2023 and 2024, although the year-over-year growth was modest. Total retail circular ads increased from 2,412 ads in 2023 to 2,415 ads in 2024, indicating overall stability. Quarterly performance fluctuated, with Q3 2024 reaching 606 ads, slightly lower than Q3 2023's peak of 667 ads. Q1 2024 also saw growth compared to Q1 2023, with 633 ads versus 554 ads.
SKU-specific banner ad activity surged in 2024, with a total of 77 ads, compared to just 24 ads in 2023, marking a 221% year-over-year increase. The most notable growth occurred in Q3 2024, which saw 39 banner ads, a sharp increase from the six ads in Q3 2023. It should be noted that most banner ads are not SKU-specific, and these were not included in the analysis.
Brother showcased impressive growth, with its ad count rising 64% from 242 in 2023 to 397 in 2024. This surge signals Brother’s strategic push to enhance its visibility and capture greater market share. It should be noted, however, that the majority of Brother’s ads were “Ad Only,” which do not feature any incentive value attached.
In contrast, Epson and Canon saw significant declines in advertising activity. Epson’s ad counts dropped by 21% from 875 in 2023 to 695 in 2024. Similarly, Canon’s advertising efforts fell sharply, with ad counts declining by 41% from 256 to 152. Meanwhile, Fujifilm maintained a consistent but small presence, increasing its ad counts slightly from 11 to 16 as it continued to focus on the niche compact photo printing segment.
Inkjet technology accounted for the majority of ads in both 2023 and 2024. However, ad counts for inkjet devices slightly declined year-over-year, falling from 1,999 ads in 2023 to 1,897 ads in 2024, a 5% decrease. Quarterly performance fluctuated, with Q3 2024 showing a strong rebound at 515 ads after a decline in Q2 2024 (460 ads). The decrease in Q4 2024 to 443 ads reflects a potential shift in focus to other technologies or marketing strategies.
Laser/LED technology showed significant growth in 2024, with ad counts rising from 420 in 2023 to 565 in 2024, a 35% year-over-year increase. The most notable gains occurred in Q1 2024 (160 ads), a 100% increase compared to Q1 2023 (80 ads).
Dye-sublimation ad activity more than doubled, increasing from 13 ads in 2023 to 26 in 2024. The growth was most pronounced in Q4 2024, with 12 ads, marking a significant rise from four ads in Q4 2023. This suggests a growing focus on niche markets like photo printing, particularly during the 2024 holiday shopping season.
Full-year 2024 average discount depth was more aggressive than 2023 across all brands except Fujifilm. However, average percent discount increases were observed in the single-digits, ranging between one point and four points higher than in 2023. Canon featured the highest average percent discount at 29% off shelf price, followed by HP (28%) and Epson (27%).
Outlook
The 2024 year-in-review highlights key trends and insights into the evolving printer hardware market, driven by a balance of innovation, shifting consumer preferences, and competitive strategies. Moving into 2025, several factors will shape the trajectory of the industry.
Promotional activity is expected to intensify as competition across the printer hardware market continues to grow. Manufacturers and retailers are likely to deploy more aggressive discounting strategies and enhanced value propositions to capture consumer attention. This heightened promotional activity could lead to a reduction in average prices as players compete for market share.
However, pricing trends remain uncertain due to external economic factors. While competition may drive prices down, the potential for tariffs or changes in trade policies could exert upward pressure on costs, particularly for imported products. These conflicting forces highlight the importance of strategic pricing management to balance competitiveness with profitability. These shifts could also affect product launch activity.
Manufacturers and their channel partners should remain agile in navigating this dual dynamic. Investing in data-driven promotional strategies and leveraging omnichannel visibility will be key to staying competitive while managing cost pressures effectively. As the market evolves, pricing and promotional strategies, as well as product value propositions, will play a pivotal role in shaping outcomes for both manufacturers and consumers.
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