A 60% rise in digital SLR sales was the main factor driving a 6.9% growth in turnover at high-street chain Jessops in its preliminary results for the year ended 30 September 2006.
Jessops chief executive Chris Langley said: ?This segment of the market was very active in the year, with new digital SLR launches from Sony, Samsung and upgraded SLR models from Canon and Nikon.?
However, the results ? which were announced this morning – also reveal a 1.4% fall in sales of digital compact cameras and a 20% drop in sales of photographic hardware, such as scanners and home printers.
Langley (pictured) added: ?Price deflation remained a feature across the camera hardware market, although our strength in the SLR segment? provided some protection.?
D&p sales dropped by 2%. But ? points out the company – a 36% rise in digital printing ?almost offset the continuing declines in analogue d&p?.
Overall, digital camera sales grew by 16.6%, while the average price of a digital camera at Jessops fell 5.3% (to £218).
The group?s total turnover was £350m, and operating profit increased by 12.3%.
Like-for-like sales, which takes into account the effect of new shops being added during the year- were up by 2.9%.
Store like-for-like sales (which exclude sales made over the internet, mail-order and tele sales) fell 1% over the year.
Jessops now operates 315 shops.
