
VIENNA, Va., Jan 07, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Lucidiom announced that consumers have made 80,000 one-hour photo books on the EQ-9800 during November and December 2007 through Lucidiom's nationwide network of photofinishing retailers, with some of its retail clients calling the photo book the winning product for this past holiday season.
"The photo industry has been praising photo books for more than a year as the hot holiday product, however, most photo retailers must send their photo books out to a central lab for creation, and the turn-around often takes about two weeks," said Lucidiom President Stephen Giordano Jr. "While some vendors already have in-store systems in small regional retail locations, Lucidiom is the only vendor that has provided retailers coast-to-coast with a one-hour photo book solution in just about 1000 locations."
Launched at PMA '07 in March, Lucidiom's EQ not only offers software to create book pages, but the printer, paper, book-binding equipment to create one-hour photo books as well as a host of other classic gifts and cards - from bound calendars, flip books, folded cards and custom envelopes to scrapbook pages, DVDs, posters and bordered prints. With equipment, software, and production support all bundled together in one cohesive package, EQ contains everything photofinishing retailers need to produce any product involving their customers' photos.
"In fact, while one-hour photo books gave retailers a new hit product this past holiday season, even more bound calendars and folded greeting cards - all done within an hour on the EQ-9800 - were made by photofinishing retailers," adds Giordano. "More than 100,000 one-hour bound calendars and more than one million one-hour folded greeting cards were printed in November and December 2007. The EQ-9800 gave retailers three top sellers for the holidays."
"Photo books and flip books were some of our hottest sellers this holiday season," said Mitch Goldstone, co-owner of 30 Minute Photos Etc. and ScanMyPhotos.com in Irvine, Calif. "The Lucidiom system is full of exclusive designs that make it easy for consumers to drop in their photos and customize their books to their own personal style."
Some of Lucidiom's retailers took the photo book in regards to gift-giving one step further. For example, Avon Moto Photo purchased special packaging boxes with tissue paper for the books, so customers only had to wrap the box to have a finished gift. "We built a new kiosk bar area earlier this year, and traffic steadily has increased as consumers use the kiosks to make photo books and other creative photo products," said Joel Miller, owner of Avon Moto Photo in Avon, Conn.
At PMA '08, Lucidiom will improve upon its photo books even further, by offering full-bleed books to create borderless photo books.
The photo and retailing industries can view EQ's capabilities at Lucidiom's booth at two tradeshows this month: the 2008 International CES, January 7-10, and PMA 08, January 31-February 2. Both shows are in Las Vegas, Nevada.