April 9 - myPhotopipe.com Expands Online Offering of Photo Greeting Cards
Company targets $7.5 billion greeting card space with more than 300 new products
myPhotopipe.com, Inc. (OTC: MPPC), a web-based online provider of digital photo processing and related services, unveiled a new initiative to significantly expand its product offerings and presence in the photo greeting card segment of the $7.5 billion greeting card market. The Company expects to more than double the number of products offered via its online web portal, www.myphotopipe.com.
During 2006, according to data from industry association PMA, over 9 million households used digital cameras to make photo greeting cards, spending more than $550 million. As in years past, owners of high-end digital cameras (8 megapixels or more) were almost twice as likely to make photo greeting cards as owners of lower resolution cameras. What prompted myPhotopipe.com's newly announced initiative was the sharp increase in sales of high-end cameras.
According to PMA data, demand for 8 or greater megapixel cameras grew at a rate of 977% in the fourth quarter of 2007, versus the same period in 2006. This translates into approximately 25 million new high-end cameras entering the US market in 2007. According to the PMA, better cameras correlate to better images. This, in turn, encourages the purchase of more photo cards, which have also benefited from an increasing demand among consumers for self-expression and the personalization of social sentiments.
myPhotopipe.com offered consumers 629 photo greeting card styles at the end of 2007. The Company is adding 256 cards under its newly created Designer Collection category and 60 cards under a new General Purpose category, and it will also expand all of its existing categories with a new line of primary colors.
"This is the single most important initiative we have undertaken since the launch of FolioPrints," noted Eric Casolo, Director of Digital Photo Tools for the Company. "In large measure it came about because of the convergence in data and trends. First there was the jump in sales of high-resolution cameras. Second, the whole social expressions segment of the greeting card market has doubled during the past two years. And of course, owners of high-end cameras are almost twice as likely to make photo cards as the ordinary digital camera owner. When we saw the sharp increase in demand for cameras with resolutions of 8 megapixels and higher, we felt compelled to act, so we accelerated our timetables and will continue on an accelerated pace for the next two months."
According to the PMA, photo greeting cards grew from 270 million units in 2005 to 550 million in 2006. Year-end data for 2007 is not yet available.
April 7 - myPhotopipe.com Launches Redesigned Web Site
Upgraded Web Site Generates Record Traffic and New Users, as Company Sharpens Focus on Growing Popularity of Online Ordering
myPhotopipe.com, Inc. (OTC: MPPC), a web-based online provider of digital photo processing and related services, today announced that it has completed several wide-ranging initiatives designed to further its position as the online processor of choice for serious digital photographers.
In October 2007, the Company retained Zero Gravity Design Group, which is based in New York City, to overhaul its web site to reflect myPhotopipe.com's sharpened focus on digital imaging and high-quality prints. The resulting redesigned site uses a "No T-shirts. No Mugs." positioning to distinguish the Company from photo processing services that emphasize photo-imprintable products.
The new web site was "beta" launched in late January 2008 and became fully operational in February. During the first full month following the re-launch of the web site, traffic achieved records across the board. myPhotopipe.com registered more than three million hits in March, a record for any month, a 29% increase over the month of February 2008, and almost double the number of hits received in the corresponding prior-year period. More than 16,000 new users bookmarked the site during March, and approximately 4,800 copies of the Company's online ordering software were downloaded.
According to data recently released by industry association PMA, the Company's timing is excellent. For the twelve months ended January 2008, the number of prints made from digital images rose 25%, while prints ordered from an online service rose 58%, when compared with the previous year. Prints made at home declined, while prints made at retail locations posted a modest 2% gain.
"We have always believed that the Internet represents the future for digital photo processing," commented L. Douglas Keeney, Chief Executive Officer of myPhotopipe.com, Inc. "Industry data confirms this month after month. This is why we undertook these major initiatives. We want our customer experience to be unique, and our goal is to have the 'richest' catalog of online options in the industry. With the surging popularity of digital photography and the increased use of the Internet as a means of ordering prints, our timing has been superb."
"iTunes today announced that it has surged past Wal-Mart as the #1 retailer of music. It took almost five years for the Internet to unseat bricks-and-mortar retailers in music. We believe digital photo processing is in the early stages of the same transition, and myPhotopipe.com is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend," concluded Keeney.
April 2 -
myPhotopipe.com Joins Digital Imaging's Finest to Present First Photo Book Competition
myPhotopipe.com, Inc. (OTC: MPPC), a web-based online provider of digital photo processing and related services, today announced that it has joined with some of the hottest and most respected names in digital photography to present Photography Book Now, a $25,000 competition and road show event for photo books. The call for entries is now open, and the winning book will be announced on September 12, 2008 in San Francisco. A traveling salon of winning books will then visit New York City, London, England and Cologne, Germany. Competition rules and entries may be found at http://www.photographybooknow.com.
A long-time partner of photo book producer blurb (http://www.blurb.com), which developed Photography Book Now, myPhotopipe.com joins with SmugMug (http://www.smugmug.com), Flickr (http://www.flickr.com), Canon (http://www.canon.com), Livebooks (http://www.livebooks.com), and American Photo (http://www.popphoto.com/americanphoto/) as sponsors of the competition.
"As a leading online photo processor for serious amateur and professional photographers, this is a great way to show the world another exciting side of digital imaging," noted Peter Casabonne, President of myPhotopipe.com, Inc. "Moreover, we have partnered with a 'Who's Who' of new companies that have emerged in the transformation of our industry to digital technology. We are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the industry's finest."
“Sometimes a press release says more about where a company is going than what has just transpired,” stated SmallCap Sentinel analyst D.R. Clark. “When an emergent company partners with industry scions to create a showcase for their industry, in this instance digital photography, it sends a signal to investors that myPhotopipe.com Inc. (OTC: MPPC) is in elite company. This partnership, which includes Yahoo's Flickr, Canon and very few others, should indeed create some standing for myPhotopipe.com in the competitive digital photography industry.”
A comprehensive report focusing on myPhotopipe.com Inc. and technological developments in photography has been published by financial courier StockUpTicks.com and is available to the general public. The report will feature detailed information regarding MPPC and address related information and companies including Canon Inc. ADR (NYSE: CAJ), PhotoChannel Networks Inc. (OTCBB: PNWIF) and Yahoo's (NASD: YHOO) Flickr.
“myPhotopipe.com Inc. already has relationships with leading companies and agencies like The Department of Homeland Security,” stated SmallCap Sentinel analyst D.R. Clark. “Today's joint effort in the form of a photo book contest with the aforementioned premier partners is a continuance of the company's first-tier approach to growing their business.”
OTCPicks.com provides stock market coverage of OTC Bulletin
Board, Pink Sheets, small cap, and penny stocks. We provide stock market news,
stock quotes, stock charts, stock research and hot penny stock picks. Investors
can utilize OTCPicks.com services to research a variety of small cap and penny
stocks. OTCPicks also provides investor relations services to emerging micro
and small cap companies; providing investor awareness services, comprehensive
stock coverage, stock news alerts, and client stock newsletter coverage.
OTCPicks.com is the premier provider of stock information for investors looking
to buy the well performing small cap and penny stocks. Best of all OTCPicks.com
membership is completely free.
