Trends & Technology
Beyond the
4-by-6 print By Jennifer Barr Kruger
European kiosk makers As in North America, kiosks are a critical part of business for
European photo retailers – and kiosks manufacturers in Europe
help photo retailers are stepping up to meet those needs.
achieve goals At a glance: CeWe Color, Digikwik,
and Oblò
Founded in 1960, CeWe Color Holding AG, Oldenburg,
Germany (www.cewecolor.com), is a traditional wholesale
photofinisher operating 19 labs in 19 European countries.
CeWe Color delivers to 60,000 pick-up points, providing
its customers with analog developing and processing, digital
printing, Internet service, photo book printing and photo gifts.
CeWe Color launched its first photo kiosk for digital camera
prints in 1997, and since then has continuously developed new
kiosk technology. Its current kiosk system, DigiFoto Maker,
allows users to upload files from all digital media for printing
and to have images burned on CD. Orders are returned to
retail for pick up by the consumer. Photo gift products, such
as T-shirts, mugs, and puzzles, are also available through CeWe
Color kiosks. Although CeWe offers consumers photo books,
they cannot yet be ordered via kiosk.
By the end of 2007, the company will operate 25,000
DigiFoto Makers throughout Europe, 6,000 of which can
provide instant prints.
Born as a kiosk manufacturer in 2004, Digikwik, Drobak,
Norway (www.digikwik.eu), today offers three Digikwik Photo
Kiosk models – Ocean, Fjord, and River – each designed to
be attractive and easy to use for the consumer. In 2006,
CeWe Color DigiFoto kiosks offer consumers instant or Digikwik obtained the full distribution rights in Europe for
wholesale prints, as well as photo gift items. For more
information on kiosks, download the 2007 DIMA Photo
the Photo.Teller software from Australian kiosk manufacturer
Kiosk Virtual Showroom report from www.pmai.org. Whitech Solutions.
Continued on page 42
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Trends & Technology
For consumers, Digikwik kiosks offer instant prints, CDs,
index prints, calendars, greeting cards, a wide variety of frames,
scrapbooks, albums, gifts, and pictures on DVD. They also
provide editing tools, such as sepia, black-and-white, red-eye
removal, color and contrast correction (manual and automatic),
zoom, and crop.
Currently, 200 retailers are using Digikwik Photo Kiosks.
Having recently obtained various international retail chain
contracts, Digikwik will have at least 2,000 photo kiosks placed
in retail stores throughout Europe, mainly Scandinavia, Germany,
the United Kingdom, and Spain, by the end of this year.
Raffaella Manca, Eni Scodellaro, and Massimo Zancanaro Raffaella Manca (front, far left) and the Oblò team.
were all managers in the minilab retail market segment of Gretag
Imaging and, in that capacity, developed the Photohub, the first self-service imaging workstations providing photo books, collages,
dry inkjet kiosk, in cooperation with Epson Japan. The three posters, DVD slide shows with music, and other products. The
then founded Oblò Multimedia s.r.l., Spilimbergo, Italy (www company expects this new sales approach to dramatically expand
.oblo.biz), in 2002, with the goal of providing photo kiosks, and its installed base. Oblò also recently announced a partnership
software to the imaging market. with Noritsu Europe, in which Oblò software will be used in
The company produces the Zero line of kiosks, which offers a Noritsu kiosks throughout the continent.
range of services including digital printing, DVD slide shows for
TV viewing, video Retailer benefits
clip archival and Although CeWe Color is currently only serving Europe, the
printing of video company has the capacity to work with retailers worldwide, and
clip frames, archival is currently negotiating in the Japanese market. Retailers there
CDs and DVDs with may soon benefit from CeWe offerings, according to Wolfgang
music, biometric Abendroth, general manager, OSB, for the company.
passports, calendars, “The most important benefit [we offer] retailers is the
story books, greeting opportunity to [interact with the customer] twice,” Abendroth
cards, collages, and says. “Other benefits are modular hardware components such
“Pop-trait” posters. as DSL connectivity, receipt printing, CD dispenser, RSD
In 2006, Oblò functionalities, different furnishings, high-speed printers, charge
launched BOOK, a by click, a service hotline, and maintenance and repair services.”
kiosk-based photo What photo retailers need most, he notes, is to realize a decent
book service for margin – and the CeWe printing system can help them achieve
retailers. that.
The company “[We set our products apart from the competition with]
has 1,500 installed reliability, [our] best price policy, and [by providing the] only
kiosks. Last year, kiosk system with two-way printing, wholesale and instant,” he
Oblò successfully says.
began the sale of Jan O. Skybak, chairman and CEO of Digikwik, says the
professional software company kiosks offer the PULSE Remote Management system,
programs designed making them ideal for retailers who want to place units off site.
for retailers to create PULSE allows retailers to completely control and monitor all
kiosks and online ordering software from one central location.
“With remote management, you can share information
across all your kiosks, including pricing, product and service
The Digikwik fully updates, customer membership details, new promotions, paper
self-service solution management for dye-sub printers, CD management for kiosks
frees retailers and
staff members from with CD dispensers, and hardware and software monitoring to
taking orders. alert you of any problems,” he says. “Every aspect of the kiosk
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Trends & Technology
will be consistent across all the units “All Oblò kiosk and software solutions include a full set of
in the network, because one site has technologies to support retailers,” says Manca, vice president of
complete control.” marketing. “[We offer] direct printing to all major digital minilab
Each Digikwik remote kiosk is brands via a direct print protocol, connectivity to all Windows-
designed to recognize it is running in based printers – dye-sub, inkjet and laser – and order transfer via
a non-maintained environment and FTP networks to remote labs.
automatically takes into consideration “Additionally, Oblò kiosks provide automatic image enhance-
how many dye-sub printers it is con- ment software, including automatic red-eye removal and a
nected to and the type of paper loaded, Jan O. Skybak, customizable interface, thanks to an extensive settings menu
Skybak says. Using this information, chairman and CEO [that controls] services, formats, descriptions, prices, workflow,
of Digikwik, says
the kiosk will calculate machine capac- his company kiosks networking, etc.,” Manca adds.
ity and keep track of paper usage. are ideal for off-site Oblò also features a hub-and-spoke multiple kiosk network
placement.
The unit will not allow customers to connected to a central PC workstation. Its Order Manager
order prints it cannot fulfill. When the software controls printing queues, orders, and statistics.
printer runs out of paper, the server monitoring the kiosk will see For large chains, Oblò remote management software controls
an error flag and notify Digikwik to change paper. kiosks using the Internet, and provides information like commer-
“Digikwik has undertaken market research, identifying retailers’ cial reporting and statistics with graphics, revenues by product,
needs,” Skybak explains. “[Our] focus has been to provide retail- and time spent by consumers per order, as well as remote mainte-
ers with a fully self-service solution to make [it easier for] the nance and software updates.
retailers’ staff. Our solution is meant to take the burden off the “[We also provide the] Oblò EasyPay self-service payment
staff’s shoulders, and not to give them more work by introducing and fidelity program, based on prepaid rechargeable chip cards,
a new product.” which can be customized for retailers,” Manca says. “And, our
Oblò kiosks are also designed to make life easier for photo upsell software workflow automatically suggests other specialty
retailers. Continued on page 44
Oblò BOOK provides photo book options to kiosk customers
Oblò is helping consumers in Europe discover photo books, and with its new
BOOK solution, is also helping retailers sell them.
“The retailer plays a key role in the new, growing photo book market.
Because photo books are new to mass consumers, the retailer’s role is to
inform them about the availability of the service, and to support and assist
them during the ordering process,” Rafaella Manca says. “Consumers
need an environment that is comfortable, inspiring, professional, and up-
to-date.”
Photo book creation through a retail kiosk must be easy, interactive, fun,
pleasing, proactive and supported, she adds, “and the Oblò BOOK solution
responds to all these needs.”
Among the choices available through BOOK are storytelling photo books, Oblò BOOK software helps kiosk
which offer more than 120 pages of interactive graphics and event templates. users make photo books.
There is a wide range of Italian-designed quality book covers in various colors
and sizes, and an easy binding system.
Also popular are minibooks, pocket-size photo books designed for cameraphone images. These also offer several cover styles and can
come with a notepad and pen.
Additionally, Oblò proprietary FaceMatic face detection technology automatically positions faces into graphics for trouble-free,
automatic creation of photo books and other products.
“Coming to a retail shop to create photo books at a kiosk has lots of advantages for consumers,” Manca says. They get inspired by
samples, learn more about new creative products in a comfortable environment, have the convenience of immediate service, and find
knowledgeable experts and support.
“The retailer also benefits a lot from kiosks that make photo books,” she adds. “They can differentiate from competitors without extra
equipment, they can become a digital service center, and they can provide express service, leading to higher customer satisfaction.
Last, but not least, going beyond 4-by-6 means more margins.”
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Trends & Technology
products, such as photo books or DVDs, with a preview of the digital pictures,” he adds. “Without a doubt, it is our overall total
consumer’s images already inserted into the graphics.” solution that distinguishes Digikwik from competitors.”
Manca says Oblò is the market leader in Italy; prominent in
Consumer benefits France and the United Kingdom; and distributed in Germany,
Throughout Europe, CeWe Color DigiFoto Maker is installed at Spain, and Russia. The company is entering the U.S. market
photo retailer locations, as well as drugstore chains, department through a distribution deal with Liberty Photo Products Inc.,
stores, electronic chains, hypermarkets, and discount stores. San Clemente, Calif. (www.libertyphotoproducts.com). Oblò
“[Across all these outlets,] there are no differentiations. The benefits greatly from feedback from its biggest customer, Photo
typical consumers now are women,” Abendroth says. “It has Service, an upscale French specialty photo chain with about
dramatically changed; men are now using the Internet, but the 250 shops, all equipped with multiple Oblò kiosks.
most intensive users of our DigiFoto Makers are women. To “Oblò is always distinguished from the competition by offering
provide an attractive offer,” he adds, “a huge variety of products is the best kiosk solution for specialty photo retailers, both in terms
necessary.” of broad range of highly rewarding services, like photo books,
Also appealing to DigiFoto Maker kiosk customers is the ability DVDs, collages, Pop-traits, etc., and high-quality, technologically
to choose instant or wholesale prints at two different price points. advanced kiosk equipment,” Manca says. “Oblò always pays
“For example, a 4-by-6 print costs 9 cents from wholesale and close attention to the ease of use of its software interfaces, the
29 cents from instant. This gives the customer the choice of reliability of the kiosks and software programs, and the unique
ordering immediate prints or making use of an attractive package industrial and graphic design that dramatically differentiate our
price,” Abendroth says. solution from competitors,” she says.
Serving photo retailers, chain stores, and mass merchandisers “In a very challenging and competitive market, as the photo
across Europe, typical Digikwik kiosk customers are mothers and kiosk market is today, the Oblò strategy is to be a step ahead in
young people, Skybak says. innovation and completeness of its solutions, always having in
“Our market research [indicates] consumers strongly demand mind the economic satisfaction of the retailer and the needs of
proximity, availability, and convenience for developing their the final consumer.”
Oblò kiosk users can
order a wide array of
photo products.
44 PMA — May 2007 — www.pmai.org