Jessops to offer new digital service

Photographic specialist Jessops today confirmed the roll out of a digital photo processing service to more than 200 stores.

The plan, which will offer up to seven processing kiosks and an in-store "digital expert", comes after a successful trial run in 16 sites.

Speaking ahead of the company’s annual meeting in London, chairman Gavin Simonds said it was “an exciting step” for Jessops, which sought to capitalise on its “leading position” in the digital market.

The trial was launched in six stores in August and expanded at the end of October to better assess its performance over Christmas.

Earlier this month, the firm described the festive period as buoyant as digital cameras proved to be one of the “must-buys” of the season with sales up 23% in the five weeks to January 1.

In August, Jessops reported that digital printing had exceeded traditional film for the first time and a month later said it was handling more than two million digital prints a week, making up 10% of its business.

The new kiosks will enable customers to print their own digital pictures, with the help of a trained assistant if they want it.

In today’s statement, Mr Simonds said the new digital formats would not affect its planned store opening programme. Five new stores are scheduled to open before Easter and seven opened during the firm’s first quarter, including a jointly occupied outlet in Brent Cross, North London with the Carphone Warehouse and the Game entertainment company.

Mr Simonds said if the joint venture proved successful it could be used elsewhere. The company currently has 285 outlets, including more than 260 stores in the UK, six in the North and one in Dublin.

Mr Simonds told shareholders that the Leicester-based firm was mindful of last year’s tough market conditions but added that its “strong start” to the year underpinned its confidence in its prospects.