Sales of traditional film cameras at Argos shot up by 20% in the week following Dixons? decision to axe sales of 35mm models.
Argos, which has 600 stores nationwide, reported a 20% surge in sales of 35mm film cameras and attributed the rise on Dixons? decision to pull the plug on traditional cameras.
Despite the news Dixons maintains that it is the ?right time? to exit the 35mm film camera market.
?Their loss is our gain,? said Argos?s camera buyer Andrea Abbis, who claimed that ?it?s too early to sound the death knell for the film camera just yet?.
She added: ?It seems there is still pent-up demand for film cameras ? even though they have certainly been eclipsed by digital cameras in recent years.?
The rival high-street chain refused to reveal how many cameras it sold in the week after Dixons? announcement, telling us this was ?sensitive information?. However, Argos spokeswoman Melanie Nicholson confirmed that it was a ?substantial? number.
Dixons insists it was not premature to pull out of film cameras. Spokeswoman Kellie Evans claimed: ?There was so much media attention on cameras last week it is no surprise that Argos saw an increase in sales.?
She said Dixons also saw a rise in sales of film and digital cameras which she attributed to the increased media attention and the expected rise in sales at this time of year. However, the store would not reveal the extent of the increase.
When asked whether Argos would now be increasing its stock of film cameras the Argos spokeswoman said that this is currently ?under review?.
Argos plans to expand its range of digital cameras and accessories in time for its next catalogue which is due out in January 2006.
?Our digital cameras outsell film cameras significantly, but while customers still want to buy the film cameras, we?ll continue to sell them,? continued Abbis.
