- Rising demand - Demand is expected to rise in the short to medium term for devices relating to mobile printing, hybrid printing, thermal printing, colour printing and radio-frequency enabled devices.
- Commoditisation - Barcode printers are being increasingly commoditised. As functionality improves and prices fall, suppliers in developed markets are finding it hard to compete with low cost suppliers out of Asia.
- Value added services - In order to counter commoditisation, manufacturers are seeking to add value with services such as radio frequency identification. They envision these will be the growth segments in the industry.
- Rising competition - Rival technologies such as direct-part marking and electronic shelf labels may threaten the barcode printing industry in the long term.
- Green movement - Manufacturers are increasingly seeking to develop green products to meet the demands of customers and comply with increasingly strict legislation.
Source: http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2013/09/23/analysis-global-barcode-printer-market