PLANO, Texas-- A new survey released today by FedEx Office, a leading provider of convenient, state-of-the-art printing, packing and shipping services and a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) shows that consumers and small business owners find comfort and prefer tangible, printed materials, despite an increasingly digital and on-demand society.

More than nine in 10 consumers agreed there will always be a need for printed materials, with almost half (49 percent) of those surveyed saying a world without paper would make them feel stressed or annoyed.

In the survey, FedEx Office explored the opinions of consumers and small business owners to learn more about their preferences and purchasing habits regarding professional printing services. Among the key findings:

• 70 percent of respondents reported having items professionally printed the same amount or more than in the previous year.
• This is particularly true for millennials – a segment of consumers that makes purchasing decisions via social media and who are more comfortable and savvy in the digital world than other generations.
• Despite the familiarity with digital, nearly half of millennial respondents (ages 18-34) reported having something professionally printed at least once a month.
• Nine in 10 of consumers and small business owners agreed that they “like to have the option to have printed materials” and preferred reading materials on paper – most notably official documents and contracts – versus on a digital screen.

Survey participants who were small business owners said that having materials printed professionally reflects positively on their business, and consumers agreed:

• 85 percent of consumers said they are more likely to shop with a small business that has custom/professionally printed materials, such as business cards, signs, flyers or banners.
• Four out of five small business owners said that professional printing services can help their businesses stand out from the competition.
• Nine in 10 consumers agreed that the quality of printed materials is an indication of the quality of service provided by a business.

“In an increasingly digital world, where tablets, computers, phones and TVs are our main sources for consuming and engaging with information, FedEx Office recognizes the importance of print, from helping business owners succeed to assisting students in reaching their project goals, and everything in between,” said Brian Philips, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Office.

“Along with the continued use of printing services, individuals polled in this survey said price, convenience, and customer service are most important to them when deciding where to print. FedEx Office excels in these target areas to not only meet, but exceed in meeting the needs of our customers,” Philips says.

Digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, signs and banners, direct mail, copying and corporate print solutions, along with full-scale shipping and packing services are all available through the national FedEx Office retail network.

About FedEx Office

FedEx Office operates approximately 1,900 company-owned stores and locations in the U.S., providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The company’s network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate print centers, hotel and convention center operations, as well as FedEx OnCampus print centers. Services include digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, copying, computer rental, free Wi-Fi and corporate print solutions. In addition, the company offers FedEx Express® and FedEx Ground® shipping, Hold at FedEx Location, FedEx SameDay City and packing services backed by the FedEx® Packing Pledge. For more information, please visit fedex.com/office.

The online survey was conducted Feb. 15-21 by polling firm PSB and included 800 participants who were a nationally representative sample of national U.S. general population consumers. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46 percent.