Pass these out like breath mints

PAG33549CT (item number for a case)


Admittedly this is not the type of box you're hoping to get this year, but an important one nevertheless. It's a good idea to have a healthy supply of facial tissue on hand as the temperature drops and more people are confined to the indoors. everyone in the office should have a box at their desk. One misdirected sneeze and pretty soon the whole office is "under the weather." After all, do you really know where your co-worker has been... or even care for that matter? Regardless, germs are easier to spread this time of year so step up your sanitation and keep your nose clean.

Most Of Us Know One Of These....

She is the office holiday decorator and she's into her self appointed job big time! The "present" above was created by wrapping an empty rubber band box. Looks nice and makes an inexpensive office decoration provided you have a few crucial elements...one an empty box, two someone willing to care enough to take the time to wrap it. Almost every office has that particular individual who gets into Christmas so much that it becomes annoying. I love Christmas and unlike Charlie Brown, I don't find it depressing. However, the dancing reindeer and rockin' Santa's can be a bit much. The shiny artificial holly only creates the feeling of a Chinese factory. Decorate the office if you must but not every Christmas item has to come from the clearance rack.

Heres' an easy way to freak out your co-workers: tell them you're going to spend your lunch hour stuffing shredded paper into pillow cases to create the perfect office snowman and you'd like to invite them to join you. Hopefully you will tell them you are joking before they contact security. You will be joking right? I don't recommend the office snowman, but if you must...hey might as well suggest you use this...FEL-38385 Extra-wide feeder accommodates 132-column printouts as well as normal sized pages. Uses confetti-style cross-cut shredding for greater document security. Durable steel cutters accept credit cards, staples and small paper clips, while a designated safety slot accepts CDs.

Start Getting Ready Now

Item Number: SMD64945 from Smead Manufacturing Viewable Labeling System

The countdown to a new year will soon start and with it will come all the new promises you make with yourself. In the midst of best/worst songs of the year countdowns, most important news stories of 2007, best plays from the world of sports, etc., commit now to reorganizing your vital documents in 2008. It truly is one of the better things you can do professionally for your sanity. One of the best methods is using a color coded system. Color coding your files allows for a clean, easily identifiable batching that in turn will make retrieval quick and therefore (drum roll please) increase your efficiency. Only through increased work efficiency will you be able to return to your internet research on the current whereabouts of the Brady Bunch. Here's a teaser...the actress Susan Olsen, known on the show as Cindy, is now a prominent advocate for migraine sufferers. Who knew and does this actually help pay the bills? Okay, back to the original topic at hand...your files. I would recommend visiting two great sites for in depth information and ideas. Visit Smead and see how some simple changes to old products can have a huge impact. Adhesive viewable file tabs that allow for 3 dimensional viewing is a fantastic "why didn't I think of that product." Learn more here. Then go get other ideas and see some great Pendaflex products be sure to join the I Hate Filing Club.

Just Curious...

You see them all over the internet on websites ranging from baby clothes to personal investments. But do they work for you? Are you convinced or are you tired of looking at them? What am I talking about? I'm talking about the "buy a staff" photos that have so thoroughly permeated the internet in an attempt to distort reality, that you can't escape them. These images of people who look to have a photo shoot in Paris as soon as they complete your customer service issue are now so generic I no longer get the point. Ah... the professional hand shake picture, now that's one that instills confidence. Surly if there is an image of a handshake the company must be reputable right? Perhaps not everyone is as cynical as I am. Perhaps many people actually believe that Scarlett Johansson is not only addressing their "concerns" but she's enjoying it too. Who's that? Is that a young Paul Newman rolling up his sleeves to save me money? These photos remain wildly popular so obviously I'm in the minority.

We All Make Mistakes...At Least I Do

I don't necessarily have the answer to this problem, but what do you do if you have created a mail piece or sent an e-mail only to discover that you have a typo? Do you throw away the printed material and start over, afraid that the mistake will reflect poorly upon you, or do you let it pass hoping that your prospective client will not notice? Perhaps they will give you a pass for being human? Perhaps they'll think you're a fool? I don't know what the right answer is...I'm guilty of committing the typo crime and I had no choice but to let it go. Sure I was embarrassed and more than just a little angry, but after kicking myself around for a while all I could do was laugh about it. So if you catch an error in an e-mail, you could respond back pointing out where your mistake was but the fact of the matter is you're calling attention to your error and trying too hard to prove you're not an idiot. If you can't afford to cancel a project, you just have to grin and bear it while you wonder how you could have been so careless.

Get It Over With Early

I'm not totally by-passing Thanksgiving, but while in my car Saturday night, I heard Christmas Carols on the radio. Yes, it does seem to come earlier every year. So, because it's inevitable, why not get most of your Christmas shopping IDEAS out of the way? No need to go shopping anytime soon but at least have your game plan finished so you're not the one buying the XXL slip on slippers at the last moment. Christmas shopping often extends into the office as the obligatory secret Santa's, Kris Kringle's, and other various gift giving opportunities arise. So, what should you give a co-worker? Without a doubt, avoid getting personal. Never give sleep ware, fragrances, or joke gifts that make them the punchline no matter how tempting. Just play it safe. Office supplies make great gifts...okay..maybe just a little bit. Gift cards are still all the rage but they seem a bit impersonal to me. Here's the transaction: I give a Best Buy card and I get a Circuit City card. Now that is not that exciting. And yet, I remember when a co-worker got a fake crystal looking paper weight with an etched dolphin in the middle (she wasn't even a dolphin lover). I later saw these at the checkout counter at the Exxon down the street. So maybe gift cards aren't so bad if this is an alternative. Try to put a little more thought into it. If you wouldn't mind owning it, they probably wouldn't mind either...unless you have awful taste. Do you? The point of all this is to save yourself a little stress and think ahead.

A Healthy Halloween? It's Hard

While recommending that you find a way to appropriately participate in Halloween festivities around the office, may I suggest that you try your best to keep it healthy. Of course it's hard. It's way too easy to stuff yourself with bite sized (or what is now called fun size) junk. For that reason you need to be ready for it in advance. I personally have very little will power once "fun sized" candy is in front of me, but if it's not there, I won't go out to get it. So, prepare now. Refuse to buy garbage and find healthy alternatives. Popcorn, pretzels, nuts, and yes, even fruit will allow you to enjoy the day with no regrets. Not only that, but your co-workers (be they the dieters or the fitness fanatics) will appreciate you helping them avoid the temptations. I know you've heard this all before but my purpose in writing this is to remind you that there are others in the same boat. At times we all need a little reminder right?

Office Halloween

Break the normal routine of the work week if only for a minute. Next week is Halloween and provided your company allows for such behavior, show up in a costume! Celebrities and politicians are usually save bets provided you don't damage the fragile sensitivities of your co-workers. How about a little cubicle trick or treating? So maybe you won't go that far, but with Halloween just over a week away, why not have a few "treats" at the ready? Why not decorate your work area? Why not participate to some degree in the festivity? Over the years my job has taken me into a wide variety of office settings. From the stifling to the relaxed. One thing is for sure, those businesses that shared moments of light- hearted fun always seemed to have the healthier environment including better relations with their co-workers. Take it upon yourself to demonstrate your more human side even if it is not the norm for your office.

Mass Mailings Are Just Around the Corner

AVE9000

Thankfully holiday business correspondence has not yet gone the way of the e-mail. Until that glorious impersonal day arrives, businesses will still send out their Christmas cards the old fashioned way...through the mail. If you are any of your co-workers are responsible for addressing these cards, there is a machine you should no about. The Avery label peeler will same you valuable time and spare you the frustration of manually peeling the address labels. It works wonderfully and won't ruin any Christmas cheer that may be bubbling under the surface. Sure it's not yet even Halloween, but believe it or not, smart businesses are gearing up now...be it supplies or otherwise for the upcoming holiday "season." I promise not to get into Christmas too early but this particular office product merits mention now.

Make a difference in your way

Yes, I've posted on this topic before, but with this being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it merited another mention. Most of us have been impacted by this dreaded disease either directly or indirectly. However, like most illnesses or "causes" until it affects you an a truly personal and emotional level, we tend to dismiss the pleas for help. Besides, can we all admit, that there is now a ribbon or a rubber band bracelet for every issue imaginable? The proliferation of causes has created a certain level of casualness in people who are generally good hearted.

That said, here is a cause we can all rally around. But aside that it strikes our mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters, instead focus on the notion that this is in large part a treatable disease if found early and a true cure is in within reach.

Don't have any extra money to donate to the cause? Well, some manufacturers have addressed this by creating a special edition product with a percentage going to ongoing research. The office supply industry is no different. Now you can participate with just a small adjustment in your normal purchasing. Take a look at 2 such products that will demonstrate your concern while providing financial support.  Pink office supplies is fast becoming one of the most popular categories in the office supply business.  It's a wonderful thing to see.

Item PAP70672

Item: MMM689PH2BCA

It's Time to Play

Ranging from the simple puzzle to the more elaborate PC controlled rocket launcher, office toys have been around since the beginning of the office itself. No longer must your artistic talents be relegated to rubber bands and paper clips, now with the variety of products designed to appeal to the kid in you, you can easily waste the most productive part of the day. So, IT knows what websites you go to right? But can they see you "toss the boss"or score a basket all from the comfort of your cubicle?

Actually, office toys provide a necessary distraction from the mundane, from the intense stress, and from an overall feeling of malaise. In short, office toys are vital. ...to a degree. If played with properly and at the right time, they can actually provide the healthy diversion we all need from time to time. Moreover, office toys are often the catalyst for workplace social interactions that otherwise may never occur. Improving the team feel of an office is a common goal and essential for fostering a professional environment. So, display your office toys proudly and lift the spirits of your cell-mate (kidding) by sharing your toys.

Small Business Statistics

While the large corporations grab all the headlines, here's some interesting statistics I came across...Small businesses represent 99.7% of all employer firms, and they employ 50% of all private sector employees, including 39% of high tech workers such as scientists, engineers, and computer workers. I've always read about how small businesses are the backbone of the American economy but I had yet to see just how impressive the numbers really are.

It's In My Head

First off, that's not me. My nose is at least 3 times bigger than this guy's. But, you know what they say about guys with big noses right? They say, "Check out the boot on that guy's face!" Well, they say something like that anyway.

The song...or the jingle if you will. It doesn't effect you, at least I hope not, like it does me because office supplies, office products, or however you want to refer to them, is my chosen industry. But I have to admit, if I hear the song "Taking Care of Business" one more time from our national big box competitor, my head might pop. I call them competitors but the obvious truth is they consider us a mere flea. I have to hand it to them, the jingle is effective. It's been stuck in my head from time to time for hours at a time. Of course, I'm overly sensitive to it.

I still find it quite amazing how readily people flock to the national supply companies. These big box retailers like Depot enjoy the benefits that only a constant media blitz can provide. Many younger buyers don't even know they options...the exact scenario these companies hope to create. Well, that makes our job that much harder in one sense and easier in another. If the landscape becomes so dominated by one or two major companies, our focus, our prospective targets likewise become more defined. So, sing the song if you must but check out other possibilities you might just surprise yourself. In our industry no matter what supplier is chosen the reality is that buyers today buy office supplies online.

Battle of the Sexes

My professional world is the ever exciting, ever changing world of office supplies. Filled with danger around every bend, it truly is a volatile occupation and is not for the faint of heart. Of course, there may be an ounce of hyperbole here but if nothing else, the office supply industry is not static. The old school businesses continue to dry up.

Women buyers now dominate the corporate buyer landscape accounting for close to 80% of all purchasing...at least the type of purchasing that impacts my business. Because women buyers are so prevalent, it has been said by supposed marketing experts that businesses better adapt to their wants or continue to forfeit market share.

So what does the woman buyer want? I wish I truly knew. If I did our business would be a thousand times the size it is today. But one theme remains consistent across all these marketing gurus, women buyers want solutions. Compared to men who as a group seem more interested in price, women interestingly prefer efficiency. They tend to understand better than many men that if they can work easier and faster, there is a dollar amount attached to that. Men want to save a nickel and may waste time and participate in an utterly illogical and inefficient process in order to save this precious nickel.

This is not to say that women are not frugal. Instead, it suggests that they see methodology as extremely important. Moreover, women seem to be more daring, more open minded to possible new approaches. Men tend to be more loyal no matter the discomfort this misguided loyalty may be.

Ours is a web based business. As such, women are said to prefer cleaner sites. In other words, a simple site that allows them to complete a transaction without the sensory overload. This is consistent with their solution based mentality.

Men's attention spans may necessitate flashing ads and numerous links as a means to lead him towards unintended buys.

The battle of the sexes is everywhere and ongoing. I find it interesting when you stumble across marked differences for the same objective.

Our business was created with these concepts in mind. We offer a clean clutter free website that allows for quick orders and even produces an automatic savings. It's an interesting and smarter way to buy office supplies online.

Office Decor

Often neglected to the detriment of the organization, proper office decor sets the tone for both the employee and the client. What is "proper" office decor is of course a matter of debate but the one consistent aspect is cleanliness and organization. Without these two crucial elements, the top of the line furniture and fancy artwork is useless. Competition is fierce and therefore any edge you can have is necessary. If your establishment reflects professionalism, it can definitely assist you in acquiring and maintaining clients. Here's a site that offers a simple free guide on everything from law office decor, to color meanings.

Your Team

Unfortunately, unlike when when we were kids playing a rousing game of kickball and could pick the guys and gals we wanted our team, the workplace offers no such luxuries. It's a job, it's work, it's our livelihood. As such, we need to get along with those around us as much as we can in order to pay the bills. Sure it would be wonderful if we could work with friends, but reality dictates otherwise. Recent studies indicate that conflicts in the workplace are on the rise. One such study concluded that...“18% of an administrator's time -- more than nine weeks out of every year -- is spent resolving conflicts among employees” (“Surviving Office Politics.” Talent Scout. April 16, 1998).
Poor interpersonal relationships in the workplace can easily provide sufficient enough distraction that our job performance becomes jeopardized. We simply cannot allow these career pitfalls to occur. Someone has to play the mature roll and swallow some pride no matter how bitter it may taste. After all, when you break these poor relationships down to the core. It's simply a matter of being nicer to each other. Getting to know the individual responsible for your grief off site, is a fantastic way to address any concerns. Escaping the rigid environment of the office and going to a non-threatening, neutral, place such as a coffee house, can pay huge dividends. Plus, this approach will instantly put you in the drivers seat while offering you a tremendous opportunity to hash out differences.
Still, some relationships are truly beyond repair. In such extreme cases, never add fuel to the fire. Remain professional and in the end the disagreement will look completely one-sided.
The workplace of today often involves fewer people taking on more and more responsibilities. Privacy is often a foreign concept. Under such conditions, stress levels are higher. Separate yourself from controversy by refusing to react emotionally. Step back and take a break before taking any action that could later be detrimental.
The only winner in these office wars is the one who tries to make peace. Put something in your work area that makes you happy. It could be a family photo, a plant, or anything personal that you can refer to during difficult moments. Focusing on these items for only 15 seconds can truly impact your mood.

It's Like Milk

Not really. But because they expire, now is the time that smart business managers (especially those in law firms) start to compile their 2008 calendar orders. These products tend to go fast, then experience a bit of a backorder, then disappear altogether for the obvious whole" dated goods" reason. So, with Fall on our heels, it's time to get prepared now for the arrival of 2008. Sure technology has made standard calendars and organizers somewhat obsolete; however, reaching for your calendar and pen versus pecking on a PDA is a race most often won the old fashioned way. Besides, you'll never have a battery or power issue with a calendar/ planner. There are of course many styles and formats to select from so be sure that you know how you intend to use it before you order.

Sample layout taken from At-A-Glance product AAG-G4700 Buy Office Supplies Online

Keep It In The House

More and more smaller to medium -sized companies are realizing the benefits of true in house marketing. The quality of print that can be attained from today's crop of color laser printers is simply too great to ignore. Now, unique tailored marketing pieces can be quickly created and quantities can be easily controlled. From a single brochure to hundreds, the ability to manipulate and customize information is easier than ever. There is a virtual sea of suitable printers to choose from and of course your decision should be based on budget and projected usage. Two wonderful brands capable of producing top notch professional results would be Brother and Hewlett Packard.

A great printer that should fit nicely for smaller companies on a budget.
Brother: BRT- HL2700CN
Buy Office Supplies Online

Black Print Speed—31 ppm Color Print Speed—8 ppm First Page Out—Less than 13 seconds (black); 19 seconds (color) Monthly Duty Cycle—Up to 30,000 pages Maximum Print Resolution—2400 x 600 dpi Processor—300 MHz Standard Memory—64MB Maximum Memory—576MB Duplex Printing—Optional Standard Paper Input Capacity—250 sheets Network-Ready—Yes, 10/100 BaseT Ethernet Connectivity (Cables not included)—Parallel, USB Compatibility—Windows® 95, 98, Me, NT 4.0, 2000, XP; Mac® OS 8.6-9.2, OS 10.1, 10.2 and later; Linux Size—18-9/10w x 16-1/2d x 15-1/5h Manufacturer’s Warranty—One-year limited on-site Black Replacement Cartridge—BRTTN04BK, (sold separately) Color Replacement Cartridge—BRTTN04C (Cyan), BRTTN04M (Magenta), BRTTN04Y (Yellow), (all sold separately)

Turn it up a notch with Hewlett Packard



Hewlett Packard: HEWCB416A
Buy Office Supplies Online

Print/copy up to 27 ppm/black. Print quality, up to 1200 x 1200 dpi/black. Copier resolution, up to 600 dpi/black. Copy settings: collate, image adjustment, reduce/enlarge, paper selection, content orientation, optimize text/picture, original size, job build, pages per sheet, booklet format, edge to edge. Maximum number of copies: 1000. Reduce/enlarge: 25 to 400%. 256MB memory, 40GB hard disk. Scanner: maximum scan size, 8.5 x 11.7". Scan resolution, up to 1200 dpi/enhanced, up to 600 x 600 dpi/optical. Grayscale: 256 levels. Connectivity: HP Jetdirect Fast Ethernet. 50-sheet automatic document feeder. Input capacity, up to 500 sheets. Output capacity, up to 250 sheets. Warranty: One-year on-site warranty; 24-hour/7-day-a-week phone support.

Old News...Or Is It?

By now everyone has at least heard of Carpal Tunnel syndrome. This syndrome is caused when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. Women are more than 3x's as likely as men to develop it...perhaps because because the carpal tunnel itself is smaller. Because this is a painful problem that may take many months to develop (most of which pass ignored), surgery is often the ultimate solution.
Despite all the press that this topic has received over the years, many people most susceptible have done nothing to prevent it. There are simple solutions that can implemented now to avoid nerve damage tomorrow. You can stretch, take frequent breaks (from a particular task...not a trip to the coffee machine), concentrate on correct posture and positioning. Ergonomics has been a buzz word for years now but nevertheless, you should not downplay its significance. To protect your wrists in particular, there are many products out there...such as wrists rests, keyboard stands, wrist wraps, etc. One of the best spots to protect is your "mousing" wrist. One of the best is the Kennsington wrist pillow. Why this one? Because it is hypoallergenic, and repels moisture and dirt. Therefore, you not only get a great adjustable product, but that is more sanitary than most. Item Number : KMW-62816

Happy Labor Day

Last night at my son's open house, the school director read off a list of what things cost back in the early 50's versus the price today. Stuff like...a loaf of bread was .19, a gallon of gas $1.25, a car about $2,000. Sounded absurd until she said the average annual salary was $4,000. I though it was interesting but I have not bothered to verify her numbers. I believe her.

What was truly scary was when she read off new words that will soon be officially entered into Websters dictionary in 2008. Among the new words that are considered proper English...crunk, ginormous, and smack down.Spell check needs to be updated to comply with these gems. I find it sad that these are acceptable as anything other than slang.

Just a few interesting facts about Labor Day:

• It is said to have started in New York City in 1882
• We are celebrating the US labor force off approximately 150 million.
• Each year the average American would have spent almost 100 hours commuting.
• There are roughly 6.5 million teachers and almost 720,000 hairdressers in the US

Now go and impress your friends armed with this new knowledge.

Have a happy and safe Labor Day. Come back relaxed and ready to begin the fall. It's yet another good time to consider reorganizing. He's a simple product that might just help you do it

too.

Item Number: 53402 Five sections. Use alone or mounted (as shown) on Letter Size Desk Tray (UNV53201), sold separately.

Every Little Bit Counts

Item # MMM6333SSBCA3

The charity of choice for the office supply industry is the City of Hope. It is an incredible facility doing amazing work of which you can learn more about by visiting the City of Hope website. Because so many of us have had to deal with cancer in some form or another, it is inspiring to read about the progress being made and the promise of better a tomorrow.

I am proud that our chosen industry contributes to this worthy cause. Next time you need to restock your Post-it-Notes, please consider the 3M product above. You can make an ordinary purchase more meaningful by selecting this very special product.

Drink Your Focus If Necessary

Try this blend: Item Number FVS30568



More work, less sleep, more demands...I recently read an article about how caffeinated a society we have become. So much so, that the relatively new energy drink segment of the beverage world, which is experiencing phenomenal growth, is now the focus of industry giants like Coca Cola and Pepsi. And why not? Sales in the soft drink category experienced a -3.9% change while energy drinks were up 53%. These drinks do tend to produce somewhat of an instant buzz but the other highly touted ingredients like taurine and B12 are usually in such trace amounts as to be insignificant. In the end, they back about as much punch as coffee. And yet, when chilled, many of these energy drinks can provide a level of refreshment that a hot cup of coffee simply cannot deliver.

Vitamin enriched water, and green teas are likewise popular contenders posied to take a dent out of the soft drink world as well as the coffee world.

Speaking of good old fashioned coffee. It undoubtedly claims another garment, rug, or carpet somewhere in America every day. A "good" coffee spill on the way to work can really ruin your day. Provided you don't require a skin graph, the stain left behind can leave you feeling pretty frustrated...to put it extremely mild. My usual reaction is to curse the stain and myself for being so careless. But, this method has yet to remove a stain. If you address the spill quickly you may just avoid the stain altogether. Don't let it dry. Blot it first with a clean cloth. Use a dishwasher detergent (about a teaspoon and 1 cup of lukewarm water). Sponge the area and blot again. Next mix about a 1/3 of a cup of white vinegar with 2/3 of lukewarm water. Sponge and blot.

But because you probably have none of these things in your glove compartment. The cursing method will at least make you feel better. In the end investing a nice travel mug versus stocking a mobile dry cleaning unit is a wise move. And yet, unpredicatble stains of all types can occur so it may not be a bad idea to have product such as this on hand just in case...

Item Number: DRA94354

Managing Office Supplies

It's harder than it looks and it's a pretty big responsibility to shoulder. The fact is that managing office supplies for your company is a thankless task. You have to deal with the pettiness of co-workers upset because their purple pen is out of ink and you have to deal with bigger issues like running out of toner on the workhorse printer. Some office managers could operate their own office supply store with the amount of products they keep in storage whereas others are always in a crisis mode because they neglected to spot check their supply stash. Generally, it's a good idea to have two extra toner cartridges around at all times just in case one happens to be defective. If you can't print, your business is in trouble. So, making sure you have an adequate amount of copy paper and toner is vital. With office supply deliveries only a day away, how much of your company's money do you really need to tie up in supplies. If you have basics, chances are you can survive until the next delivery is received.

Consider using half cases of paper...also called convenience cases. They come 5 reams per carton as opposed to the usual 10 ream case. The advantage to you is that they are obviously much lighter and can be therefore be easily placed where needed the most.

Item number: UNV11289 : a 5 ream case of multi-purpose copy paper.

Worth Repeating

We recently sent out an e-mail echoing a study conducted by the University of Arizona. It merits mention here. With more and more people working longer hours and even getting in a quick lunch at their desk, is it any wonder why the typical desk surface is covered with over 10 million different bacteria? This makes the typical office desk more infected than the typical toilet seat. The telephone is the biggest offender with the fax machine housing more bacteria the the bathroom door. That sounds incredible and it is. The good news is that most are harmless. But, enough can cause serious problems that it demands your attention. Keep your surface and your hands clean! Staph infection is on the rise throughout the country. Your best weapon is cleanliness. OfficeBundle.com carries a variety of sanitation products at prices below the big national supply retailers like OfficeDepot.com and Staples.com.

To learn more about Purell products from GOJO, Check out some of these featured items:

GOJ901006CT
GOJ964612EA
GOJ539202

Be sure to order them from OfficeBundle.com!

Closing in on that time of year

Back to the heat and humidity of home. Oh well.

Now our focus turns to back to school. As my son begins Pre-K, and is need of actual basic school supplies, the decision becomes...do we buy him something that will last or do we go for the cheapest products knowing that a few of his supplies will probably be shall we say misplaced or mishandled?

Not all supplies are created equal. The old adage that says you get what you pay for is often spot on. Almost every product produced from traditional American manufacturers like Avey, Smead, Esselte, and 3M, will have a version produced in China as well. The quality is often a shade off from the original. In some cases it may not matter. In other cases, the scissors may cut one or twice and that's about it. It may not cost you much to replace it, but going back to the store again for another petty item can be a real hassle. I guess in the end, it's a decision you'll make on a case by case basis. You get the more durable school bag only to to discover they lost it. You buy the cheaper one only to watch it tear.

Speaking of retail stores, and in this case office supply retailers as well as big box retailers. Consider buying your supplies online this year. Have them delivered to your door rather than participating in the back to school retail rush. Buying online from your list helps you to avoid the impulse buys that all too often occur once you walk in the store. No candy bars, extra this or a little of that...pure efficiency.

If your child is entering a new school. I recently read where the transition is easier if you provide them with examples rather than lecturing to the what to do. In other words, they do listen to you and if you can tell them a tale of when you were in their position without pontificating, you may be surprised by the results. Relating to your child without dismissing their concerns is huge.

So, where do I stand on the quality issue? I'm in the buy better camp because I remember how I treated my stuff. I didn't lose my bag but I did throw it around, I jammed it in my locker, sat on it, etc. Paper and notebooks were often bent or torn as a result. Here's a product from Cardinal that may offer a nice benefit to older students.
Click to learn more: Item number CRD84007 :

Hitting the Road

For the next week the Office Oracle will be vacationing in San Diego. The weather is almost a perfect 10 everyday which will be a welcomed change from the humidity. And what does this have to do with office supplies? Nothing.

But I found it interesting to read that over 70% of workers who were supposedly on vacation still checked in with their office on a regular basis. Why? Sure, it's part dedication and loyalty, but workers today are often required to assume the responsibilities of what was once considered multiple jobs. The result is that while vacation in theory is great, it often produces more stress when the individual considers what awaits them upon their return. Still, some form of escape is healthy and by the time you're scheduled to return, you'll just be starting to relax. At least that's how it sometimes feels.

We can blame technology for this too. If we had to find a pay phone each time we wanted to check in rather than picking up the mobile phone or shooting over an e-mail, I think most of us wouldn't be so eager to check in.

I'll sign off with giving you something to look at...I saw this Quartet product in action and it not only looked good, the folks using it loved it. Here's the description: • Schedule, track and plan projects on an office wall or from a workstation • Total Erase® dry erase writing surface will not stain or ghost • Graphite finish frame with factory-installed accessory tray Includes four Quartet™ dry erase markers (red, blue, green and black), Quick Clips and “Easy Mount” hanging system. Sections for notes and upcoming dates as well as large writing space for each day of the week.

Enjoy and have a happy week.

Hopefully You're Not One of These...

I have to admit that it's getting a little bit better out there. However, I still run across office managers, buyers, the office supply purchasers, whatever their titles may happen to be, who believe that buying a little bit from this office supplier and a little bit from that one is a good idea. At first it may make sense because they feel as though they save a nickel here and a quarter there. But, in the long (and the short run) for that matter, the time spent doing this type of purchasing and then receiving and paying for it, is far more expensive than the money saved. That's why our office supply ordering site is so effective. It effectively addresses these issues. Get the prices you need while at the same time maintaining your efficiency. If you're not buying your office supplies online yet, give it a try. The percentage of commercial office supply buying conducted solely through the internet is expected to be more than 40% by 2010. .. to think it was only at 5% two years ago.

What a Wonderful World

I inserted myself into the glorious office supply universe back in 1996. I accepted a sales job with a national office supply company in New Orleans and have remained in the industry ever since. Having no prior knowledge of the business before 1996, I was actually quite amused by it. I had no idea that giant catalogs with 25,000 different products existed. I didn't realize that it was such a huge industry. It was my job to get buyers, office managers, or anyone with the ability to write a check to buy from us. I thought that would be easy enough. I thought the catalog was pretty cool looking and that because we were so big, who wouldn't want to buy for us? This was at a time when the big national office suppliers were really hitting the scene in full force. I was new to the cold calling game. I was about to be baptized. Because every business (of a certain size) was a potential customer, I got a chance to interact with "professionals" from the weird to the inspiring. Anyway, I survived and here I am years later as the self appointed office oracle mainly because the name was still available and this is my blog.

While the office supply world can be rather mundane, it can also be one of innovation. Manufacturers have to adapt to the modern office worker and create products that improve on the old standbys like the bigger tabbed folders from Smead. It's an improvement that makes you wonder why it only took 100 years to implement. Then again, I have yet to invent anything. These great folders SMD10301 (letter size) and SMD15301 (legal size) can be ordered below the prices charged by OfficeDepot.com and Staples.com at OfficeBundle.com. So, when you get past the pens and pencils and look into the depth of the office supply offerings, there really are some great ideas. Hopefully, you're not working in one of those offices that preaches innovation while using 1950s tools. Check back often I will try my best to bring you the more interesting products from the thousands of choices.