Industry Statistics...Who Wouldn't Want to Know?

For most companies, office supplies are not considered a top priority. As a result, the thankless task is often thrown upon an unsuspecting receptionist. Larger companies may have a purchasing agent but they too often lack the motivation to properly analyze this vital product category.

Granted office supplies is a rather mundane topic, but is there a smarter way to buy them? With over 25,000 items, it is a huge industry. Over the last 15 years it has been dominated by the mega national office supply companies. We all know who they are as they spend an enormous amount of money to market themselves with jingles, commercials, and flyer's effectively making sure we don't forget them…and why not? The industry is valued at over $250 billion dollars.

At first, these behemoths dramatically lowered prices in a successful effort to eliminate many of the smaller "home grown" office supply companies. Most are now out of business. After the initial carnage, prices slowly began to rise and the transition towards internet ordering began in earnest. In 2005, commercial office supply ordering via the internet was a mere 5%. By 2010, the number is projected to balloon to 40%. Soon after, commercial internet ordering will dominate, as the days of a salesperson trekking through the office with a note pad and a box of donuts becomes obsolete. From a strict economic stand point, the overall price reduction did benefit the consumer while forever altering what was an old school business methodology.

Customers are now sufficiently spoiled to expect deliveries the next day. A hospital has two days to deliver a replacement heart in an ice chest, but in the office supply world, the need to deliver a tape dispenser the next day is all too real. This is now standard practice.

The inexperienced buyer will often look for lower prices through multiple catalogs or toggle through various websites in search of the best "deal". Perhaps saving an extra .30 on a box of file folders can be construed as doing a good job but it is incredibly inefficient. Often not calculated is the lost time and the expense in terms of wages for such an absurd exercise. Still, it's hard to get a buyer excited about office supplies and how they could be purchased more effectively.

Here's what the typical office supply purchaser may not realize. Generally, a company's operating budget is comprised of almost 97% labor expenses, 2% furniture and computer hardware, and only 1% general office supplies. Although it represents such a small fraction of the overall budget, because it is so high profile, office supplies are often the first things attacked during cost cutting efforts. Of course you need to make sure you're paying a fair price for the goods; but, even more importantly is ensuring that the procurement process is efficient. Addressing the labor associated with buying is in fact addressing the 97% of the cost rather than focusing only on the 1%.

Another change to affect commercial office supply transactions is the proliferation of corporate credit cards. Companies of all sizes now understand the ease associated with credit cards, the labor associated with paying via this method is significantly less, and if the right card is utilized, the company can earn valuable points from the card issuer. It simply makes sense.

So, if you are responsible for the thankless task of ordering the supplies for your company, know that effective buying is the result of efficient practices along with the actual cost of the product. You can buy office supplies online the smart way with OfficeBundle.com.

New Products?

Has everything for the office that can be invented already be invented? Well, there are always product improvements on the basics but I wouldn't look for any creative new product in 2008. Simple adjustments to the old standbys actually have very nice effects. Smead for example has altered their production methods to create a built in tab that eliminates the need fro those annoying plastic tabs. Sounds simple and it is but the effects are hugely efficient. For those folks who concentrate strictly on the pennies saved and not so much the quality and functionality of a product, you may in fact be altering the industry. Look for more products to come from China. In my opinion the quality is lacking but you do in fact save a nickel or two. For some items it may not matter at all but for others the difference is quite noticeable. Pens that last 3 days, staples that are too brittle, these are just two examples. The impact is being felt by the American manufacturer as less emphasis is placed on innovation and more on price reduction. There will always be some newness brought into the market but for our industry the volume isn't what it once was. When you buy your office supplies, consider who is using it, and how it is being used. The answer may suggest that you focus more on quality and function then price. When dealing with high volume commodity items like office supplies, the true savings are found in the impact it has on efficiency. Save .60 cents on a box of pens or save the time looking for something that writes well? Perhaps there is no right answer?

This year will be different...

It's that magical time when we mentally start out with a clean slate. Gone are the old habits that held us back last year. If the previous year didn't live up to our expectations, well this new year better look out because here we come! Right? That's the idea at least. How hard can be to string together 365 good days? How about 200? Or even 80? Give it your best shot and make 2008 your year. We will.

Back the glorious world of office products, now is also the time when manufacturers create new promos and product incentives so sign up for our e-mail specials to be updated on the new ones.

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.