ODgate Scandal – Breaking News

Florida fire
Office Depot

Will president Schmidt blame the economy again for this loss?

28 Feb 10

Memos from theHillsboroughCounty auditor reveal that theFlorida Department of Management Services (DMS)has decided to terminate the current office supply contract withOffice Depot through theU.S. Communities.

When will other state agencies wake up to the dodgy Depot dealings with US Commuities contracts?

Disconnected
dealer brands

Failing to follow the rules of engagement with user choosers

23 Feb 10

New research from agencyTargetbase Claydon Heeley (TBCH) suggests that although a majority of marketers are confident they are engaging with their audiences, users believe the opposite.

This study is a revelation, which in our view mirrors the OP market activity. We talk to many dealers who are proud of their relationships with stationery buyers, but unknown to the more important decision makers and user choosers in business supplies.

The OP market
transformation 2010

Upside down
you’re turning me

Inside out…round and round

12 Feb 10 (Updated and completed 1600 ET; 2100UK time)

It has almost become a given that the publicly funded, bigbox power players will be the long term winners in the OP marketplace and that the independents will be the losers.

We disagree and provide some powerful reasons here why this is not going to happen.

The march of the mass marketers

Leaders report major market gains in business supplies. How you should respond

11 Feb 10 (Updated 1900ET; 2400 UK time)

“Wal-Mart sell more office supplies for fun than we sell seriously” said Staples CEO  Ron Sargent recently. Moreover, all of these massmarketers sell serious  volume of business supplies into small medium sized businesses (SMB/SME over 10-1000 employees). Oh yes they do!

Distribution channels have blurred. There are no longer dividing lines between retail (B2C), web and commercial delivery business (B2B). The opportunity is there for all dealers to be a multi-channel players. We study the leading players and explain how.