| Because so many people have home offices today, | | | | to rise despite a difficult economy. |
| there is a greater need to have a complete supply of | | | | The other office supply company that is often |
| things for a home office whether it is furniture, paper | | | | confused with the first one mentioned, is Office Depot. |
| supplies or computers and other electronic equipment | | | | This company started with its first retail store in Fort |
| likes faxes and printers. With so many people working | | | | Lauderdale, Florida in 1986. Today this company sold |
| from home now, they need easy access to stores | | | | more than 12 billion dollars of products in 2009. They |
| that will provide the various supplies necessary to | | | | have three segments to make this such a profitable |
| offer a complete office space full of all of the details | | | | company and they are retail division, business solutions |
| even small things like ink refills or toner refill for their | | | | division and international division. They make sales a |
| computer. The top three stores that specialize in this | | | | variety of ways whether it is through their retail stores, |
| area of retail are Office Max, Office Depot and | | | | by corporate contracts, through the internet as well as |
| Staples. This article will explore these three stores | | | | catalogs and call centers. How ever you can think of |
| more completely and offer some additional information. | | | | selling a product, Office Depot seems to do it and that |
| Office Max was formerly known as Boise Cascade | | | | is why they are so successful, even in a poor |
| Corporation and was originally a lumbar company that | | | | economy. |
| had been formed in 1913. In 2003, the company | | | | The last competitor in this office supply industry is |
| acquired Office Max Inc. making it doubled in size of | | | | named Staples. They are currently the largest of the |
| office products and becoming a United States retail | | | | three office products companies with over 24 billion |
| store. They have two segments, contract and retail | | | | dollars in sales last year. They also, started out as a |
| today. The contract part of the business sells directly | | | | store in 1986 and claim they invented the office |
| to corporate offices not only in the US but also in | | | | superstore concept. They serve businesses of all |
| Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The retail portion | | | | sizes and are a presence globally in 27 countries in |
| has over 1000 stores in the US and Mexico selling | | | | North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. |
| paper and office supplies to customers that shop at | | | | They sell office supplies, technology, furniture and also |
| the stores. The retail also has three large distribution | | | | business services. They continue to stay ahead of |
| centers for all of the stock and supplies that need to | | | | their competitors with creating new concepts each |
| be sold through these two categories. This business | | | | year. |
| continues to be more popular and their sales continue | | | | |