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Article #297:

Are Office Supply Super Stores Killing Your Business?

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Have you ever noticed how convenient more than $225.00. Not too shabby. And to
those giant office super stores are? I think that this was only one trip over
mean we all use them. They're on every the past ten years. How much could I have
corner out here in the suburbs of Boston. been saving the whole time?
It's Officethis or Officethat or When I try to mention this finding to
something like Paperclips, you know, all people in my local business community I
the major players. Well, I've recently hear things like "who cares, it's all a
realized that over the past 10 years of write off anyway" or "you should buy
prosperity that my small business has American"(as if these office superstores
been paying a huge premium for this are all loaded with American made
convenience. In the past several months, products.) These are both some of the
as a result of the recent economic worst excuses for spending way too much
downturn in our local economy, I have money for no reason I have ever heard. It
been doing everything I can to plug the is all a write off but saving several
holes in our spending and trying to "trim hundred dollars a month on office
the fat" so to speak. Fortunately this is products allows more flexibility in other
something that myself, my competition and areas of my business. As far as the old
other local business owners are not "Buy American" thing, this one makes me
familiar with. We have all prospered and laugh; I would literally have to hire a
have rarely, if ever, worried about full time employee to determine what is
money. made here and what isn't. I usually just
One evening I was shopping with my family respond with something like "I'll buy
at Wal-Mart loading up on family stuff everything American if you start buying
and I couldn't help but notice that the American gasoline or start riding your
same 100ct (or very similar) manila bicycle." I am as American as the next
folders that I paid nearly $7.00 for person whose ancestors came over on the
several hours earlier at Officethat were Mayflower but the bottom line is that
available at Wal-Mart at an everyday low when I am done with my office supply
price of $1.77. Now, I never claimed to purchases now I have a lot of money left
be a genius but a $5.00 difference on a over.
product that I buy 5 boxes of a month is Don't get me wrong, I still use the
a $25.00 a month savings. That of course office superstores for certain items when
is $300 a year. I quickly realized that I I don't have time to go into a department
was on to something but I figured it was store (they are convenient) and for one
just a fluke. I had also bought a new or two small items it is worth paying
water bubbler and a mini bar type more. When I need to fill my supply
refrigerator earlier and they both cost cabinet, on the other hand, I will surely
$149.00 each so I figured I would go and take a trip to Wal-mart, K-mart or even
check out that aisle as well. I couldn't Target to save literally a bundle of
believe my eyes when I found a water cash. I simply don't care how neatly
bubbler/mini fridge combo for only organized the office goliaths are because
$99.00. Of course I bought it on the spot with a little more effort you can find
and when I got back to my office the next everything you need for your office and a
morning I repackaged the fridge and water little more while saving hundreds of
bubbler and back to Officethat they went dollars at a department store.
with five boxes of manila folders and a Copyright 2005 Affordable Concrete
few other overpriced items and I saved Cutting, Inc.






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