Latest News

B e s t  B u y's

bold blueprint

Interim CEO Mikan delivers

reality check to inspire investors

22 May’12 (Complete 11:00 ET, 16:00 BST)
Best Buy, the world’s leading consumer electronics retailer, today reported another steep decline in financial results for Q1’13. Interim CEO Mike Mikan impressed with his forthright maiden webcast...

Read more: Best Buy Q1'13 Financial Review

Best Browse
bounces back

Retail retaliation against
Amazon.com price checker

21 May’12

Back in March, Best Buy hired former Starbucks CIO Stephen Gillett (pic below) to strengthen its mobile strategy in order to compete with the Amazon threat...

Read more: Best Browse bounces back

T e c h  D a t a
still flatlining

Improved profitability and
positive growth signs in Europe

21 May’12

Tech Data Corporation the global #2 distributor of technology products, today reported flat sales, but improved profitability for Q1’13 ended 30 Apr’12

Read more: Tech Data Financial Review Q1'13

New iPhone 5
big screen test

Rival Samsung’s Galaxy
S111 expected this summer

19 May’12

The new iPhone 5 that Apple is expected to unveil in September likely to have a larger display with the company ordering bigger screens from its Asian suppliers,

Read more: New Apple iPhone5 big screen test

Ecommerce
accelerating

US shoppers spend $50Bn,
up 15%; UK up 10% in April

18 May’12

US and UK consumers and business users continued their relentless shift to purchasing online and using smartphones as their preferred device..

Read more: Ecommerce accelerating in US and UK

Gale force to
drive econtent
marketing service

United VP marketing steps up to
lead group-wide shared service

18 May’12

US #1 business supplies wholesaler United Stationers has announced that Laura Gale will lead its new, shared econtent service across the group for the cross-marketing benefit of resellers. We spoke to an excited Laura…

Read more: Gale force to drive econtent marketing service

HP slashes
25,000 jobs

Whitman wields chainsaw;
where’s the growth strategy?

18 May’12

Hewlett-Packard (HP) is considering cutting as many as 25,000 jobs, or 8% of its workforce, to reduce costs and contend with slowing demand for computers and services…

Read more: HP to cut 25000 jobs

Staples stalled

...be bolder!

International sales drag

back gains in US delivery

17 May’12 (Complete 16:00BST; 11:00ET)

Staples, the world’s leading OP reseller, announced disappointing sales results for Q1’12 ended 28 Apr’12. With $1.2Bn in cash, when will Ron Sargent invest the treasure chest; and address its European execution problem?

Read more: Staples Q1'12 Financial Review

Wal-Mart back
to winning ways

Positive sales growth continued
in US, Sam’s Club and international

17 May’12

The world’s #1 retailer, Wal-Mart continued its recovery with US same-store sales growth and powerful International sales growth in Q1’13 ended 30 Apr’12

Read more: Wal-Mart Q1'13 Financial Review

Print-free test drive

HP’s 7 day experiment gets
ready for paperless future

16 May’12

As part of a global experiment to prove that print and consumer printer is not irrelevant, HP conducted an experiment in 3 countries: US, India and Singapore.

Read more: HP's Print-free test drive

Good, better,
Best Corp Mills

First OP reseller to achieve
Certified B Corporation status

15 May’12

Vancouver based, Mills Office Productivity, a family owned reseller, has achieved Certified B Corporation status as designated by the non-profit organization B Lab.

Read more: Good better Best Corp Mills

U n i p a p e l
under pressure

Spicers Europe flat; Adimpo
and Spain down double digits

14 May’12

Unipapel, the Spanish IT wholesaler that acquired Spicers Europe operations in January just announced disappointing results for Q4’12 ended 31 Mar’12

Read more: Unipapel Q4'12 Financial Review

Antalis paper
sales sliding

Growth drive towards packaging

13 May’12

Sequana, Europe’s leading paper and packaging reported Q1’12 results for paper maker Arjowiggins and distributor Antalis yesterday

Read more: Antalis paper sales sliding

Emarketing drives
user engagement

Turbo charged Twitter tops
for progressive OPS resellers

13 May’12

Marketers seem to have an ever-growing number of ways to drive customer engagement on brand websites. Here are latest research results…

Read more: Emarketing drives user engagement

Mobile web apps
key retail drivers

Lucy loves the multichannel

shopping experience

11 May’12

The benefits of mobile retail brand apps extend beyond the online experience anew study finds

Read more: Mobile webapps key retail drivers

Facebook face
funding fears

Can social network ads
monetize mobile activity?

11 May’12

As questions about Facebook prospects linger ahead of an initial public offering, the social network revealed how its ad business hasn't kept pace with user growth.

Read more: Facebook face funding fears

Starbucks K-Cup
complementary

CEO Schultz assures market
of parallel developments

10 May’12

Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks confirmed today that its partnership with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) was alive and well, inspite of negative recent press “over reaction”…

Read more: Starbucks K-Cup complementary

Dealer Alert!

2013: Y o u r
MPS imperative

Gear up now as managed
print services goes mainstream

By Joe Panettieri, MSP Mentor

11 May’12

I’m beginning to believe managed print services (MPS) will gain mainstream success with managed services providers (MSPs) in 2013.

Read more: 2013: The year MPS goes mainstream

Acco mirrors

market trends

Paper based products sales
in decline; tech accessories up

10 May’12 (Updated)

Acco Brands, the leading OP manufacturer, reported mixed results for Q1’12 ended 31 Mar’12. Innovation is returning...

Read more: Acco Q1'12 financial Review

Samsung set to
storm Kindle Fire

Will new Galaxy Tab break
stranglehold of tablet leaders

Review by Bonnie Cha, AllThingsD

10 May’12

The flight to iPads and tablet computers like Kindle Fire is reaching astronomic proportions. Samsung is determined to be a leader in this space…

Read more: Samsung set to storm Kindle Fire