6i's for Success: 2010 & Beyond          

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Report including full 2009 OP Market Review Analysis will be published free to subscribers on 31 Dec'09. 
Report available to non subscribers at £300 ($500)

80-90’s and 2009 compared

Top 30 US and Top 20 UK OP dealers league table

Superdealer Superstars

Leaders... rising stars… drop outs… newcomers... Twentyteen tips for top

30 Dec’09 (Updated again 1700 UK time; 1200 ET)

The bigbox share of the US and UK markets fell again in 2009. OfficeMaxand Office Depot have now lost an estimated $5Bn in sales over the past 2 years. Independent dealers overall fell less than the overall market….the top 25 dealer share grew at the expense of the bigbox's demise and by extending sales into new categories.

Exclusive Breaking News

Depot bid bye bye to BullSchmidt

Odland to oust president
as scandal scapegoat?

28 Dec 09

Last week (24 Dec'09) we reported that Office Depothad recruited a new VP Sales for their beleaguered Business Solutions Division (BSD). We understand from insiders now that an early decision has been made about the departure of the current president.

Proficiency Profile

Lonesource on top course

Latest acquisition accelerates growth focus towards $100m

23 Dec 09

Earlier this month the brilliantly named North Carolina based dealer LonesourceacquiredNOI Supplythe £12min sales supplies division of Nashville Office Interiors.

We spoke with dynamic Lonesource chiefs Bradleyand Stacey King about the acquisition and afterwards they gave a full insight into their management focus and future plans to reach $100m in sales

Christmas 2009 Characters List

The stars? The wisemen? The turkeys? The crackers?

23 Dec’09

Our thanks go to all those that participated by putting forward suggestions for our Christmas Characterslist. The nominations featured a number of surprises in turbulently tough year:

Right here…

Write Now!

The fastest growing dealer on the planet…from zero to hero in 2 short years. Here’s how…

16 Dec 09
Kevin McGirl, the chief at Sales-I the burgeoning CRM software company said you must speak to Derek Hartsfield, the CEO of Write Now! of Dallas…”He’s the fastest growing dealer in the US”.

So we did and now we’re profiling him. Don’t miss this amazing success story of how to go to market in recessionary times…

ODgate Scandal - Breaking News!

Depot continues California creaming

Why does City of Berkeley tolerate $100,000 overcharging scam on $500,000 annual contract?

15 Dec 09

You couldn’t make this up! After being caught red handed and refunding City ofBerkeley $289,000 earlier this year, the desperate #2 global OP reseller continues to overcharge at a rate of 20% above contract prices.

ODgate Scandal

Exclusive News

California

cover-up

Depot deceit continues…
Perjury and pay-offs in City of Berkeley contract fraud?

14 Dec 09
The recent announced settlement between Office Depot and their ex- City of Berkeley (California) contract account manager Earl Ante raises grave concerns that fraudulent actions by Office Depot are being covered-up by the settlement agreement

ODgate Scandal Update

Depot: masters
of manipulation

Whistleblower’s protest to SEC calls for criminal sanctions v Odland/Schmidt

22 Dec 09

We missed this protest letter from ex-Office Depotsenior account manager now official whistleblower David Sherwinto theSECdetailing the flagrant falsification, conspiratorial and fraudulent actions of Office Depot’s CEO Steve Odland and his partner in deception Steve Schmidt, president of Business Solutions Division.

ODGate Scandal – Breaking News

Angry Attorney demands full compensation

San Francisco chief on warpath… Desperate Depot cover-up again

Report from today’s San Francisco Citizen

22 Dec 09

San Francisco’s recent audit of global #2 office supplier Office Depot’scontract with the cityhas prompted City Attorney Dennis Herrerato take action today.

Best Buy the

recycling retailer

'Take back’ technology scheme should inspire local OP resellers

13 Dec 09

The US #1 consumer electronics retailer's recycling program seems expensive to run, until you look at the benefits: a green reputation and a way to get customers into stores.

OP resellers should take note as 2 leading dealers from California and Liverpool have done.

New Emarketing Research Study

Create engaging
web experiences

How greater online interaction boosts ‘browse’n’buy’ results

12 Dec 09

When interactive online content is placed in the right context, the improvement in user response can be measured and help marketers maximise return on investment, according to the latest research.

Tweetbeat – 8 Guidelines

Avoid bitter
on Twitter

Differentiate personal from
the professional in social media.

12 Dec 09

If Gillette 's PR man spotted rival brand King of Shaves' founder, Will King, in a pub, it is highly unlikely that he would take the opportunity to inform him that his products are 'cheap plastic pieces of rubbish'.

Sweet Tweet success of 2009

“Twitter’s the media winner in year of economic jitters”

21 Dec 09

Non other than Clare Beale the editor of Campaign magazine and lead advertising columnist in The Independent declared today that Twitter was the media success story of 2009. Here are her comments:

Nominations please

Christmas 
Characters
Poll 2009

Who was your star… your 
turkey… your wisemen… 
your cracker… your scrooge?

8 Dec 09
Enter into the Christmas spirit early. We invite you to nominate your Christmas  Characters for the tough and turbulent 2009.

Last year the poll attracted 400+ rersponses. There are 5 categories and we list last years top nominations:

Dirty Depot deflecting denigrators

BullSchmidt blames whistleblower for San Francisco audit exposure

20 Dec 09

Office Depot Business Solutions president Steve Schmidt has blamed Whistleblower David Sherwin for his part in San Francisco Audit Report findings showing $5.75m in overcharges on their contract. Just another 'red herring' from the beleaguered giant?

Democratic Marketing

Conversations
with consumers

Collaboration with the local community and customers creates ideas that work

19 Dec  09 (Completed)

‘Democratic marketing’ – by passing the agency process to put the creative brief out to consumers and independent creatives - is gaining popularity among brands such as Peperami. Are we about to see a seismic change in marketing services procurement, especially in the OP market?

ODgate Scandal - Breaking News!

Depot fraud tops $10m in California

Typically dismissive denials re SF audit from their PR machine

19 Dec 09

Like it or not, we will have to get used to these headlines as Office Depot’s fraudulent and systematic overcharging goes mainstream in the US press. Today San Francisco Chronicle tomorrow NY Timesand Wall Street Journal?

We have been banging on about Depot deceptions, collusion and conspiracies against their biggest customers, state and local governments and taxpayers since May 2007. Many readers are fed up with these reports, asking us to give them a break, as though the transgressions were historical.

Depot’s fraudulent practices are current, exacerbated by a deceitful management cover-ups. We will continue our crusade to get rid of these incompetents to restore the former good name of Office Depot and the OP industry.

The best webcast of the year

Best Buy boosted

Strong gains in home office supply. Towards ‘customised connectivity’ services

16 Dec 09
Best Buy, the world’s #1 consumer electronics retailer announced Q3’09 earnings more than quadrupled on a strong jump in sales.

ODgate Scandal

Latest Depot duo in the dock

Whistleblower to raise criminal proceedings v Odland/Schmidt

7 Dec 09
Ex-Office Depotwhistle-blower and SECcooperating witness David Sherwin of Fort Myers FL) has stated his intent to challenge the SEC filing versus Office Depot.

Specifically, whistle-blower Sherwin intends on amending the SEC filing to include criminal charges against the CEO Steve Odland and BSD President Steve Schmidt. As a cooperating witness and complainant Sherwin has standing with the commission in determining whether civil or criminal sanctions should be sought against Office Depot.

Exclusive interview with Kings

Lonesource

on top course

NOI Supply acquisition accelerates growth plans

8 Dec 09

Last week the brilliantly named North Carolina LonesourceacquiredNOI Supplythe £12min sales supplies division of Nashville Office Interiors. dealer

We spoke with dynamic Lonesource chiefs Bradand Stacey King about the acquisition and their future plans to reach $100m in sales.

Who is OP’s…

C E O  of

the Decade?

Leaders from HP, Lyreco, 3M, Spicers,
SPRichards, Staples and United nominated

4 Dec 09

As we discussed Fortune Magazine’s selection of Steve Jobs of Apple as CEO of the Decade was undisputed. We received 835 nominations for the equivalent in the OP marketplace and it was a very close run contest. Here are the results and the winner is:

What a Cyber- Tweet Day!

OP resellers activity

reaches record levels

1 Dec 09 (Updated)
Yesterday  has become known as Cyber Monday as 97 million Americans return to  work and went online to look for bargains following the Thanksgiving weekend holiday.

The OP resellers have been busy with ‘Sweet-Tweet’ deals, especially the pure internet players with gift incentives.