Best Buy talks tanking tablets

CEO Joly interview with Walt Mossberg re tech & retail trends

31 Jul’14

Re/code’s highly respected tech guru Walt Mossberg interviewed Hubert Joly, CEO of Best Buy, the last standing nationwide big-box, bricks-and-mortar consumer electronics retailer, with over 1,000 main stores and hundreds of smaller mobile device stores.

Avery labels

gain strength

CCL boosted by acquisitions

and solid organic growth

31 Jul’14

CCL industries, the Canadian packaging and label maker, acquired Avery Dennison last year and reported impressive Q2’14 financial results to 30 Jun’14

Iron Mountain

scaling smartly

Storage rental gains in Europe

with stronger recovery in US.

5 acquisitions made this year.

31 Jul’14

Iron Mountain (IRM), the global leader in information management services today reported stronger sales results for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14

Newell renewal

write on track

Writing , tools and commercial

products produce record results

31 Jul’14

Newell Rubbermaid,leading maker of business products and consumer brands today announced impressive sales and profits for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14

CDW: Creative

Distribution Wins

IT managed services provider

gains in SMB/education market

31 Jul;’14

CDW Corporation, the $12Bn leading US multi-brand technology solutions provider to business, government, education and healthcare, today announced continued impressive Q2’14 results

I m a t i o n

I m p o s s i b l e

Transformation plan too-little

-too-late to stem tailspin

31 Jul’14

Imation, the former storage media giant, today reported an accelerated rate of deterioration in its financial results for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14, plus more action to downsize its redundant businesses

Sinking Sony

saved by PS4

Turnaround tease. Shutters

PC business, Nothing new?

31 Jul’14

Sonysharply cut its forecast for sales of smartphones, one of the ex-tech giant's big hopes to rebuild its troubled electronics business. Otherwise results were encouraging with rare surprise profits posted...

Epson exceed

expectations

Terrific growth of premium

printers in emerging markets

31 Jul’14 (Complete)

Epson, the leading printer and visual presentation products manufacturer achieved continued strong recovery in international markets for fiscal Q1’15 ended 30 Jun’14

Designing a user

friendly office

Worker-first mentality key to

collaborative productivity

31 Jul’14(Updated)

The office of the future may not be about trappings or technology as much as the exchange of ideas, with a focus on employee engagement--what some experts are calling the "new sustainability."

Twitter takes off

in sales & usage

Skeptics defied as broadcast

reach & market effect excel

31 Jul’14(Updated)

Twitter,the premier permission based broadcasting & marketing service (not social media), reported soaring revenues and usage in Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14. All dealers should master Twitter, the best promotional tool available...ask Amazon!

V i s t a p r i n t

ventures forward

Marketing & price increases 

drive growth + acquisitions

30 Jul’14

Vistaprint,the leading online provider of professional marketing products and services to small businesses once again reported strong sales growth for its Q4’14 ended 30 Jun’14

Systemax roller

coaster continues

Powerful business sales recovery

offsets continued retail weakness

30 Jul’14

Systemax, the tech-direct marketer including Misco, CompUSA, Circuit City and Tiger Direct brands, reported continuing decline in its financial results for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14

The missing link in

mobile marketing

OP Dealers & retailers lag behind

leaders in user friendly shopping

30 Jul’14

It’s called deep linking, and it takes a shopper from an ad or e-mail directly into a reseller’s mobile app. However, most top online retailers lack this deep linking capability, according to data provided by Pure Oxygen Labs.

Antalis & Arjo

retrenching…

Added Xerox paper volume

slows printer paper plunge

30 Jul’14

Sequana the parent company of leading European papermaker Arjo Wigginsand distributor Antalisreported continued decline in printing papers to half year ended 30 Jun'14. Like many complacent players it underestimates the market megatrends

Acco slip

sliding away

Perilous paper dependency.

Slack Kensington getting

killed by lively Logitech.

30 Jul’14 (Updated)

Acco Brands, the one time leading OP manufacturer, issued another set of disappointing financial results for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14. It has become complacent and reactive to market trends and shows no sign of recovery...

Plantronics post

sounder growth

Unified Communications (UC)

and Bluetooth headsets strong

29 Jul’14

Plantronics,the global leader in audio communications for business, today reported resounding results for its Q1’15 ended 30 Jun’14

Baidu: blowout

web performer

Momentum maintained as

mobile search exceeds PC’s

29 Jul’14

Baidu, China’s largest web search service reported terrific results in Q2 ended 30 Jun’14. It will continue focus on apps used on smartphones and tablet computers for search and mapping...

BeCap merge

Spicers/OT funds

How will VC manage ‘distressed’

wholesaler and dealer in future?

29 Jul’14

Friday's bombshell news about Spicers’owner BeCap’sacquisition of OfficeTeamsent shockwaves across the OP dealer community. Yesterday, Spicers CEO Greg Michael quickly reassured dealers of its separateness. Today, comes news of its devaluation and move into a common fund?

Arrow electronics

regains its spark

Solid components sales gains

offset by soft server demand

29 Jul’14

Arrow Electronicsthe global provider of IT products, services today reported improved sales and profits for Q2’14 reversing previous positive trends

Spicers wholly

wholesale pledge

CEO Michael reassures dealers

overBCap’s OfficeTeam deal

IP: Printer paper

plunge persists

Packaging sales & profits grow

but, not enough to cover losses

29 Jul’14

International Paper,the world’s #1 papermaker reported diasappinting results again for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14. Packaging now represent rising 62% of sales

C o l l a p s i n g
Conventions...

Welcome to the no-rules market.
Structures, divisions demolished.
Driven by ‘Upside-down’ thinking 

29 Jul’14 (Updated)

Conventional wisdom has ruled the OP industry for 30+years. Channel structures; retail/commercial or B2B/B2C differences; survived in a race to the bottom. Now productivity services, delivered same-day, is on the disruptors’ agenda. Can the OP industry adapt? 

User Lucy knows
what she wants

Businesswomen browse & buy
survey spells end for catalogs

29 Jul’14
A deep dive into users’ buying behaviour in the business supplies category shows they know what they want and how to find it.

Dealer Alert! Guilty of...

R e c k l e s s

Endangerment?

‘All businesses commoditize

over time’. OP’s time is over.

28 Jul’14 (Updated)

The tremendous growth of Google, Apple and Amazonreported this week are reminders of the deadly dangers imposed by the superstore revolution 30 years ago. Only this time, the damage could be worse with the double-down effect of the paperless office and disconnected dealers. We recommend 10 renewal remedies...

Staples: penny
wise & pounded

Silly NY State contract pricing

costs$10m+ leaves bigbox

abused & in'not so easy' state

26 Jul’14
Big box OP reseller Staples won the huge NY State contract for office supplies in May 2013. But a penny-pricing arrangement on 200+ items led bargain hunting buyers to fill their boots with damaging effect…

W h o l e s a l e
s u i c i d e !

UK independents in shock
as distressed duo, Spicers
& OfficeTeam plan merger

26 Jul’14 (Updated)
I arrived at Heathrow yesterday to a chorus of alarm calls from leading OP dealers in the UK, after hearing the news that wholesaler Spicers’VC owner Better Capital, had bought dealers' arch competitor, OfficeTeam. We spoke to several outraged dealers about this bombshell development...

UK back on
growth track

Services economy the driver,
but productivity needs a lift

26 Jul’14
The positive economic news keeps coming in the US/UK. Q2'14 GDP growth of 0.8% means output was bigger than Q1'08, its previous peak. Britain's economy is now bigger than it was at its pre-crisis peak, after official data showed GDP increased at a 3.1% clip in Q2’14.

Xerox sales
slide again

Services growth stalled in
spite of signings success?

Ingram growth

mobilised again

Strong growth from USA/Europe

PC refresh and Latin America

24 Jul’14

Ingram Micro, the world's largest technology distributor with $42Bn in annual sales, grew sat a faster pace in Q2’14 ended 28 Jun’14

Amazon attack

advances again

Sales growth in tech & business

services 29%+; GP up to 30.7%

24 Jul’14

Amazon.com, the world’s #1 eMassmarketer, maintained its mighty sales momentum in Q2’14 with $90Bn in reach in 2014. This Godzilla stealth attacker has grown nearly 4x to $20Bn in business supplies in 5 years, without independent dealers reacting

Starbucks strong
and tasty growth

Expanding the experience in tea,
bakery drives destination traffic

24 Jul’14
Starbucks,the leading worldwide coffee reseller, announced impressive results for Q3’14 ended 29 Jun’14. sales and profits are accelerating

One Wesco’s

way forward

Acquisitions fuel growth

and integrated services

24 Jul’14

WESCO a leading provider of electrical, industrial, and communications MRO and OEM products and services, today announced improving  Q2’14 results

Acme’s cutting

edge sharpens

Continued strength in US

dampened by weak Europe

24 Jul’14

Acme United today announced strong results for Q2’14 financial results to 30 Jun’14 in spite of falling sales in Europe.

United’s growth

impetus returns

Stronger FM, industrial, furniture,

OP sales offset tech decline

24 Jul’14 (Complete)

United Stationers,the US#1 business supplies wholesaler, yesterday reported flat sales and profits for Q2’14 to 30 Jun’14. Report and analysis complete

Domtar paper

demand down

Personal Care sales double

with production lines boost

24 Jul’14

Domtar Corporation reported Q2’14 financial results ended 30 Jun’14. It’s investment in personal care products and acquisitions is a welcome diversion...

Can  C a n o n

check collapse?

Printers and copiers demand

flattens; Camera slide steepens

24 Jul’14 (Complete)

Canon reported financial results for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14 that disguised serious organic declines in its core businesses, Is it kidding about future prospects?

Walmart weak, Bill

Simon steps down

Disappointed, tired US chief exits

after McMillon appointed CEO

24 Jul’14

As it grapples with sluggish store sales, Walmart said that its U.S. CEO Bill Simon is stepping down and being replaced by the head of the company's Asia operations.

Amazon expects

20%+ growth in

business supplies

Skeptical analysts reckon Bezos

is spending like a drunken sailor

Amazon will release its Q2'14 results later today. Continued 20%+ growth rates are expected with $90Bn sales forecast in 2014 ($20Bn in business supplies). However, investments in distribution, drones, cloud and local services will depress profitability short term...

Logitech losing

core momentum

Mobile speakers strength offset

by weaker tablet accessories

24 Jul’14

Logitech International,the once innovative leader in personal technology accessories today announced flat sales, but improved profit results in Q1’15 ended 30 Jun’14. Audit Committee investigations have put a dampener on outlook...

MMMomentum

rate accelerates

But, Consumer division saw

OP demand decline again

24 Jul’14

The mighty 3M today reported record sales and profits in Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14 with accelerating rates of growth in health care, electronic and industrial supplies

WBMason: Mets

Education Expo

‘Nobody does it better’ with

latest classroom technology

inc. MakerBot 3D printing

23 Jul’14

Today, WBMason holds its 2nd Educational Consumer Show at New York Mets Baseball, Citi Field stadium expecting to attract 1000 teachers, principals and department heads. Report later today...

CCS success

in tech services

CEO Betts invests in sales

teams to drive rapid growth

23 Jul’14

CCS Media, the fast growing UK tech services provider will blast through £100m ($160m) to achieve another record year of growth. We spoke with CEO Terry Betts.

Mighty Microsoft

higher on Cloud

Commercial strength offsets

Surface wounds & Nokia nasties

22 Jun’14

Microsoft reported better than expected results for its Q4’14 ended 30 Jun’14. Since CEO Satya Nadella (pic left) took over as CEO market capitalization has increased 24%...

Apple aces high

in business market

Ultimate personal productivity

tools, to dominate business use,

boosted by IBM cloud/analytics

22 Jul’14

Applethe world’s #1 business tech provider, announced terrific results for Q3’14 ended 28 Jun’14. According to latest research it now dominates progressive companies’ technology usage soon to be cemented by the IBM connection

Staples: Casualty

of the Amazon v

Walmart war?

Ignorant analyst doesn’t get its

lead in web & business services

22 Jul’14 (Complete 14:00ET))

Yet another simplistic Seeking Alphaanalyst Daniel Jennings joined the ranks of bandwagon bigots yesterday in writing down Stapleswith the above headline. We expose the analyst’s naivety and lack of insight...

Mobile Mania:
Ad spend soars

Potential huge, but buyerdoubts

cause lag v usage by browsers

22 Jul’14
After less than a decade of existence, smartphones and tablets will draw more ad money than traditional newspaper and radio media

Apple new iPhad:

readies for record

Larger screen formats always

in Jobs’ vision. Ask Samsung.

22 Jul’14

Apple is gearing up for its biggest initial run of iPhones – up to 80 million units – for the model that is commonly known as the iPhone 6.

Lexmark surprise

with MPS success 

Strong software solutions growth

offsets ink jet printer declines

22 Jul’14

Lexmark International, surprisingly reported better financial results in Q1’14 after a long run of downward trends in sales and profits

Hygiene King

K-C FORCE-ful

International sales boost results

K-C Pro sales progress strongly

22 Jul’14

Kimberly-Clark (K-C) the global personal hygiene brands manufacturer, reported solid Q2’14 results

Apple: it’s all

happening…

High expectations for Mac, 

iPhone, iPad, iOS8, iWatch,

BeatsPro, IBM and China.

21 Jul’14

Tomorrow is expected to be a blow-out quarter for Applewith market capitalization up 24% since the Q2’14 report. We can’t wait…

Clover closes

cartridge deal

Reman leaders consolidate

and ink compatible merger

21 Jul’14

Clover, the leader in reman ink cartridges and Micro Solutions Enterprises (MSE), the leader in patented technologies for reman toner cartridges, completed their strategic merger.

PCA packaging

power, paperless

Boise acquirer reports organic

growth in corrugated volume

21 Jul’14

Packaging Corporation (PCA) today reported Q2’14 financial results to 30 Jun’14. Packaging powers forward whilst paper volumes continue to slide

Philips: LED lights

the way forward

Strong personal health/lifestyle

sales offset healthcare losses

21 Jul’14

Philips, the Dutch diversified healthcare, consumer lifestyle and lighting company reported Q2’14 financial results including improved sales but lower profits…

SPR: steps up

with OP dealers

GP's higher sales/profits from

NAPA, Motion & EIS businesses

21 Jul’14

Genuine Parts Company (GPC)parent of SPRichards & Co and Motion Industriestoday reported improved sales and profits for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14

Stora Enso: paper

decline deepens

World #2’s old & new CEO’s

comment on transformation

21 Jul’14

Stora Ensoreported weak Q2’14 financial results and its departing CEO Jouko Karvinendescribed transformation plans to cut paper capacity and investment in new growth opportunities

IS Group wins

Federal contract

New JanSan supplies & equipment

purchasing agreement for members

21 Jul’14

Independent Stationers (ISG), the progressive marketing group announced today it was awarded the FSSI JanSan purchasing contract. We spoke with CEO Mike Gentile…

Can retail chemist

Cosby cure Depot

Chainsaw CEO Smith continues

obsession w/nomadic, relic exec

21 Jul’14

Office Depot, the beleaguered bigbox, has appointed another old-school retailer to try and rescue a business that is predominantly a contract/web delivery business. You couldn’t make this up!

Newell Ignites

renewal plans

Writes refreshing move; 

expands Rubbermaid arm

21 Jul’14

Newell Rubbermaidtoday announced it would pay $308 million for a Chicago-based maker of reusable water bottles and thermal mugs, in the consumer-products company's first major acquisition since 2008.

Tesco clear desk
of clueless Clarke

Unilever’s Dave Lewis takes
over from last man standing


21 Jul’14
Tescochastened CEO Philip Clarkeis to step down to be replaced by Unileverpresident personal care Dave Lewis, a former marketer, as the embattled retailer plots a recovery from its recent poor performance.

Miller reaches

lifestyle Design

Goes back to brand roots by

buying contemporary retailer

21 Jul’14

Herman Miller, the leading office furniture maker, has bought upscale home and office design retailer. What's next for its move towards mobile executives?

Join the... 

Movement: Stop
sitting killing you!

Please stand up to read this...
Your dangerous office posture

19 Jul’14
Getting off the bottom and moving more might lengthen your life, as well as decrease your risk of dementia, physical disabilities and other serious medical problems.

Amazon Cloud

chasing leaders

Public SaaS providers close

in on private server players 

18 Jul’14

Amazonwill rake in $5Bn from its cloud computing business this year, according to Pacific Crest Securities.How long before the one-click wonder overtake the private cloud, hardware server leaders?

Does Twitter under

sell market power?

Metric comparisons w/Facebook

belie huge broadcasting reach

18 Jul’14

Twitterhas phenomenal power as a low-cost marketing tool. Ask Amazon. However, Facebookapparently has more users. In business, we doubt this and we’re pleased to see Twitter reviewing its metrics…

Kinetic Knoll

office moves

Government & Commercial

sales boosted by acquisitions

18 Jul’14

Knoll, today announced impressive growth results for Q2’14 ended 30 Jun’14 as it moves into higher margin specialty business

Google ad sales

slow in mobile

Express deliveries expand

rapidly. Profitability pressured.

Googleannounced Q2’14 results ended 30 Jun’14 and a significant management loss. The Express delivery division is soaring but at what cost?

HP: musical

chairs continue

Will Whitworth sad illness tempt

board to assign Meg in interim?

17 Jul’14

Assigning Meg Whitman as Chair-CEO of HP after Ralph Whitworth’s sudden resignation would be a big mistake. She needs to focus as CEO of the struggling giant and develop a coherent growth strategy...

Grainger gains

OP market share

Mobile webstore buys, now 25%

of business supplies purchases

17 Jul’14

WW Grainger, the $10Bn in sales, leading North American broadline supplier of FM, maintenance and office products today announced Q2’14 financial results to 30 Jun'14

HON homes in

on growth plans

Strength in office supplies driven

biz offsets slower contract sales

17 Jul’14

HNI (HON) Corporation, a leading US furniture maker, reported stronger Q2’14 financial results to 28 Jun’14

Pelikan procures

brand life support

Malaysian parent’s revival plan

for dying stationery makers

17 Jul’14

Pelikan International the vehicle set up to acquire major German stationery brand makers Herlitz and Pelikan has raised funds to aid their recovery. Will it be enough to stop the rot?

15 Essentials

for excellent

entrepreneurship

Work on, not just in, your biz.

Invest in self improvement...

16 Jul’14

“If you want to become a better entrepreneur and successfully grow your business, dedicate time and energy to improve your daily habits’ says Jacqueline Whitmore.

OnBuy on hold,

off launch-pad?

Amazon wannabe delayed by

main shareholder disagreement

16 Jul’14

OnBuy,the ambitious UK start-up has fallen out with principal investor Centerprise International, causing growth plans to be put on hold...

Intel inspired

by PC refresh

Weakness in tablets & mobile

developments; loss $4Bn'14?

16 Jul’14

Silicon giant Intel announced profit and revenue growth for the second quarter of 2014, although its Mobile and Communications group stood out as the weak performer.

Yahoo’s Mayer on

way to highway?

“We'll do better moving forward”

but, without misstepping Marissa

15 Jul’14

Yahoo’s CEO Marissa Mayer seems resigned to her fate. After 2 years she has acquired businesses that have masked her failure to achieve growth in a hot market...

B I G  B l u e 

Apple alliance

Historic biz app partnership

threatens HP, Microsoft etc.

15 Jul’14

Apple and IBM just announced a blockbuster partnership to help executives add business-specific applications to their preferred mobile devices. The landmark deal was announced by Tim Cook and IBM chief Ginni Romettythis afternoon

Microsoft to make

massive job cuts

Overmanned software giant’s

Post-Nokia productivity drive

15 Jul’14

Microsoft is planning its biggest round of job cuts in five years, as the software maker looks to slim down and integrate Nokia Oyj’shandset unit...

PC Continuity

move to mobiles

History saw mobiles mimic PC’s

now the direction is reversing

15 Jul’14

Microsoftdubbed its first mobile contender the “Pocket PC” to emulate a small version of a Windows PC, because this was the way to perform digital tasks. How things have changed says Re/Code’s Walt Mossberg

7th Generation’s

impressive move

Environmentally friendly cleaning

supplier takes refreshments route

15 Jul’14

Home and Office cleaning supplier Seventh Generation is acquiring a maker of single-serve coffee and tea brewers as it looks to broaden revenue sources and expand a ventures arm it set up last year.

GenM is here!

Where are you?

Forget GenX/Y age differences.

The new everywhere office is

mobile, ageless and paperless.

15 Jul’14

We’ve been writing about the ‘office is where you are’ and the mobile imperative for 20 years. Leading Unified Communications (UC)marketer Jabrahave just updated its 2013 market study, GenM describing the communications revolution…

No more paper?

Know more CFO’s

Productivity driven managed

services needs specialist training

15 Jul’14 (Complete)

The hot topic in the market over recent years has been managed services e.g. MPS. It seems everyone has a solution. However, it is no good having a great ‘proposal train’ if there are no drivers or ‘C-level’ selling skills, to get on the right track to the CFO. We show you how...

Staples pulls US

Post partnership

Unions boycott movement

thwarts trial destination driver

14 Jul’14

Today, the American Postal Workers Union and its allies seem to be making progress in an important battle against Staples partnership with US Postal Service...

H a p l e s s

Protectionism

SMB’s smile over HP’s tantrum

over Government contract cap

14 Jul’14

Small IT resellers claim HPexpressed concerns over government's £100m contract cap proves them right about previous protectionist practices...

Samsung stoops

low to bite Apple

‘Wall hugger’ ad attack works,

but multitasking jab mundane

14 Jul’14

Samsung has stepped up the mobile warfare between itself and its much-admired adversary Apple, by taking several shots at its apparent deficiencies. Meanwhile, Apple’s advanced iPhone6 and iWatch may have hit snags?

Depot discovers

mobile movement

Samsung range plays catch-up

with Best Buy, Dixons & Staples

14 Jul’14

Office Depottoday announced a partnership with Samsung to offer the latest in wireless printing and tablet technology, into its Depot & Max stores and online. Late to the party again, we’re still waiting for CEO Roly Smith’sUSP…

Pivot to Personal

Productivity

Services provider

Amazon attack should force a

rethink of OP dealers' future

14 Jul’14 (Complete)

We just read an article in the Small Business section of Business Weekthat we feel is highly relevant to all OP dealers locked into the declining paper related supplies. Start reinventing  yourself now!

2014 User-Chooser Survey

What Lucy wants in business supply

Mobile friendly web, less clicks, human touch service. Lighter, brighter, cleaner, greener office  

13 Jul’14 (Complete)

The Proficiency Index 10th Annual Survey of Businesswomen's Buying (typically Lucy), primarily user-choosers with executive power and influence, is more comprehensive than ever. It provides tremendous insight into the latest trends and how they have adapted to mobile devices and seek more productivity services from local providers.

Yahoo: Marissa’s

AOL night moves

Ex-Google Armstrong & Mayer

schmooze ahead of reunion?

12 Jul’14

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and AOL CEO Tim Armstrong talked over drinks into the wee hours on Thursday at the Allen Confab at a Sun Valley resort. Will AOL be the next Alibaba fuelled play for the misstepping Marissa?

Amazon apps

for developers

AWS launches tools for mobile

storage, sharing and analytics

12 Jul’14

Last Thursday, Amazonrolled out a host of new products that allow developers to more easily build mobile applications.

Dixons copies

Best Buy model

Connecting health & home

offices + wonder of wearables

11 Jul’14

Dixons’ retail store brands Currys & PC Worldhave started promoting their Christmas promotions. This year will be all about the survival of the fittest and wearable technology…

D a n w o o d 's

upside down delusion. . .

CEO criticizes industry customer

centricity; Can he turn tailspin?

11 Jul’14

Danwood Group, once the darling of UK document services market has turned turtle, masking its declining performance. Now its CEO Steve Francis, has turned on the industry’s customer service standards?

Roy Cowan.
Mr. Motivator

Passing of a legendary leader.
Creator of the original and

enduring 'Ofrex' sales model.

11 Jul’14 (Complete)
Tributes have poured in following the very sad news that one of the great OP originals, Roy Cowanof Ofrex fame, has died. Roy was a much-admired motivator and mentor to so many sales people and progressive dealers that are successful today. We spoke to many of his disciples: “He made horses drink water…”

Dealer Alert! Are you suffering…

Market myopia?

Fire your worst sales person and

hire a good marketing manager

11 Jul’14

According to latest research dealers focus too much on cost cutting and improving gross margin %’s rather than investing in marketing, webstore development or technology…

Fastenal: faster

vending solutions

Demand slows in old fasteners

market; high margins squeezed

11 Jul’14

Fastenal Company, a leading US reseller of MRO supplies including office supplies, reported faster growth results for Q2’14

Tablets trend

towards tailspin

NPD reports lower sales. Is

new iPhone 6 set to replace?

10 Jul’14

Just days after Samsung Electronicsblamed its weak earnings on the smartphone market’s slowing growth, here comes another worrying sign for gadget makers.

Microsoft mantra:

Mobile & Cloud 1st

Nadella shake up soon? Hones

its productivity & platform plan

10 Jul’14

MicrosoftCEO Satya Nadella, after five months on the job, today released his definition of Microsoft's corporate mission and hinted that an organizational shake-up is coming...

Blackberry Square

rooted in the past

Terminal tailspin continues with

new Passport to the tech dump

10 Jul’14

After several years of being displaced by the likes of Apple & Samsung, bizarre BlackBerryhas given the industry a peek at its new Square smartphone. It looks awful and misses the market again…

3D printing drives

SMB productivity

Why are OP dealers and retailers

missing huge sales opportunity? 

10 Jul’14

Proficiency Post has been highlighting the 3D Printing sales opportunity since 2011. Resellers can provide the sales and service to local businesses to replace fading copy & print demand. Staplesstarted in 2013, where are you?

Are analysts anti-
R&D investment?

Do old tech companies invest in
incrementals or true innovation?

10 Jul’14
When Meg Whitmanwas named HP’sCEO in 2011, it was a mess. HP had been slaughtered by the disastrous reign of Léo Apotheker, Meg vowed to invest and invent in true HP tradition. What happened?

Container Store

stalled & stymied

Blames economy for flat sales

along with other value retailers

9 Jul’14

Container Store Grouplowered its full-year financial projections amid a "retail funk" that has hampered sales growth of the home office supplier that went public last November

School Specialty:

slow resuscitation

Can it compete with faster,

lean and fitter competition?

9 Jul’14

School Specialty,the one time leader in educational supplies, reported a better set of Q4’14 financial results to 26 Apr’14. It is now operating 40% lower volume levels than 2008

MSC maintains

MRO momentum

Industrial supplies giant boosted

by Barnes buy & strong outlook

9 Jul’14

MSC Industrial Direct one of the largest MRO direct marketers and supplies distributors today reported financial results for Q3’14 ended 31 May’14

Dell’s endless

d e v o t i o n

Post-privatization vows a

testament to ownership

over cold, hands-off VC’s

9 Jul’14

Michael Dell has opened up to about his commitment to Dell post-privatisation, claiming he will care about it even after he's six feet under. He sounds like a number of progressive successful leaders we know in the office market...

The everything

web for everyone

Facebook’s founder says taking

internet for granted, we forget

how much of the world is offline

8 Jul’14

New technology has shaped the way our society lives and works. The printing press, radio, TV, mobile phones and the Internet are among these. “In the future we will see the greatest revolution yet, as billions of people connect to the Internet for the first time” writes Mark Zuckerberg.

Wilting Walmart’s
war with Amazon

Opening neighborhood stores to
fight etailer’s next hour delivery

8 Jul’14
Just weeks after his appointment WalMart'snew CEO Doug McMillon gave his top executives a homework assignment: Read "The Everything Store," the book about Amazon's Jeff Bezos.

iPhones > iPads

in browse & buy

Ignition 1: Search advertising

spend 3x growth rate of tablets

8 Jul’14

Search spending growth on smartphones outpaced growth on tablets 173% to 47%, according to a new report by Ignition One.

Keurig to kill
knock-off K-cups

Imation brewers booming but,
new brewer will lock them out.

8 Jul’14
No company has done more to change the way people drink coffee than Keurig Green Mountain. After the patent ran out 2 years ago hundreds of copycats emerged. Their KO day is imminent…

Samsung stung:

stuck in middle?

Weaker demand for plethora

of tablets and smartphones

8 Jul’14

Samsung Electronics' warning of a third-straight quarter of profit decline highlights the pitfalls of the giant's reliance on smartphone sales....

Managed Services…

From DROPS

to P R O P S!

Journey from dinosaur paperclips

to productivity services providers

8 Jul’14

Whilst it is sad to see the demise of the printer paper and ink market as exemplified at ITEX and Q1’14 results from the ex-tech giants it is exciting to envision the shift towards productivity services. We explore the opportunities for OP dealers…

Sitting is the

new smoking!

Please stand to read this:

Is your office killing you? 

8 Jul’14

New study ties too much sitting to risks for certain cancers. Those with the most chair time had worse odds for colon, endometrial cancers, researchers suggest...

Apple iWatch

leans to luxury

Cool 'must-have' integral design

for business people on the move

7 Jul’14

Apple’s shares rose to a new high today…28% up since April, in anticipation of the success of brilliant new iWatch and iPhone 6 to be launched in Sept/October…

Can Google

ace Amazon?

Invests $500m in Express

to provide nationwide service

Googleis the undisputed king of search in subjects, but not in objects to buy e.g. products where Amazon is king. Here are Google plans to change this…

Stop Staples!

Unions combine to target

US Postal Service partnership

7 Jul’14

AFT Massachusetts, a teachers union with more than 25,000 members, said it is joining a boycott of Staplesin support of the American Postal Workers Union...

Future workforce

may be part time

Google’s Page “Robotic world

means increased productivity

and decreased working time ”

7 Jul’14

Economists and investment analysts’ employment reports have been increasingly convoluted by trends in start-ups and freelancing entrepreneurs. Now add the effects of robots and artificial intelligence and the picture gets blurry...

Half-Year Market Review 2014

M-Power personal

productivity future

Post-OP era nigh! Beyond paper,

beyond buyers; beyond sitting,

towards a mobilized user market

As the 2014 half year closes, we reflect on the BIG ISSUES facing OP resellers and identify 12 trends that are defining the future as traditional wholesaler/reseller structures breakdown towards a lower-cost transactional and higher-value productivity services future.

Proficiency Profile

iBuy flying high in office supply

We interview web wonder Weber on productivity success secrets 

6 Jul'14 (Complete)

In 2011, we profiled ex-Fellowesexecutive Ron Weber of iBuyOfficeSupply.com of Plymouth (MN) who founded the etail start-up in 2007. He has doubled sales in the past 3 years with plans to achieve $20m+ in 2016.

Always-on world's

huge power waste

Phantom electricity costs $80Bn
& rising. User solution wanted

5 Jul’14

Inefficiencies in electronics are costing the world dearly. The waste in not switching off devices in our always-connected world needs to be addressed by user friendly device inventors

Is this the final

bye bye to BPGI?

EOSA exit last nail in coffin

for redundant buying group

4 Jul’14

What’s going on at the diminished buying group BPGI? A new sales-oriented CEO Barrie Hayeswas appointed 18 months ago, but nothing has happened in terms of strategic direction or new members?

Stationers’ denial
over print decline

Future of Paper & Print Report:
Calm call creates complacency

3 Jul’14
London’s Stationers’ Hall was packed with key industry figures gathered for the launch of the new European Digital Media Landscape to 2020 – The Future of Paper and Print…

Meetings mania

mars productivity

Case for more participative &

informal collaboration rises as

gazelles gain & dinosaurs don't

3 Jul’14

It seems, slow growth corporations have been constipated by management-by-committee, forever. That's why it is refreshing to see new agile, lean leaders like Apple, Amazon, Google and Nike marginalize the meeting mired monoliths...

BOOOOOOOM!

Economy ROARS

UP! Jobs, start-ups, freelancing,

part-timers, output, stockmarket,

tech investments & productivity

3 July’14

Happy Independent’s Day! Yes it’s all good news in the US/UK with output rising in services, manufacturing and higher GDP trends. CNBCmatches the OP dealers for pessimism, but opportunities to provide ‘personalised productivity services’ abound

Sony withdraws
Vaio via Fire Exit

Smoking hot laptops could
kill brand relaunch prospects

3 Jul’14
Sonysold off its Vaio PC unit in February due to sluggish sales, But for the second time in 2014, a model is at risk of overheating, and even melting.

Scintillating

Synnex soars

Technology services success

plus IBM CRM acquisition

2 Jul’14

SYNNEX Corporation the $12Bn business services wholesaler, today announced impressive financial results for Q2’14 to 31 May'14.

Microsoft Surface

wounds worsen

Hard lessons for software giant

mired in mediocrity, losing share

2 Jul’14

Fierce competition has convinced software giant Microsoft to stay out of 8in-screen tablet market, reports claim. Sounds a familiar story following waning Windows, beaten BING browser and Cloud confusion...

Refreshments
raise productivity

Coffee, water & snacks takeover
lead sellers from paper and ink

2 Jul’14

Hygiene and refreshments supplies boost office productivity; paper related products even supplied 'free of charge' increase costs. WSJ today reported on the huge snacking trend replacing set meals. We discuss…

Smaller office

space trends

Employment back to boom

levels occupying less property

2 Jul’14

The job market is back to previous highs but using far less office space according to real estate data firm Reis. Causes cited were shrinking space but what about the huge paperless, home office, co-working and freelancing shifts?

United’s CORE

scores BIG HIT

with progressives

HIGHS: Personalized productivity

lessons & best practice sessions.

2 Jul'14 (Complete)

Last week United Stationers held its first CORE Lab session for leading OP dealers in Downtown Chicago. We spoke to over 20 of 160 attending dealers about their impressions and key takeaways...

Pinnacle posts

up big signings

Peer group adds 2 members

in NE & Indiana. Who’s next?

2 Jul’14

Pinnacle Affiliates, the US large dealer group, as expected in our previous reports has added another 2 dealers with another large one in the pipeline for 2015. We speak to chairman Kevin Johnson(pic left) and the 2 dealer heads...

Philips lights up

Lumileds spinoff

Plans to increase focus & devt

of integrated systems & services

1 Jul’14

Philips said  it is spinning off its lighting components business in the latest stage of the once-diversified Dutch electronics group's plan to focus on a handful of higher-margin activities.

Is Crystal Rock

about to shatter?

Struggling water & OP dealer

leaking & ready for break up?

1 Jul’14

Crystal Rock, the US Northeast water supplies dealer has endured a tough time since moving into OP with Hartford Stamp in 2010 and last year’s acquisition of Universal. We understand times are about to get harder…

Microsoft clarifies

cloud marketing

Training and channel support

programmes to be unveiled

1 Jul’14

Microsoft UKhas dropped hints about its channel strategy for the coming year, claiming that cloud training and better marketing will be high on the agenda.

Wise up for

next-gen biz 

'Always on’ mentality shifting

to ‘personal creative spaces’

1 Jul’14

Marketing Week editor Ruth Mortimer, just back from the Cannes Lions event warns that older businesses need to adapt to the new generational working needs…

Keurig mates

with Nescafe

Partnership helps rescue Swiss

giant's struggles in US market

1 Jul’14

Keurig Green Mountainannounced today that it had reached an agreement with Nestle US company to sell coffee brands in the US.

Costco at war

with Amazon

Ex-chief Sinegal explains how

etailer copied business model

1 Jul’14

In 2008, Costco founder Jim Sinegalbought a Kindle from Amazon with a defective screen. He was so impressed when the company immediately replaced it that he wrote to Jeff Bezos to comment on the seamless customer service....

Sennheiser soars

soundly ahead

Audio specialist reaps rewards

from new channel focus

1 Jul’14

Pro-audio brand Sennheiserhas seen sales through resellers expand from 35% of its business to 70% in under a year in response to its new focus on its partnerships.

Productivity Championship 2014

The new leaders in productivity…

Leaner stockless players, etailers and new entrants set hot pace 

1 Jul'14 (Updated)

We’ve completed our half-year review of best practices in one of the most universally accepted measures of reseller productivity and a strong profitability indicator. The 2014 Half-Year Leaderboard is published below...

Proficiency Profile Gentile’s 3D Growth drivers

Independent Stationers’ chief discusses digital destiny dilemma

1 Jul'14 (Complete)

Mike Gentile, CEO of Independent Stationers is about to complete 10 years as leader of the progressive marketing group. We discuss his early challenges, its marketing transformation and its new direction…