Bouncebackability
Reports are all in for Business Supply players in Q4'22. Predictably they show inflated profits but weak sales recovery v pre-Covid 'norm' Q4'19. Proficiency Index reports the Leaderboard of makers, wholesalers & dealers' 'Bouncebackability' performance. It covers 100 leading paper & printer makers, hygiene, foodservice and packaging suppliers, OP/furnituremakers and retailers Updated
Healthy Hygiene
Hygiene is now #1 business supply category alongside technology. Progressive business suppliers: brandmakers, dealers have pivoted into hygiene, safety, foodservice & packaging, WFH-tech & wellness services. Proficiency Index Q4'22 analysis is almost complete with brand volumes slowing, boosted by double-digit price hikes. Updated for KPTissue, Sappi & Suzano. Diversey delayed to 22Mar
Top 50 Women
Marketing to businesses by brandmakers & resellers was traditionally dominated by men. As we celebrate International Women's Day, Proficiency Index recognises the most successful women leaders. This is 16th edition of 'Top 50 Women in Business Supply', the market's real growth achievers, including new entrants from progressive independent dealers.
Office Mkt Legends
It's 10yrs since the top OP mega-independent dealer champs Lyreco's Eric Bigeard and WBMason's Leo Meehan met with Staples CEO Ron Sargent in Boston. We reflected on past glories, Covid, digital transformation and looked forward to a 'hybrid office productivity' future..Updated
Hybrid work future
The contrast in opinions over the 'hybrid work future' & the 'return to work', is stark. New thinking is positive about the huge rise in entrepreneurial productivity. Old thinking believes a return to corporate office control is inevitable. Are corporations underestimating the hollowing out of office space; the time waste and the need to trust workers' motives? Updated
HP: Here's an
HP is spending heavily on TV and magazine ads with messages that belong in the 80's. They ask 'is your business going fast enough' and claim to 'cut your printing costs in half'. Who cares? Later today
Is Alibaba a real
Seeking Alpha analyst Westend 511 has just returned from Amazon's AWS cloud conference with some strong views about Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba's threat to its leadership...
WMT v AMZN:
Retail giant Walmart's CEO Doug McMillon says his fleet of stores give his retailer a huge edge over Amazon. Wishful thinking we think...
Disruptors'
Back in 80's Staples was the positive disruptive force. In the 90's Viking. This century Amazon, WBMason and Uber are driving immediacy and personalised service. They deserve your respect.... complete
#SPOT (aka Spicers/Officeteam) Jeff Whiteway's 'my way or the highway', one-man band management style is blatantly disguising his OT bias v smaller dealers...
"PC does what?"
Yesterday, Microsoft, Intel, Lenovo, Dell, & HP announced a first-of-its-kind joint ad push across TV, print, and online, with a nauseating slogan "PC Does What?". Apple will not be losing sleep
Acme’s cutting
Acme United today announced slow sales and profits growth in its Q3'15 financial results to 30 Sep'15
Grainger grindsGrainger, the $10Bn in sales, leading North American broadline supplier of FM, maintenance and business supplies today announced slow Q3'15 financial results.
Ingram intense
Ingram's Brent McCarty was in fighting talk mode at its annual showcase IM One event in Milton Keynes (UK). Thankfully, the world's #1 wholesaler sees powerful future for independent resellers
BOSS Top OP
"Tomorrow's News Today,
not yesterday's news tomorrow."
