Details

27 Mar 20

Updated: 27 Mar 20

'Essentials' ease
dealers doom

Hygiene, water, IT, packg
supplies save deliveries

The CV shutdown of all businesses except 'Essentials' supply by national & local government in US & UK would normally close office supply dealers. Those progressive resellers that have embraced broadline business supplies, have continued inc. home delivery, even though it means more, smaller individual drops at higher cost to serve....

Read more ...

Details

26 Mar 20

Updated: 26 Mar 20

Xerox doubles 

down on dealers

Roll up race with HP for
MTS regional specialists

Copier giant Xerox maintained the roll up acquisition of managed technology services (MTS) providers in its race with HP and top regional specialists. The big question in US/UK's market is the conflict between the giant's direct sales force and its SMB channel partners. Does Chainsaw Icahn's impersonal, cold consultative management team really care?

Read more ...

Details

26 Mar 20

Updated: 27 Mar 20

BCap warns on 
Spicers' future

CVirus completes perfect
storm damage to vulture

Vulture Better Capital has issued a ominous warning about its Spicers wholesale & Officeteam businesses amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Given its dire straits before the outbreak we expect owner Jon Moulton to terminate or seek an immediate fire sale 

Read more ...

Details

25 Mar 20

Updated: 27 Mar 20

Amazon to avail
CV home test kits

Simple finger prick check
welcomed by UK people

A simple Coronavirus home-testing kit could soon be available to order on Amazon in the UK, Members of Parliament have been told. How long before they are rolled out to the hugely needy US population, FDA permitting?

Read more ...

Details

24 Mar 20

Updated: 24 Mar 20

Steelcase slides
down from high

Project furniture demand
decelerates in NAmerica

Steelcase, the $3.7Bn in sales, global leader in collaborative furnishings, reported slower demand trends in the US/Europe in Q4'20 with a declining order book in the US for Q1

Read more ...

Details

24 Mar 20

Updated: 24 Mar 20

Synnex growth
surge subsides

$23Bn tech giant to split
distribution from services

US based Synnex, a leading IT distributor, that plans to separate into two independent companies, reported flat Q1'20 sales reversing impressive 2019 growth rates

Read more ...

Details

23 Mar 20

Updated: 23 Mar 20

Amazon Care:
Test & Collect

New monitoring program
SCAN gets Gates support

Amazon is teaming up with a new research effort in Seattle’s King County — one region of Washington most impacted by the virus — to pick up and deliver tests for coronavirus COVID-19. The SCAN monitoring program is backed by Gates Foundation to learn how the pandemic is speading

Read more ...

Details

23 Mar 20

Updated: 23 Mar 20

MacPapers sold
to V/Capitalists

SE papermaker rescued
Fix & flip sale candidate?

Mac Papers, the $1Bn in sales SE US paper merchant, has sold its business to a venture capitalist group. Given the decline of this market sector we wonder how long before this distributor will be turned over for sale again?

Read more ...

Details

21 Mar 20

Updated: 22 Mar 20

Best Buy/Staples:
tech sales surge

Home working wave drives
demand for edutech tools

Best Buy CEO Corie Barry issued an COVID-19 update for customers and employees: “We are seeing a surge in demand for products people need to work or learn from home", Similarly Staples retail stores report heavy demand for not only hygiene supplies but PC's, IT accessories and video comms 

Read more ...

Details

20 Mar 20

Updated: 20 Mar 20

AMZN anchored
by CV demands  

'Non essential' supplies
suspension sinks sales

With retail stores closing from the CV pandemic, more consumers are turning to Amazon for faster deliveries. This has resulted in surging sales for its 3rd party sellers, but now it has frozen delivery of 'non-essential' products, the reverse is happening

Read more ...