Category analysis: Managed print services
For a number of years now managed print services (MPS) has been referenced as an opportunity for office supplies businesses, and 2012 was arguably the moment the industry started making some real progress in the...
Counterfeit seizures down at Paperworld
German customs officials (‘Zoll’) seized fewer suspected counterfeit items at this year’s Paperworld trade show in Frankfurt.The number of booths where articles were seized was 31 this year, significantly down from 41 last year and...
Can Shoplet shake up UK market?
The news that Shoplet has decided to enter the UK office supplies market probably wasn’t a major surprise to most – in a Big Interview with OPI over three years ago, the e-tailer’s CEO Tony...
Big interview: Charlie Cleary
Charlie Cleary has brought his dealer group – or buying group – through a lot of change in the last few years. As President of TriMega he has overseen, among other developments, a merger with...
Hot topic: Spread your wings
To summarise, there are probably three main threats to a traditional office products reseller’s business: a declining need for traditional office products, evolving customer purchasing habits, and new competitors offering said traditional products. These are...
Special feature: The right hire
A reseller’s salesforce should act as its war chest, armed with excellent sales techniques and product knowledge. But when often faced with limited time and resources, it’s not easy for businesses to get the right...
EOPA Review: Laughter and celebration
For a number of reasons, the European Office Products Awards 2013 presentation dinner was even more light-hearted than ever. Firstly, the winners were all in the mood to properly celebrate. Things are tough, we all know that,...
Dealer spotlight: Paperclix
Island-based OP dealers are always going to be different to their counterparts on the mainland simply due to geography, but Jersey-based Paperclix harbours a number of features that make it stand out from the average...
Editor’s comment
A tug of war Resellers are being unfairly pulled in two directions. On one hand customers increasingly expect them to supply almost anything and provide it almost on demand; on the other, customers are...
Final word: Siddharth Nambiar
In the last five years e-commerce in India has grown exponentially – from approximately $1.75 billion in 2007, to over $14 billion by 2012. Growth has been fuelled by a number of factors. Internet penetration has...
5 minutes with: Brad O’Brien
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? I was an apprentice electrician. I worked out fairly quickly that I was a little on the clumsy side and was not meant to be exposed to live...
