Items such as staples, pens and paper are basic supplies for any corporate office. Besides these basic parts, office suppliers also offer products such as business luggage, office furniture or office automation technology, for example computers and software, automatic labelling machines, office paper folding and cutting machines. Today basics office supplies also comprise an extensive product range for furnishing an office or for furnishing conference and meeting rooms as well as customer reception areas and shops. A company, which offers a complete office supplies portfolio, also stands out for its services, firstly during the online ordering process and after sales. Availability via telephone is an important criterion, too. Rapid delivery, international shipment and delivery to multiple sites also stand for a reliable basics supplies store. Online office supplies companies offer basic supply at competitive prices. Internet shops usually contain about 30,000 different office products from international manufacturers, amongst others not only basic accessories such as paper, office folders and pencils, but also electronics supplies such as office shredders, labelling and stamping machines.

 

Office supply equipment contains also cost-intensive items such as computers, software, printers, scanners, office furniture or copiers. These items are either long term investments or based on leasing deals. Especially office furniture has become an integral and important product segment of the office supplies market. Today office furniture is functional and convenient, thus comfortable and professionally looking. Office chairs and desks, for example, are mostly manufactured according to basic ergonomics rules. Equipment for conference rooms and reception areas is designed to be functional, but also to represent a company’s professional image.

 

Apart from the market for tangible office items, the office supplies market has changed in the past years. Due to outsourcing processes in many companies and high initial investment costs for business automation technologies, many companies have been looking for service partners in the office supply industry. Typical office supply services today include delivery and cleaning services, facility management, security and monitoring services. Many office supply manufacturers have also expanded their product portfolio and value chains. They established additional services along with their core product portfolios. Today, big printing companies, copy centers and paper manufacturers, for example, do not only offer paper production or printing, but also graphic works, the binding of business collateral such as corporate brochures and business cards. Office suppliers have also started to include school supplies in their portfolios. School articles contain, for example, pupils' calendars, blocks and folders.