Office Supply Stores Industry Profile

Companies in this industry sell a wide range of office supplies, equipment, and furniture to businesses and consumers and may perform some business services. Major companies include Office Depot and Staples (both based in the US); Lyreco and Manutan (both in France); Officeworks (Australia); OTTO Office and Pelikan (both based in Germany); and Ryman (UK).

The global office supplies market is projected for about $220 billion by 2034, according to Future Market Insights. Asia/Pacific dominates the market with countries having a high demand in China, Japan, and India, among other countries. Growth in the global market is driven by rising school enrollments and literacy rates, and an increase in the number of corporate and home offices.

The US office supply stores industry includes about 5,700 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $12 billion.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Demand is driven by the level of business activity. The profitability of individual companies depends on effective merchandising, pricing, and an efficient distribution model. Large companies have economies of scale in purchasing and the ability to stock wider ranges of products. Small companies can compete by providing superior customer service and by offering specialty items. The US industry is highly concentrated: the 50 largest companies account for about 85% of industry revenue.

The ongoing decline in general office supplies sales, driven by the transition from print to digital communications and heightened ...