Who Sells the Most Paper in the USA...

This Just just in:

Headline: OP superstores grab majority of paper sales
Source: OPI
Date: 07 Apr 05

7 April 2005 – Newton (MA): The vast majority of small paper buyers buy their paper from the top three OP superstores - Staples, Office Depot and OfficeMax - a new survey has revealed.

In a study conducted by Lyra Research among paper buyers from businesses of up to 99 employees, three-quarters of respondents were found to purchase their paper from the ‘big three’.

Staples is the most popular channel, said Lyra, followed by Depot and then ’Max. The next most popular source is the mass-market retail/warehouse club channel, it said, with 11 per cent of respondents reporting that they buy their paper from Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club or Costco.

Next on the list came Boise Office Solutions and Xpedx with 2 per cent; and Corporate Express with 1 per cent.

End of article.

Next, go to this article dating from 2001:

OPI Online: Special Publications

Even though this article dates from 2001 it is a fascinating look at the office products industry. This article is basically the "cliff notes" version of the industry conference in which United Stationers, Corporate Express and other important office products dealers talked about the changing landscape of selling office products.

Since 2001 the fundamentals have not changed but we've seen even greater consolidation in the distribution of office products and paper companies and fewer independent operators. No wonder Boise bought OfficeMax.

In many respects Paper.com is the anti-Staples. Paper.com exists is because it is impossible to buy more than a few dozen different kinds of paper at the typical office supply warehouse. Paper merchants are just not capable of selling in small quantities. So, Paper.com was created to respond to the need for a great variety of papers available in small quantities.