All businesses use some form of office supplies and equipment. There are hundreds of different types; from small consumables like pens and paper to large long-term items like computer desks, furniture, and filing cabinets.
Many of these items are essential to the day-to-day running of your business, but many companies still treat office supplies as an afterthought. Effective office supply management can save your business money, as well as help keep it running efficiently.
This article will look at some of the key information you need to know when shopping for office supplies and equipment.
Ways to buy office supplies
There are several ways to buy office supplies; from a store, through online purchases, or through mail order.
retail store
There are many small local stores as well as several large national chains that sell office supplies. Buying your office supplies from a store means you can actually see what you’re buying before you pay for it.
Stores will typically sell supplies at a standard price as they are geared towards smaller businesses and consumers.
Online purchases
In recent years, the number of online office supply companies has grown considerably. In addition to online sales from stores across the country, there are several large office supply companies that sell only through online (and sometimes phone) ordering.
Online stores are often cheaper than stores, as overhead costs (eg store rent or employee salaries) are considerably lower. If you’re unsure about an item you’re buying, then a good online office supply store should have the facilities to contact them so you can ask a few questions.
When ordering online, always make sure that if you’re paying by credit card, the pages where you enter your card details are secure (you’ll get a small locked padlock at the bottom of your browser).
mail order
Several companies allow you to buy office supplies by mail or by phone. Some have catalogs (online and offline) that show you all the products they sell. Some mail order services are run by existing stores, but some rely solely on mail order and phone sales (sometimes online as well).
Mail order prices are often cheaper than in stores due to lower overhead costs; however, they are not always as cheap as some online office providers.