Page 24 - BOSS Today Issue 20

2013 Review

Alan Ball of Spicers suggested
three events, all of which
pointed to a market undergoing
profound structural change:

“1: Officeteam: ignoring
all the spin, the fact
that they came out and
the business had to be
re-financed, the banks
were taking a greater
interest and the private
equity firms had to exit,
sent a message to the
industry that the market
was changing.

2: A similar change
happened with vendors.
In turn, this has meant that What were the three most “I don’t think anything Acco, for example, is a
existing players have had to 3important single events stands out, really. global player that made
investigate new models and that occurred in the UK OP There’s been a relentless sweeping changes
supply channels: industry in 2013? growth in on-line across the world,
For a couple of the respondents, reselling in general restructuring its model.
“We have seen an there was no ‘single event’ and in the Amazon That was a tipping
accelerated trend that could be considered as model in particular. It’s point that also drove the
towards people important: however, both been a stealth thing: mentality of change in
looking to do things in were keen to emphasise (as people don’t realise it’s the industry.
a different way. Each others did) the growth of on- happening. With Shoplet
month I have found line trading in general and of coming to the UK too, 3: The events in the
announcements of Amazon in particular: the whole experience US: the Depot/Max
new business models, of on-line purchasing is merger; Staples’ Q1
eg Office Power, “I don’t see anything coming on now and if statements indicating
Cadabra etc.” ‘new’ in 2013 that people miss it, the train that they were losing
Robert Baldrey warrants such an will have left.” money in Europe. These
accolade. However, Bob Geens sharpened people’s
Finally, there was a belief the ongoing march of thinking.”
amongst the manufacturers that shopping on-line we see Two respondents felt that the Alan Ball
there had been a further shift as the most important, arrival of new OP wholesaler
away from manufacturer brands: as this is crashing prices Gem had been significant: Finally, Michael Gardner
faster still and generally focussed on the importance of
“The proliferation of the on-line sites are not “The launch of new three BOSS events during the
own label/private label well established enough wholesaler Gem. But can year:
and no-brands. People or ‘clever’ enough to the OP market sustain
have been panicking encourage trade up. another wholesaler? Do “1. The BOSS Awards
and the OP wholesalers So the job that has we really need more remain the highlight of
have extended their own ‘always’ been done in capacity in the market? the industry year and
label ranges beyond mass retail - and more Another warehouse? I’ve recognise all that is
commodity lines, recently with growing said at a dealer event excellent in our industry.
producing a downward success in catalogue - recently that Gem is the
effect on cash margins now urgently needs to answer to a question 2. The CEO Conference
and sales revenues.” be done on-line.” that no-one has asked!” at the BOSS Members’
Sean Starkey Philip Beer Robert Baldrey Day: we got over 100
CEOs in the industry
networking and

24 BOSS TODAY | December 2013/January 2014

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