Office Products News

How to win market share in office supplies

Online commerce platform Shopify has published a marketing plan for the office supplies sector, focusing on strategies to capture market share. 
 
Below are highlights from Shopify’s online blog:
 
In the office supplies industry, you’re not really competing on products. Sure, one brand's printer ink might last a few pages longer, and some pens feel better in your hand. 
 
But the procurement manager ordering for a 500-person office isn't debating the finer points of ballpoint technology. They care about contract pricing, accurate inventory, and how quickly they can re-order. 
 
We've now entered an era defined by a mature, low-growth market in which over 24 per net of sales happen online. In this environment, differentiation based purely on product features is disappearing. Growth now comes from providing superior
 
Office supplies is a mature category where almost everyone produces and sells the same or very similar product lines. Any new products created for buyers can quickly be replicated by competitors. The market is stable projected to grow only 1.64 per cent annually in the US through 2032.
 
Office supply brands aren’t chasing market expansion, but competing to capture a larger share of an already massive pie. In the previous decade, winning in office supplies simply meant having the right product assortment. 
 
Several post-pandemic shifts are creating new opportunities for retailers:
 
  • The new home office standard: The shift toward hybrid and remote work maintains high demand for ergonomic furniture, energy-efficient tech, and eco-friendly supplies as employees continue to outfit their home workspaces.
  • Digital-first B2B procurement: B2B buyers now expect a seamless, self-serve online experience. With digital channels already accounting for about a third of all B2B revenue, a B2B ecommerce platform is key.
  • Omni-channel is the expectation: Buyers move fluidly between channels. They expect a consistent experience whether they're sourcing routine supplies from a B2B marketplace, reordering on a mobile device, or interacting with a sales representative.
  • A consolidating, more resilient market: The industry is seeing continued consolidation, pressuring legacy retailers and accelerating the pivot to more efficient B2B models. Companies are investing in automation and redesigning their supply chains to build resilience after recent disruptions.
 
Core requirements for office supplies e-commerce platforms
 
Winning in the office supplies market requires a platform built to handle the sophisticated demands of today’s B2B buyer.
 
A new generation of purchasers has completely reshaped the B2B buying experience. 
 
With millennials now making up the bulk of buyers, 73 per cent of them expect the same convenient online experience they enjoy in B2C, from real-time stock visibility to one-click reorders. B2B self-service is now critical to empowering buyers to manage their own accounts. 
 
Demand for home-office and tech-oriented supplies means merchandising must separate these items from traditional consumables like paper. 
 
An enterprise platform’s catalogue architecture must accommodate B2B nuances like product bundles, complex variants, and multiple units of measure.
 
 
Date Published: 
25 November 2025