Online sales continue upward trend.

 

US research firm Circana has provided a slightly positive outlook for the supplies business in the US, describing the market as “challenging but increasingly stable”.

 

The company’s latest Future of Office Supplies report reveals that consumers remained price-conscious in 2024, prioritising essential product categories, seeking out discounts, and increasingly choosing private label brands.

 

At the retail level, sales continued to migrate online with e-commerce accounting for 24 per cent of total office supplies revenue, an increase over 2023. 

 

Meanwhile, traditional brick-and-mortar sales softened, declining six per cent, reinforcing the need for retailers and brands to adjust to evolving shopping behaviours.

 

US office supplies sales revenue across physical and digital retail channels totalled US$11.5B in 2024, representing a decline of five per cent compared to a year ago, as total unit demand fell two per cent. 

 

Although most categories saw declines in 2024, certain segments like self-stick notes, encased pencils, and colour markers are expected to show modest growth in 2025.

 

“The office supplies industry is adjusting to long-term shifts in how and where people work, learn, and create. Retailers and manufacturers that take a proactive approach to digital transformation and consumer engagement, with an eye on maximising the critical back-to-school shopping season, will be best positioned for success, ”Ben Arnold, industry advisor, office supplies at Circana, said.