If youve been following the news of late, you likely have heard about the pending merger of Staple and Office Depot. This merger was announced on February 4th and would combine Staples, which is the #1 seller by volume of office supplies in the US with #2, Office Depot.
If you’ve been following the news of late, you likely have heard about the pending merger of Staple and Office Depot. This merger was announced on February 4th and would combine Staples, which is the #1 seller by volume of office supplies in the US with #2, Office Depot.
As a local consumer you may be wondering what this merger could mean to you and the prices that you can expect when shopping for office supplies. In this blog we’ll try to explain some of the issues that could arise with this merger of these two massive companies.
Massive Layoffs
As with any large merger, layoffs are almost guaranteed. While exact numbers have not been released as of yet it is likely that a huge number of workers will be affected by this merger.
Store Closings
Another change that could hurt consumers is the fact that since Staples and Office Depot will no longer be competing, they will likely close a large amount of stores. This means fewer places where consumers can shop for low prices on office supplies.
Customer Service Issues
Combining two companies of this size is extremely difficult. Dealing with internal issues can cause companies to lose sight of the customer, which results in poor customer service. This is where local companies like GOS can excel due to their focus on top-notch customer service.
With companies like Office Depot and Staples threatening to layoff large number of workers, can you blame their employees for being negative and not necessarily providing the best service to customers?
Higher Prices
Another popular tactic after mergers is for the parent company to raise prices due to the lack of competition due to the two companies combining. These large companies think that by merging they can create scarcity in the office supply market, which allows them to raise prices.
You Still Have Options When It Comes to Office Supplies
At GOS, we look at the merger of Staples and Office Depot as a way that we can excel by providing a high level of customer service along with low prices on all of your office supplies. If you’re questioning the service that you are receiving from the big guys why not give us a try by shopping locally for your office supplies. We can promise that you won’t be disappointed by our prices or our service.
For more information on our large selection of office supplies, give us a call today at 800-277-0208.
