Office Supplies and Stationery Stores
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 2,100 firms in the US sell office supplies, school supplies, stationery, computers, office equipment and furniture at retail. Firms may also offer business-related services, such as printing, copying, mailing and shipping, or technology-related services, such as software installation.
Competition from Alternative Stores
Office supply and stationery retailers face stiff competition from a variety of alternative brick-and-mortar channels, including wholesale clubs, discount stores, mass merchandisers, food and drug stores, and computer and electronic stores.
Competition from Online Retailers
Like most of the retail industry, office supply and stationery retailers face intense competition from online-only channels, which offer convenience and enjoy lower overhead costs.
Industry size & Structure
The average office supply and stationery retailer employs about 33-34 workers and generates $4-5 million annually.
- The office supply and stationery retailing industry consists of about 2,100 firms that employ 71,000 workers and generate about $10 billion annually.
- The industry is highly concentrated; the top eight companies account for 84% of industry revenue.
- Large firms include ODP Corporation (Office Depot and Office Max) and Staples. Stationery retail chains include Hallmark Gold Crown (independently owned and stores owned by Hallmark Cards, Inc.) and Paper Source (Elliot Investment Management).
Industry Forecast
Office Supplies and Stationery Stores Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Apr 7, 2025 - Small Stationery Stores Survive through Unique Experiences
- Despite the digitalization of everyday life, small stationery stores are thriving by offering unique tactile experiences, according to Retail Dive. While larger brands – including Papyrus and Paper Source – have struggled, local shops have built loyal followings by offering hyper-personalization, workshops, limited-edition collaborations, community engagement, and locally sourced products. Papyrus closed all its US-based stores during the pandemic but still sells online and through retail partners. Paper Source was bought out of bankruptcy by Barnes & Noble in 2021. Wellness practices that include limited time with screens – such as journaling - have helped drive sales of stationery items. However, many of the higher-quality stationery products are not available from US suppliers and recent increases in tariffs could force stores to raise prices.
- Sweeping new tariff policies implemented by the Trump administration could increase paper costs for office supply and stationery stores, disrupt supply chains, or both. In a March press release, the American Forest & Paper Association (AFPA) suggested that trade strife could disrupt North America’s complex paper product supply chains. AFPA President and CEO Heidi Block said, “Pulp and paper mills are strategically located across the United States to efficiently and sustainably create essential products for everyday use. From turning wood chips into pulp, pulp into base stock, and then transforming that raw material into a product that is then packaged for distribution, our industry’s manufacturing process involves many stages that can each happen at different facilities on both sides of the border.” During earnings calls in February, several paper companies – including Cascades, Clearwater Paper, and Smurfit Westrock – expressed concerns about escalating US-Canada trade tensions, according to Packaging Dive.
- Office supply retail firm ODP Corporation (Office Depot and OfficeMax) recently reported fourth-quarter 2024 sales of $1.6 billion, down 10% compared to Q4 2023. The firm said the drop in sales was primarily due to its Office Depot consumer business, which had 47 fewer locations than during the same reporting period in 2023. The Office Depot division also experienced weaker demand, lower order volume, and slower online sales. The company’s ODP Business Solutions division were down 9% compared to Q3 2023. ODP posted a net income of $11 million in Q4 2024, down from a gain of $39 million in Q4 2023. Full-year fiscal 2024 sales were down by 11% compared to 2023.
- Commercial bankruptcy filings increased 10% in March 2025 compared to a year earlier, according to Epiq Systems and ABI. Commercial Chapter 11 filings increased 20% in March. Epiq Vice President Michael Hunter said, “The 20 percent rise in commercial Chapter 11 filings to 733 in March 2025, up from 611 last year, signals persistent economic pressure, mirrored by a 10 percent increase in total commercial filings to 2,727,” said Michael Hunter, Vice President of Epiq AACER. “Meanwhile, credit card delinquencies have hit a near 10-year high, driven by rising interest rates and consumer debt burdens.” Higher numbers of commercial bankruptcies could reduce demand for office supplies.
Get A Demo
Vertical IQ’s Industry Intelligence Platform
See for yourself why over 60,000 users trust Vertical IQ for their industry research and call preparation needs. Our easy-to-digest industry insights save call preparation time and help differentiate you from the competition.
Build valuable, lasting relationships by having smarter conversations -
check out Vertical IQ today.