Whether you manage an American business or work in one, you know how much paper offices go through today. It has been estimated that every year the United States manufactures about 92 million metric tons of the material. Anyone who manages an office knows buying office supplies, such as paper products, can be a challenge. The business needs these to stay in business but keeping costs down is also a crucial element of staying afloat. From buying bulk envelopes to going to a wholesale paper company, there are things you can do to get the supplies you need at a cost you can afford.
- Look at generic products. There are some products you use around the office that you might want to get the name brand but for a number of others, generic options work just as well. For example, sticky notes are used in most offices around the country and going with a generic brand can add up to a lot of savings.
- Look for deals online. There is probably no better way to comparison shop online. This goes for clothing, electronics, and office supplies. By doing a search of the best deals on office supplies. You can also find the most cost-effective companies that do business in your area. For example, if you are looking for wholesale paper suppliers, this is the most time-effective way to find the best deals on what you need. It also makes shopping easier. Some people think it is easier to pick up what they need but, when buying bulk envelopes, for example, you pick it out and it comes to you.
- Make sure you do not pay for delivery. Just because you are getting a great deal on your wholesale cardstock paper does not mean the company that sold you the supplies should be able to recoup their losses by charging you an arm and a leg just to get the products to your place of business. Keep in mind, this is not a one-off. It behooves both of you to develop a longer-term relationship so they will be willing to deliver your order for free.
- Do not wait until you are completely out of supplies before you reorder them. When you wait until you are in a desperate need for office paper, you are not at a disadvantage. Sure you can get the supplier you work with to give you a better deal on a rush order but it will still be more expensive than a regular delivery. This is another reason buying bulk envelopes makes so much sense.
- Buy everything in bulk. There is a reason “big box” stores are so popular. Just about everything costs less when you can buy it in bulk. From cat food to office paper, getting multiple units of a product is always a better idea than buying just one. Plan out a schedule for your office supply purchases so that you never need to run out at a bad time.
- Use less paper. Like with dieting, this is much easier said than done. One easy way to do this is to make the switch from single-sided printed to double-sized. By cutting down your paper usage by about 50%, you can cut down your costs on paper. It may take some coaxing to get your team to get used to the new settings but it is not a hard switch to make.
- Think about monitoring how much paper you are using. Much like paper itself, money does not grow on trees. Many offices now ask their workers to think about how much they are printing. Not every email needs to be printed out, for example. Monitor your employees’ usage and work with them to reduce unnecessary printing.
Cutting down on the costs of the paper office supplies that you need can seem like a daunting task. The good news is there are a number of things that can be done to cut down on these costs. By buying bulk envelopes, you can pay less. By getting workers to think more about printing, you also reduce your company’s carbon footprint. These seven tips should help you improve your bottom line.