A business has a wide choice of ways to source their office supplies and should carefully consider which one is the best for them in terms of cost, convenience and impact on the environment. ‘Office supplies’ encompasses all the consumable items used in the workplace, from stationery to sanitary supplies and kitchen items. Purchasing and stock-piling these goods must be carefully controlled to minimise cost and waste.
For a company that needs to purchase supplies in bulk it will be preferable to get the goods delivered directly to the work place. Shopping for these goods would require a van or goods vehicle and would not be cost effective if a large vehicle is not required for any other aspect of the business. By shopping around on the internet it is possible to find the supplies at the cheapest possible price. Take into consideration delivery charges and any discount for future purchases – this may mean that what appears to be the cheapest supplier is actually not.
Any business should be conscientious about its impact on the environment and, along with fuel, consumable office supplies is one of the biggest factors. Paper goods can vary hugely from being environmentally friendly – recycled, unbleached, minimum packaging, to having a big, adverse environmental impact – made from new from unsustainable forestry, produced with chemicals and imported from abroad. It may be worth considering whether the business really needs those paper goods. If paper towels are being consumed in huge quantities it may be more cost effective and environmentally considerate to install the latest, low energy hand-dryers.