Trade Wars...

Last month our suppliers sent letters to their distributors (including Lykki) notifying them of three separate tariffs on categories that affect our business being enacted at various times. Two have already been put into place, which have had nominal impact on our business; however, the third will definitely impact a large number of the SKUs we sell. The White House announced this week that tariffs on this third list are being enacted in two phases. On Monday, September 24, a 10% tariff will be levied on an estimated 4,700 items that Lykki and other office supply distributors sell.

Unless negotiations between the USA and China result in a change in the current plan, an additional tariff of 15% will be put on these products, effective January 1, 2019. These tariffs will have a significant impact on the office products industry.

Our Merchandising & Pricing Team are working diligently with our suppliers, ascertaining updated information relative to impact so as to provide you, our valued customers, with accurate information as soon as possible. Thank you.

Paper and printers - oh my!

Ok Go's new video is a trippy tribute to paper and printers

567 printers and no paper jams

The $25 Stand-Up Desk

Here is a great answer to the stand up desk. Worth trying something cheap and simple (and portable) before investing in more sturdy and expensive options.

Hootsuite CEO launches $25 stand up desk company

These are the Post-it Notes you are looking for.

A long time ago in an office far, far away some office workers with spare time used 3597 post-it notes to create Star Wars themed murals. It took the team of four about five hours to stick all the notes.

Via imgur

Snack Attack!!

Here comes the Snack Attack Rack as a congratulations from Lykki. 

This customer just added several hundred new employees and a new facility because they won a new contract and are expanding rapidly. 

It was a fun way for Lykki to say congrats. 

The Snack Attack Rack also had some NERF Guns strapped to the back of the rack for some fun post snack attacking of the NERF kind. 

Cheers

Calvin

Toronto tradeshow.

Over the next few days I'll be in Toronto with some of your Lykki partners to attend the Canadian independent Stationers conference. Each year our buying group meets to exchange industry news, ideas and plan for the year. 

This year we are excited to see Canadian customers supporting local office suppliers instead of the large multi nationals like Staples, Office Depot and Grand and Toy. 

What we are learning is that the big players are declining in market share due to cutbacks that result in poor customers service while independent stationers are growing by staying focused on service service service. 

What the buying group does for the independent stationers is it allows us to buy at the same price as the big guys and offer as good or better pricing. So once price is not a factor what is left is service and customers would rather support a local supplier with exceptional service and prices over a large US based multi national. 

Things are looking bright for 2015. 

Cheers

Calvin

Happy Earth Day

If there is one thing your business could do right now to make a significant impact of the environment what could it be?

I argue that reducing the number of deliveries from suppliers can make a significant impact of the amount of CO2 emissions your company creates. You see, each time your company orders some supplies a truck must deliver them to you and that truck is creating emissions.

So less deliveries, larger orders less often is the trick.

Have a look at why Lykki is such a great choice as a supplier by checking out our cool info graphic.

Cheers

Calvin

Don't eat our paper!

Today we are launching a new copy paper that is 100% Tree Free. That's right; No wood pulp, no trees, no recycled paper - nothing. This paper is made from sugar cane.

We have been testing several brands of Tree Free paper for 9 months and have chosen the Canefields brand Cane Paper as our house brand 100% Tree Free Paper.

I'm excited about where the paper industry is going with new innovation. It parallels the innovation happening in the automotive industry with electric vehicles. Once the performance and price are similar, people will pick the eco-friendly alternative. Please try a box of our Cane paper and if you are not totally satisfied, email me at calvin@lykki.com and I'll personally see you are credited every penny and $5.00 more for your troubles.

Click here to order a box from our snazzy website. 

Cheers
Calvin

Working Happy

Our new additional of 4000 sq. ft. of office space sure has come in handy for doing brainstorming sessions. We have a large area dedicated to just that task. With white boards, flip chart paper and a projector we have a blast gathering people to toss out crazy ideas and see what sticks.

Today we were looking for tag line ideas. In the past we have used tag lines such as More Than Just Office Supplies, IT'S EASY BEING GREEN, and recently trademarked Work Happy. Although we love Work Happy, it is more of our Mantra than a tag line so we wanted something that had Office Supplies in the line. Our result out of hundreds of great ideas, and a few beers later was "Delivering Office Supply Happiness".

Yeah, I'm happy with that :-)

Cheers

Calvin

Express Copy is back!

It's Baaaaack!

Our Express Copy Paper is back after a short hiatus. This is our 4th version of our popular house brand paper as we increase the brightness to 96 Brite.

Over the years, the brightness of our Express Copy has increased from 84 Brite - 88 Brite - 92 Brite and now 96 Brite.

Skids of Express Copy in the warehouse

Our Express Copy Paper is a premium everyday sheet for use in all machines. We are excited to offer Express Copy at $39.96 per case - (The comparable paper would be Staples Brand Red Box Paper at $46.96.)

Express Copy is a Smile project item!

We are also happy to announce that partial proceeds from the sale of Express Copy will be donated to BC Children's Hospital through our charity The Smile Project.

Cheers,

Calvin

More on Office Depot's State Contract Problems

Recently I spoke to a customer who was kind enough to call me and let me know our prices were fair, even a bit cheaper, but not enough to possibly change suppliers. They were really on the fence as to whether or not to change.

I suggested to let us do the analysis for them and show how we can really save them a ton of money. All we needed was the past few invoices and we would do the analysis ourselves. (At any time we can have dozens of them on the go for customers, and we have software to make the process accurate and quick).

The customer informed me that their finance people would not allow us to see their invoices. I have always wondered what the reason is that customers won't show us what they currently pay. Without the correct information to start with, how do any of the parties know what the best cost of the products is, or who would be the best supplier?

In this month's Independent Dealer - a monthly e-zine publication for the Office Supplies Dealer, there is an update on the Office Depot overcharging problems and lawsuits that are ongoing in each state. It was my friend Rick who helped crack the whole Office Depot overcharging case wide open a few years ago, all because he was supplied real invoices to do an analysis for an independent Office Supplier in the states.  

Where I going with this is, let suppliers see your invoices - only two things will happen. Lower Prices, or the bidding company will say they can't compete. Either way, you - the customer - wins.

Over charging is a common practice with the big box office supply companies, and they love it when customers refuse to turn over invoices to the Independent Dealer.

Here are a few issues Office Depot is now having now that each invoice is being audited.

California

• San Francisco City Auditors' Report: Office Depot Did Not Comply With Its Contract and Has Overcharged the City at Least $5.75 Million
• City Controller's Office finds overcharges, other irregularities on City of Los Angeles' contract with Office Depot for office supplies.
• Berkeley Daily Planet: City Says Office Depot Overcharged on Supply Contract

Colorado

• CBS4 in Denver reports: Attorney General's office investigating Office Depot for possibly cheating school districts out of money

Florida

• Florida Attorney General Reaches $4.5 Million Settlement with Office Depot
• Auditor Says Office Depot May Have Overcharged Florida County $1 Million
• City Audit finds Office Depot Overcharged Pembroke Pines
• Palm Beach Post: Office Depot Inc. overcharged Lee County by almost $60,000, according to a report by that county's internal audit department.
• FOX 4 TV: Whistle Blows on Office Depot
• Palm Beach Post: State probes Office Depot pricing

Georgia

• A CBS Atlanta investigation uncovers a $1.5 million waste of school children's money
• A CBS Atlanta reporter looks into claims that Office Depot is charging a local school district more for school supplies than it does the general public.
• Atlanta Journal Constitution: State Ends Contract with Office Depot

Missouri

• State Attorney General announces judgment in Office Depot case --company pays $320,000 restitution
• State AG Putting Office Depot Under Microscope

Nebraska

• State Auditor's Press Release: Office Depot Overcharging State of Nebraska

North Carolina

• WRAL News: State auditor looking at Office Depot deals again
• State Auditors Find Office Depot Overcharged North Carolina Agencies by Over $294,000
• State Auditor's Report on Office Depot Contract

Ohio

• Office Depot pricing practices now under investigation in six states

Texas

• The Dallas Morning News: Office Depot accused of overcharging state agencies, cities, school districts

Washington

• State Auditor Finds Nearly $300,000 in Overcharges in Three-Month Period