Office Depot
Encyclopedia
Office Depot is a supplier of office products and provides many services. The company's selection of brand name office supplies includes business machines, computers, computer software and office furniture, while its business services encompass copying, printing, document reproduction, shipping, and computer setup and repair.
An S&P 500 company, Office Depot generates revenues of over US $14 billion annually and has 42,000 employees worldwide. It is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida
.
in 1983 and renamed Mr. HOW Warehouse. The catalog showroom chain eventually sold off the Mr. HOW units to a variety of buyers, including Builders Square
, the home center warehouse subsidiary of Kmart
Corp. They envisioned a warehouse-style store for office products where customers could purchase items in bulk for discounted prices. This concept lead to starting Office Depot, and the company opened its first store at Lakes Mall
in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
in October 1986. The company saw steady growth throughout the years, and opened the 1000th Office Depot North American retail store in Countryside, Illinois
in 2005.
survey.
s, including:
.,” a title the company continues to hold. Also in 2005, Office Depot signed on as the primary sponsor of the #99 Office Depot Ford, owned by Roush Fenway Racing and driven by Carl Edwards
.
In 2008, Office Depot announced that it would become co-primary sponsor for Tony Stewart
and the No. 14 Chevrolet
at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009.
Stores operating with the Office Depot name under joint venture / license agreements
An S&P 500 company, Office Depot generates revenues of over US $14 billion annually and has 42,000 employees worldwide. It is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
History
Office Depot was founded in March 1986 by the late F. Patrick Sher, the former chairman and chief executive officer, Dougherty, president, and Jack Kopkin, executive vice president. All were formerly associated with Home-owner's Warehouse, the home improvement company that Sher sold to Service MerchandiseService Merchandise
Service Merchandise is an online retailer and former retailer chain of catalog showroom stores carrying fine jewelry, toys, sporting goods, and electronics that existed for 68 years...
in 1983 and renamed Mr. HOW Warehouse. The catalog showroom chain eventually sold off the Mr. HOW units to a variety of buyers, including Builders Square
Builders Square
Builders Square was founded as a big-box home improvement retailer headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. A subsidiary of Kmart, its format was quite similar to Home Depot, Menards and Lowe's with floor space of about . Builder's Square.com, Inc. has its headquarters in Edison, New Jersey...
, the home center warehouse subsidiary of Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
Corp. They envisioned a warehouse-style store for office products where customers could purchase items in bulk for discounted prices. This concept lead to starting Office Depot, and the company opened its first store at Lakes Mall
Lakes Mall
Lakes Mall was an enclosed shopping mall in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. Opened in 1972, the shopping center initially featured Jefferson Ward and Britt's discount stores, and later included the first locations for the retail chains Office Depot and The Sports Authority...
in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
Lauderdale Lakes, Florida
Lauderdale Lakes is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 32,593. It is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is home to 5,564,635 people....
in October 1986. The company saw steady growth throughout the years, and opened the 1000th Office Depot North American retail store in Countryside, Illinois
Countryside, Illinois
Countryside is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,991 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Countryside is located at ....
in 2005.
Other events and milestones
- 1988 – Initial public offering of stock.
- 1991 – Expands to the West Coast of the United States by merging with Office Club.
- 1992 - Increases operations in North America by acquiring The Great Canadian Office Supplies Warehouse Chain.
- 1993 - Enters contract stationer business by acquiring Wilson Stationery & Printing Company and Eastman Office Products Corporation.
- 1994 – Begins international expansion by signing joint venture agreement with Grupo Gigante in Mexico and licensing agreements with Israel, Colombia and Poland.
- 1995 – Opens 500th store in North America as well as stores in Mexico and Poland; signs joint venture agreement to open stores in France and licensing agreement to open store in Thailand; establishes Business Services Division (now Business Solutions Division).
- 1996 – Launches B-to-B e-commerce Web site.
- 1997 – Furthers international footprint by venturing into Hungary; operates 45 locations outside the United States.
- 1998 – Launches www.officedepot.com; merges with Viking Office Products, the leading direct marketer of office products in Europe and Australia.
- 1999 – Launches first international Office Depot Web site, www.viking-direct.co.uk; listed on Standard & Poor’s 500 Index.
- 2000 - Enters European contract stationer market with launch of the European Business Services Division.
- 2001 – Acquires 4sure.com.
- 2002 - Begins Viking Direct catalog/direct mail operations in Switzerland, Spain and Portugal; expands into Central America with new retail stores in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Costa Rica through a joint licensing agreement.
- 2003 – Doubles European business with acquisition of Guilbert, S.A.; becomes the first office supply superstore to offer fully functional and comprehensive Spanish website.
- 2004 - Introduces “Green Book” catalog of environmentally preferable products, as well as the first free, nationwide in-store electronics recycling program and free, in-store cell phone and rechargeable battery recycling program in all stores in the U.S. and Canada.
- 2005 - Names Neil Austrian interim Chief Executive Officer; relaunches “Taking Care of Business” tagline.
- 2005 – Names Steve Odland Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
- 2006 - Celebrates its 20th anniversary; acquires Best Office Co., Ltd., Allied Office Products, Papirius s.r.o., and AsiaEc.
- 2007 – Joins US Green Building Council; opens first store in Puerto Rico and new Global Sourcing Office in Shenzhen, China.
- 2008 – Introduces “Office Depot Green” product line; unveils first "Green" store in Austin, TexasAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
and received LEEDLeadership in Energy and Environmental DesignLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....
Gold Certification from USGBC; announces alliance with Netbizz Office Supplies in Singapore, AGE in Sweden, and bigboXX.com in Hong Kong. - 2009 – Signs franchise agreement with M.H. Alshaya Co.; opens first store in KuwaitKuwaitThe State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
. - 2011 - Furthers international footprint into Dominican RepublicDominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.; opens first store in Santo Domingo, capital city, with expansions to follow in all major cities of the country.
Online
The domain officedepot.com attracted at least 37 million visitors annually according to a 2008 Compete.comCompete.com
Compete.com is a web traffic analysis service of Compete, Inc. which operates in the United States and publishes the approximate number of global visitors to the top 1,000,000 web sites in the world...
survey.
Store Layout
Beginning in 2004, then CEO Bruce Nelson introduced its new retail format dubbed M2. Some of the aspects include:- Products are grouped in highly visible, strategically located "pods"
- Core supplies are housed in the outer perimeter of the store
- Low sightlines throughout the store designed for optimal visibility
- Clear signage that allows for easy purchase
- Furniture and technology at the center of the store
- Copy & Print Depot services in every store
Private label brands
In addition to selling many name brands, Office Depot sells products under several store brandStore brand
Store brands are a line of products sold by a retailer under a single marketing identity. They bear a similarity to the concept of House brands, Private label brands in the United States, own brands in the UK, and home brands in Australia and generic brands...
s, including:
- Ativa
- Ativa Mobil-IT
- Ativa iSeries
- Café Delray
- Foray
- i.e.
- Office Depot
- Office Depot Green
- RealSpace
- RealSpace Pro
- TUG
Office Depot Worklife Rewards
On June 1, 2006, Office Depot launched the Worklife Rewards program, which combined several benefits of the former “Advantage Reward” and Star Teacher programs. The Worklife Rewards program issues members a return of 10% on all ink, toner, paper and Copy & Print services. Beginning in January 2011, Office Depot began requiring email addresses for all Worklife Rewards signups, in an attempt to go green and distribute rewards via email. Other customer benefits include:- No limit to the amount of rewards members can earn. Rewards are paid in the form of an Office Depot Reward Card when you earn a minimum of $10.
- Reward balances that carry over to the next quarter. If Worklife Rewards members do not earn the required $10 in rewards during a calendar quarter, reward balances will carry over quarter to quarter during the calendar year.
- Online account management.
- Savings on travel, retail and service purchases through the “My Worklife Partners” program at [www.myworkliferewards.com].
- Exclusive coupons as well as in-store savings on select items.
Star Teacher Program
The Star Teacher Program is specifically for educators and school administrators, and incorporates the benefits of the Office Depot Worklife Rewards Program. In addition to Worklife Rewards benefits, the Star Teacher program also carries a 15% discount on copy center purchases. Office Depot holds many events for teachers at its stores, including bi-annual Teacher Appreciation Breakfasts that offer free breakfast, giveaways and discounts for teachers.5% Back To Schools Program
The 5% Back To Schools Program contributes a portion of a purchase to a local school as a store credit that the school may use to purchase Office Depot merchandise. Schools must register with the program to receive the store credit. Purchases of basic school supplies qualify for the program, some exclusions apply.Ink and Toner Recycling
Office Depot’s Ink and Toner Recycling program encourages customers to recycle their used ink cartridges. Members of the Office Depot Worklife Rewards or Star Teacher programs can bring in empty cartridges for recycling to an Office Depot store. Customers receive $2 back in rewards (paid in the form of an Office Depot Reward card) for each cartridge recycled, up to 10 a month.Environmental Programs
Office Depot has structured its environmental strategy around three concepts: Buying Green, Being Green and Selling Green. Initiatives supporting this strategy include:Buying Green
- By investing more than $20 million in energy efficiency initiatives in 2005, Office Depot reduced its electricity and absolute carbon-dioxide emissions from North American facilities by over 10% in 2006.
- In 2004, Office Depot Office Depot cut all global contracts with Asia Pulp & Paper because of APP’s forestry practices.
Being Green
- In 2008, Office Depot created a dedicated brand of green office products: Office Depot Green™, and built the world’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified retail store prototype in Austin, TX. The store obtained LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
- Also in 2008, Office Depot won the BSI British Standards award for Innovation. These awards are open to any UK organization certified to ISO 14001, which is the world’s only international environmental management system standard.
- In Europe, Office Depot’s UK Headquarters is a green building, having achieved a BREEAMBREEAMBRE Environmental Assessment Method is a voluntary measurement rating for green buildings that was established in the UK by the Building Research Establishment . Since its inception it has since grown in scope and geographically, being exported in various guises across the globe...
“Very Good” Rating. - In 2010, Office Depot's Headquarters in Boca Raton, FL was awarded LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Council for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance.
Selling Green
- Office Depot offers more than 6,500 products with environmental attributes and certifications.
- Office Depot offers numerous green solutions for its customers, including The Green Book™, Greener Office website, Ink and Toner Cartridge Recycling Program and a Tech Recycling Service.
Sponsorships
In 2005, Office Depot became the “Official Office Products Partner of NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
.,” a title the company continues to hold. Also in 2005, Office Depot signed on as the primary sponsor of the #99 Office Depot Ford, owned by Roush Fenway Racing and driven by Carl Edwards
Carl Edwards
Carl Michael Edwards, II is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #99 Fastenal/Aflac Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series and the #60 Ford in the Nationwide Series for Roush Fenway Racing...
.
In 2008, Office Depot announced that it would become co-primary sponsor for Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart
Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart is an American auto racing driver and owner. Throughout his racing career, Stewart has won titles in Indy cars and stock cars as well as midget, sprint and USAC Silver Crown cars, giving him the recognition of "one of the finest racers of his generation."Stewart...
and the No. 14 Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2009.
Activities per country
Stores owned by and operated under the Office Depot name
United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(Planned to close June 11, 2011)
FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
HungaryHungaryHungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...- Dominican RepublicDominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Stores operating with the Office Depot name under joint venture / license agreements
MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
(with Grupo GiganteGrupo GiganteGrupo Gigante is a holding listed at Mexican Stock Exchange founded in 1962, enterpises includes: Office Depot, The Home Store, SuperPrecio and Toks, hypermarkets and supermarket are sold in 2008 to Soriana...
's joint venture)
Costa RicaCosta RicaCosta Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
El SalvadorEl SalvadorEl Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
HondurasHondurasHonduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
PanamaPanamaPanama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...