7 Things to Consider Before Opting for Office Supplies Delivery

Think about cost, quality & reputation

Running to a store every time your business needs something is inefficient and inconvenient. As an alternative, consider an office supplies delivery service. By getting goods shipped right to your workplace, you can save time, money and hassle. A delivery service can help you better manage your inventory, preventing last-minute supply runs—or unhappy customers who can’t find what they need.

If you opt for a business supplies delivery service, though, doing your research beforehand is very important. The right supplier should be able to offer the products you need, when you need them, at prices that you can comfortably afford. We’ve compiled a list of seven important factors to think about before you partner with a delivery service. Any provider that can meet all of these criteria is well worth your business.

Office supplies delivery: factors to consider

While no office supplies delivery company is perfect, you may be able to find one that’s right for your business. When weighing these seven factors, remember that some will be more valuable to your particular organization than others.

1. Vendor reputation

Before you place your first order with a supplier, you’ll want to know that you’ll actually get what you need, when you need it. As such, the first thing you’ll want to do is research that supplier’s reputation. Companies that deliver high-quality goods, at affordable prices, within reasonable time frames will most likely get good buzz, both online and by word of mouth. Conversely, companies that deliver shoddy products, at inflated prices, while missing important deadlines, will most likely leave negative impressions.

While a company’s reputation never tells the whole story (disgruntled customers are more likely to leave bad reviews), learning how other buyers perceive a supplier is a great place to start. You can do your own research via search engines and social media, or simply ask other contacts in your field to share their experiences.

2. Pricing

If you’re lucky, you may find that getting office supplies delivered is less expensive than buying them in-store. However, if the cost is the same—or even if delivery is pricier—you may still find that getting goods shipped to you provides a better value.

Remember that sending an employee to buy supplies has both a monetary cost and an opportunity cost. The former is what you pay your employee, while the latter is what the employee could be doing instead. While your employee makes the same amount of money either way, buying supplies may be a less valuable use of their time than doing their daily tasks, or working on a specialized project.

To determine whether an office supplies delivery service would save money, think about what that service charges for goods—and how much you’re currently paying your staff for supply runs.

3. Delivery frequency & lead times

No matter which service you choose, getting goods delivered requires a little forethought and planning. Different vendors have different delivery schedules, and they need varying amounts of lead time to put orders together.

There’s no “right” speed or frequency for deliveries. Instead, consider what your company needs, and how often you need it. A grocery store selling fresh fruit, for example, might need quick deliveries, with a shipping manifest that changes every day. On the other hand, a large printing shop may be able to go months between fresh batches of paper.

Before committing to a delivery service, make a list of supplies that you order on a regular basis, and determine how quickly you go through them. Then, you’ll know what kind of frequency and lead times to look for.

4. Product quality

Quality, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. While there’s no objective standard for a product’s quality, you’ll still want to determine whether a supplier sells reliable, functional and consistent goods. At the same time, you’ll want to make sure that the supplies match your company’s overall style and budget. For example: while the finest cuts of meat and the fanciest liquors might be high-quality ingredients, they’d be an unnecessary expense at a casual neighborhood restaurant.

Before you commit to a supplier, research the brands that it sells, and evaluate whether those brands are a good fit for your company. If possible, also ensure that the company actually delivers the brands it advertises.

5. Rapid response

Setting up a regular delivery schedule should keep you well-stocked most of the time. However, unexpected situations—both good and bad—do crop up now and then. Most companies have peak periods, when they sell more goods or services than usual. During these times, they need more supplies than they normally do, and on much tighter timetables. You should research whether a prospective office supplies delivery service can accommodate your company during peak times—or, better still, if the service has a history of doing so.

Similarly, the occasional emergency is an unpleasant but unavoidable part of managing a business. Figure out the absolute minimum amount of lead time required to deliver various quantities of items, either by checking the service’s website or calling a representative directly.

6. Sustainability

No matter what a supplier sells or how it transports its goods, it’s going to produce a carbon footprint. Even if sustainability isn’t a cornerstone of your business, your customers will care whether you embrace environmentally friendly products and practices.

In practice, researching this information can be difficult. Many different metrics contribute to a company’s sustainability, and they’re not all available to third parties. Nonprofits such as Impaakt measure sustainability at large companies, while life-cycle assessment (LCA) databases can tell you more about an individual product or process’s carbon footprint.

7. Technology integration

Suppliers used to coordinate deliveries via mail and telephone. While it’s still possible to do that, most modern services have some kind of online component. This can be as simple as sharing spreadsheets via email or as complex as creating a custom smartphone app.

Using an office supply online store has a number of advantages over coordinating by phone. Once you create an account, you can usually see past orders, track the progress of current deliveries and set up recurring shipments in the future. Over time, you can analyze your company’s buying habits and discover where you could be more efficient. You can also store a credit card and share access among multiple employees, helping to spread out the work of finding and ordering supplies.

The pros & cons of office supplies delivery

Generally speaking, office supplies delivery is a convenient and cost-effective service. Reputable vendors can deliver the goods you need and supply them at reasonable prices—particularly if you buy in bulk. You can schedule regular deliveries, or call in quick shipments during urgent situations. Your employees can focus on their own tasks rather than running to and from stores.

On the other hand, relying on a delivery service does have some potential drawbacks. Suppliers are businesses, too, which means they can also encounter unforeseen difficulties. Items can run out of stock, delivery vehicles can get stuck, suppliers can process orders incorrectly, prices can change at the last minute or any other number of problems can arise. When this happens, you may not be able to do much except wait it out—or send your employees out for supplies, just as you would without a delivery service.

Get office supplies delivered through Walmart Business

If you’re ready to take advantage of an office supplies delivery service, then sign up for a free Walmart Business account. With it, you’ll enjoy low prices on workplace necessities, the ability to buy goods in bulk and a full order history for both in-store and online purchases. You can also share the account among multiple users.

Already have an account? Upgrade with a Walmart Business+ membership. Walmart Business+ provides free shipping,¹ as well as free delivery from nearby Walmart stores on orders $35 and up.² You’ll also earn 2% Walmart Business cash back rewards on any purchase of $250 or more.³ These benefits could help your organization save more than $500 per year.⁴ With Walmart Business deliveries, your employees can focus on doing what they do best: their own jobs.

¹ Excludes most Marketplace items, freight and certain location surcharges.

² Restrictions apply.

³ Rewards can only be used toward future purchases on Walmart Business. Additional terms apply.

⁴ Savings based on 1 free $35+ delivery order vs. $9.95 fee and 1 free shipping order under $35 vs. $6.99 fee biweekly, plus 2% Walmart Business Rewards on monthly order >$250 (average value of $400).