Top online office supply companies are Quill, Viking, Office Max, and Staples. Read about their pricing policies, shipping and handling charges, rewards and perks, and each company's specific special features. Then, you will be able to shop online with ease.
Introduction
With the many online shopping opportunities that are available today and the rising costs of gasoline, purchasing office supplies online and having them delivered is a good way to save both time and money. However, determining which online office-supply company is the best for your company takes some research.
When you shop for an office-supply company, you want one that will be able to supply your needs, give fast and cost-effective shipping and delivery options, and provide the kind of customer service that you deserve. Here are reviews of four of the most popular online office supply companies: Quill, Viking, Staples, and Office Max. Which is best for you?
Quill
Shipping Costs
Quill has many advantages. Fist it offers free shipping for in stock items if your order is over $45. Delivery is done through UPS and your order will usually arrive within 3 working days after you place your order. Large orders and special order items may take longer, but Quill is very good at letting you know ahead of time when you can expect your order to arrive.
Pricing
Another advantage of this online store is that they will give you a price discount if you order in large quantities. What constitutes a large order will depend on the price and size of the item being ordered. Quill's print and online catalogues have quantity price listings for three quantity price categories such as 1, 2-12, 13-24, etc. If you want to purchase a quantity that is greater than the largest quantity listed, you can call the order department and see if they offer an even lower price than what is printed for the quantity that you want to order.
Generally speaking Quill is often the lowest priced online office supply store around, especially if you purchase their Quill Brand products instead of name brand items. The quality of Quill Brand items is often very good, however, if you aren’t sure if you want to purchase Quill Brand items instead of the name brand, you can request a sample of the product before you make a decision.
Ordering Options
Quill has a virtual catalogue and shopping cart that you can utilize to make your office supply purchase online. You can also call their toll free order line, fax in your order, or even fill out an order form and mail it directly to the Quill company.
Payment Methods
Quill offers several payment options. If your company, or you, have good credit you can open a business credit account and charge your purchases. If you utilize this payment option then you can place your orders without a prepayment. You will then receive an invoice after your order has shipped. If you don’t want to open a business account you can pay via credit card, money order, or a check.
Leasing
Leasing is another option that Quill offers on items that are priced over $1,000 through Quill's Leasing Group. The lease rate will depend on the value of the item, shipping charges, applicable sales taxes, and service charges. To lease an item you may be required to put down a 10% security deposit as well a pay the first and last month payments for the leased item. For more information on leasing options you can contact Quill.
Return Policy and Customer Service
Quill is great in regards to their dedication to customer service. If you receive a product that is defective or if it is not what you wanted, you simply have to call their 1-800 number and tell them about the problem. If they want the product returned they will send you a prepaid UPS label to return the item, or they may just tell you to keep the defective or wrong item instead of sending it back, and they will just send you the correct item or a replacement item.
Special Offers
Quill also has monthly sales and promotional offers. Free gifts are earned based on the amount of money that you spend on an order and they can range any where from an attaché case to a free TV or personal organizer. Free samples can also be order on new products and highlighted items.
Sale items often give you an addition 10-20% off Quill’s already low prices and can really help during high volume seasons such as tax season for CPA offices where large amounts of calculator roll paper is needed. Quill has profession specific catalogues that have sales and products selected that meet the supply needs of your general office needs as well as your professional office supply needs, such as forms, filing items, etc.
Viking Office Products
Shipping Options
Like Quill, Viking offers free shipping on order, however, unlike Quill to qualify for free shipping you only have to order $25 worth of merchandise. If your order is under $25 then the shipping fee is only $3.29. Also unlike Quill, Viking assesses a nominal processing and handling fee of $1.48 on all orders that exceed $25.
In addition to low shipping and handling fees, Viking also offers super fast delivery times. In 24 large cities such as Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, San Francisco, and Seattle, Viking can get your order to you the same day that you order it if your order is placed by 10:00 a.m.
Ordering Options
You can place your orders in several ways. You can order online by browsing through their online catalogue, placing items in your virtual shopping cart, and submitting your order. You can also call their order line at 1-800-421-1222, or fax your order to 1-800-762-7329. Your last option is to fill out an order form and mail it to Viking.
Payment Options
Like Quill, Viking offers a credit account to its customers that have good credit. If you open a Viking credit account you will have 30 interest free days before you will need to pay for your purchases. If you don’t want to open a Viking credit account then you can pay via credit card, check, or money order.
Return Policy and Customer Service
Viking offers several product guarantees. First every item is backed by a 30-Day, No-Risk, Free-Trial offer. If you are not satisfied for any reason you can return the item for a refund or credit to your account. If an item arrives at your location damaged Viking will correct the problem without a lot of red tape like other companies often make you go through before a damaged product is replaced or your money is refunded. If an item that you ordered through Viking breaks or doesn’t work the way you thought it would, you have an entire year to return it. To initiate a product return you can return the item with a written note about what is wrong and a copy of the original invoice and the situation will be corrected. Make sure to specify whether you want a refund or if you just want the product replaced. If you have any questions about Viking's return policies you can always call them for more information and instructions.
Office Max
Shipping Options
Office Max offers a 115% pricing guarantee which includes shipping charges. Shipping is free for order that are $50 as long as the delivery location is within Office Max’s trade area. If your order is less than $50 then there is a $7.95 shipping charge. In addition to these shipping policies some large and oversized items may have additional shipping charges applied to them. Check with your local Office Max or Office Max’s web site for shipping and handling charges related to these types of items.
Delivery Options
If you live within 20 miles of an Office Max and if you place your order before 5:00 p.m. local time, then Office Max will deliver your items by the next business day. If you live outside the 20-mile radius, then delivery times may take longer. If you will not be at home or at your office when delivery is expected, you will need to fill out a delivery release form so that the delivery driver will be able to leave your item(s) at you doorstep.
Pricing
Office Max offer a 115% price guarantee. If you find a lower price somewhere else for the same item found at an Office Max they will match the price. If you find the item at advertised for a lower price within 14 days of your Office Max purchase then they will refund you 115% of the difference up to $55. For example, if you buy a calculator for $30 and you find an advertisement for the same calculator at a difference store for only $20 the difference is $10 and your refund amount would be $15.
Return Policy and Customer Service
OficeMax.com does except returns as long as you have a receipt, the product is still in its original packaging, and it is within 30 days your purchase date. If the product is defective Office Max will replace or repair the item for you, or you can get your money back. If you want to return electronics, digital cameras, or business machines, you only have 14 days to return them. Office Max will not accept opened software or digital cameras unless they are defective. In those cases you can only exchange the defective product for the same product. Office Max will not exchange opened software for different software nor will they refund your money. This is to reduce the chances of people pirating software. If you order online you can return the products for credit at any Office Max store in the United States.
Staples
Shipping Options
Staples determines shipping charges based on the item’s size, weight, and delivery zone of the item. If you find lower shipping charges at another store then Staples will match the lower shipping price plus refund 110% of the difference.
Pricing
Like Office Max, Staples offers a price match guarantee, however, Staples’ price match is only 110% instead of 115% like Office Max. In order to qualify for Staples’ price match program, prices have to be from comparable store types. For example physical store prices are only matched to physical store prices, and they are not compared to web site prices.
Payment Options
Staples offers a store credit card option. There are no annual fees and you can earn rewards and special offers by making purchases at Staples with your Staples card. You can open a Staples Business Credit Account or a Staples Personal Credit Account. Staples also offers to send you a $5 coupon good on your next Staples purchase over $50. You can even view and manage your credit account on line.
If you don’t want to open a Staples account you can pay for your purchases online with another major credit card such as Visa or Master Card.
Rewards Program
The Staples Reward Program is a free program that allows you to earn free rewards when you shop at Staples physical stores or their online store. First you can earn 2% cash back, up to $15 per quarter, when you enroll in Staples Rewards Program. You also get free shipping on all of your phone and online orders no matter how big the order is. In addition to these perks you also get 20% cash back on your Copy and Print Center purchases up to $200 per quarter.
If you spend over $1,000 per year then you will automatically be upgraded to a Staples’ Reward Gold Club membership, and you will be able to earn 5% cash back, up to $30 per quarter.
Making Your Choice
When you are making a decision on what online office supply company to use, you will need to take into consideration several factors. Your first consideration should be what company do you feel the most comfortable using. If you have an Office Max or Staples in your area you may be more comfortable working with these companies because you are more familiar with their service and merchandise. However, you should also consider what company will give you the best price on the merchandise that you use the most. You may find that you can save more money by comparing the prices of specific items at several online office supply companies. Some stores may offer better prices on some items then others, and since you don’t have to drive to each store, you can buy from several different stores without wasting a lot of time and money on gas.
External Links:
Quill Website - Find pricing and supply information, or buy online