Buy Local, Stop Price Gouging

Buy LocalAlmost twenty years in the making, Staples and Office Depot have announced an official merger of the two big box companies. At $6.3 billion, this agreement could possibly help the failing Office Depot from ruin. In 1996, the two companies had tried to merge but the Federal Trade Commission vetoed the idea stating that the combination would ultimately raise prices for customers.

Since the growth of small business and the push to buy local, the Staple-Office Depot merger has once again come up. Since Office Depot purchased Office Max in 2013 there has become less competition for big box office supply companies leaving Staples as the number one seller. However, the predicament is that with Staples having a monopoly on the office supply chain store market, they can have extreme pricing authority.

Protecting America’s Consumers

The Federal Trade Commission was designed to protect the consumer from companies gouging prices.

 So What Does This Mean For You?

Buy local! Supporting local businesses is a must to stop astronomical price increases. For starters you are keeping your hard earned money within your local community. Money spent here will continue to recirculate locally and can go into community funded projects. Don’t forget the fact that local businesses employ your friends and family. In economic hardships, a smaller company is more likely to strive to keep its loyal employees and fight layoffs. Many expect that if the merger goes through, Staples will close around 1,000 stores nationwide which in turn hurts building owners, advertisers, and of course store employees.

Remember that as a local business, SourceOne makes every attempt to provide top quality service and products.