This article was originally published on April 5, 2017 on JOC.com (Journal of Commerce)
By Danny Cipollone, director of strategic alliances and e-commerce, Livingston International
Walk into any office supply store and you’re likely to find exactly what you would expect it to carry — stationery, writing utensils, file folders, computers, printers, even office furniture.
But online, that office supplies store is a very different kind of retailer. It isn’t just a digital manifestation of its bricks-and-mortar sibling. Rather, it – and every other major retailer – is a competitor to the omni-present and ever-growing e-commerce behemoth, Amazon.
As anyone who has searched online for a product knows, Amazon sells everything. Not just office supplies. Not just books. Not just music. Not just electronics. Everything. Amazon is a ubiquitous one-stop shop, and its competitors are beginning to realize — at least to some extent — they’ll to need to follow suit.
Today, if you want to buy makeup, you’re likely to find it on the e-commerce site of an office supplies store. Looking for toys? Try a home-renovation shop’s e-commerce platform. Yes, for toys. With Amazon treading on the turf of just about everyone, Big Box stores have had to broaden their online selection to include products not traditionally associated with their brands.