Office Depot Prepares Kids and Parents for Back to School Season with Expert Tips and Solutions

Strategic Insights -

Office Depot is gearing up for the back-to-school season by offering expert advice and innovative solutions to help kids and parents prepare for a successful academic year. As part of its 2006 "Great Tools To Start School" campaign, Office Depot has partnered with parenting expert Stacy DeBroff to create the "Organized to Learn" online guide, which provides helpful hints and organization solutions specifically designed to tackle the challenges of getting ready for a new school year.

Key Takeaways:

  • According to a recent survey conducted by MomCentral.com, more than half of parents feel that they cannot help their children get organized for school due to a lack of time or knowledge.
  • The new Organized to Learn guide, created with Stacy DeBroff, offers solutions and tools for improving kids' organizational know-how, including tips geared towards helping children based on their ages and grade levels.
  • Among the major trends this back-to-school season are the increasing use of technology for the classroom and products that are specifically designed to keep backpacks, lockers, and desks more organized.
  • Office Depot is showcasing TUG backpacks, which feature multiple pockets and ergonomically designed padding to prevent back aches ($9.99 - $29.99).
  • The Mead Five Star Flex Hybrid NoteBinder can be customized with folders, reinforced notepaper, and color dividers to encourage good paper management ($8.99).
  • The Boone Reversible Dry-Erase & Natural Cork Puzzle Tiles allow children to post notes and to-do lists with fun, unique designs and then cross off each item or task after it has been completed ($14.99).
  • The Ativa Flash Memory Drive and the San Disk Sansa MP3 player are ideal for students of all ages, helping them work more efficiently with technology ($29.99 - $114.99 and $89.99).
  • The Mead Wrist Reminders are temporary paper-bracelets that children can wear to remember to do anything, from turning in permission slips to being home at a certain time ($2.49).

Statistics:

  • More than half of parents (55%) feel that they cannot help their children get organized for school due to a lack of time or knowledge (MomCentral.com survey).
  • Office Depot has 1,049 retail stores in North America as of April 1, 2006.
  • The company generates over $3.8 billion in e-commerce sales, making it one of the world's largest e-commerce retailers.
  • Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel, from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce.

Sources:

  • Office Depot press release, "Office Depot Prepares Kids and Parents for Back to School Season with Expert Tips and Solutions" (no date).
  • MomCentral.com survey, "Back to School Survey" (no date).
  • Stacy DeBroff's website, "MomCentral.com" (no date).
  • Office Depot's website, "www.officedepot.com" (no date).
  • Office Depot's investor relations website, "http://mediarelations.officedepot.com" (no date).