"Although the demand for paper-based products is on the decline in developed markets due to industry automation and IT integration, growth prospects have increased for the printer and computer supplies manufacturers," says Brijesh Kumar Choubey, senior analyst at Technavio for the general retail goods and services industry.

The top three emerging trends in the global office stationery and supply market are:

Multichannel marketing

Manufacturers and retailers are using various channels to market their products through the online or offline medium. In this era of online shopping, the office stationery and supply market is also putting their product offerings on the online platform with the help of e-tailers. Some manufacturers and retailers are now also coming up with their own online portals.

Growing demand for computer/printer supplies

IT integration and industry automation has driven the market for this segment. The toner cartridges category has become the largest contributor in this market as their demand is rising, growing at a CAGR of more than 9 percent through 2019.

Business expansion through mergers and acquisitions

Leading players in the market desire mass market penetration which is achieved through M&As with their competitors to increase their market footprint.

Packaging innovation and green products

Every industry across the globe is moving towards green projects to become more eco-friendly. The office stationery and supply industry is also doing the same.

Source: Technavio