Here's my take: the "single vendor" strategy is overhyped for 2025.
When I took over purchasing in 2020, my first move was to consolidate everything into one mega-supplier. Lights, paper clips, printer toner—one PO, one invoice, one point of contact. Sounded efficient. But here's what I didn't anticipate: the more you consolidate for convenience, the more you pay for the stuff that actually matters.
Take office furniture and printing. You don't buy a standing desk from the same place you buy copy paper. And you definitely don't buy a Fully Jarvis standing desk from a generic office superstore. The specs, the warranty support, the quality variance—they're worlds apart.
My biggest lesson: assume nothing, verify everything
I made a classic assumption failure early on. I assumed that if one supplier carried "business-grade" furniture, they would also handle specialty items like my Fully Jarvis standing desk (bamboo, 30'' x 24'') with the same care. Didn't verify. Turned out their "assembled" version cost $150 more and used lower-quality screws. The replacement parts were a different color grade. The whole thing was a headache.
Now, I use a specialized vendor for specialty print (like sublimation printer supplies) and another for furniture. The overhead of managing two vendors? Minimal. The peace of mind? Priceless.
What about printing? Don't get me started.
Ever needed to print a Pokemon binder insert for a company giveaway? Or had someone ask, "how do I get my printer online?" for the tenth time? Sure, printing is a pain point in any office. But here's the thing: when you separate your furniture budget from your print budget, you can optimize both.
For print, I learned the penny-wise-pound-foolish lesson hard. Saved $80 by skipping expedited shipping on an urgent batch of flyers. Ended up spending $400 on a rush reorder when the standard delivery missed our deadline. Now I pay for the turnaround I need—and I don't mix my print vendor with my furniture vendor.
The counterargument: but won't you spend more time on admin?
Someone's gonna say, "Managing multiple vendors is inefficient." I used to think that too. But here's what I found: the real inefficiency is having a supplier that's great at selling paper but terrible at standing desks.
For the Jarvis, I go direct or through a specialist. For printing, I use a dedicated online print shop. The admin time? Maybe an extra hour per quarter. The cost savings and quality improvement more than justify it.
Bottom line: specialized products deserve specialized vendors
If your office needs a Fully Jarvis standing desk (bamboo, 30'' x 24''), don't buy it from the same supplier that sells your printer toner. You'll pay more, get worse support, and probably end up ordering a replacement anyway. And if you're still wrestling with "how do I get my printer online"—well, that's a different problem for a different day. Just don't let it distract you from making smart furniture choices.
Trust me on this one. I've made both mistakes. The single-vendor dream? Works for staples. Not for standing desks.
