NPD Group: Protests fueled January office supplies spending

NEW YORK — New data from The NPD Group is highlighting how the widely publicized and attended Jan. 21 Women’s March on Washington — which reportedly saw more than 600 offshoots in the United States and abroad — had a lifting effect on office supplies sales in January. 

 

From Jan. 15-21 — the week that includes the inauguration and the Women’s March — poster board sales were up 33%, and foam boards saw sales rise 42% over the same week in 2016. During that week, total poster and foam board sales were $4.1 million. In January, 6.5 million poster boards were sold overall, with a third of those sales coming the week of the demonstration. Easel pads and flip chart sales grew 28%. 

 

Sales increased across the office supplies category for tools that help craft signs as well. Sales of paint markers increased 35%, specialty markers grew 24% in sales and permanent marker sales saw a 12% lift. That week also saw a 27% rise in glue sales, a 12% increase in adhesive sales, 6% more scissors sales and a 4% rise in sales of paper punches. And with many attendees opting for t-shirts, their purchases led to fabric paint sales to increase threefold during the lead up to the march, compared with the rest of January. 

 

“More events have taken place since the January march, and there is discussion that similar events are planned for the future, presenting an opportunity for retailers and manufacturers to monitor and prepare for product demand in larger cities where they typically occur,” NPD Group director and industry analyst for office supplies Leen Nsouli wrote on the company’s blog. “Regardless of personal views on the current political climate, consumers’ demand for products that allow them to creatively express themselves represents an opportunity for incremental sales.”