ASI®Announces Shopping Program for Office Supplies

TREVOSE, PA – July 9, 2007 – Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI), the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry, announced today that it is providing a new discount shopping program for office supplies from OfficeMax. 

The program is called OfficeMax Partner Advantage™ and it provides ASI members with average savings of 30% off commercial list prices on more than 10,000 office supplies – including business furniture and equipment. 

In addition, program participants will work with an account executive from OfficeMax to receive personal pricing on a list of up to 50 of their most frequently purchased items for their business, allowing them to save even more off the average retail discount.

Within a few months, deeper discounts will also be available on over 100 products that are ordered most frequently by the group of ASI members who are enrolled.

“ASI members have been asking us for a program like this,” said Timothy M. Andrews, president and chief executive officer for ASI.  “I’m proud to provide this valuable and exclusive program at no additional cost – participation is free for all ASI distributors and suppliers.”

“Prices provided in this program are lower than at other large office supply outlets,” Andrews said.  “ASI members can use the substantial savings to invest in more advertising, marketing and staff resources to grow sales and will have more time for selling by being able to shop online anytime from almost anywhere.” 

This is the first discount program for office products in the advertising specialty industry.

Those who enroll can shop around-the-clock using the program’s commercial Website – www.officemaxsolutions.com the commercial catalog, or at any of the 900 OfficeMax superstores nationwide.

There is also a lowest-price guarantee, and a lower price will be honored on products in the program’s commercial Website or commercial catalog if shoppers find them cheaper elsewhere.

“ASI has been considering several office supply partners,” said Karyn Coates, executive director of affiliate relations for ASI.  “We chose OfficeMax because it has a wide selection of office supplies, its representatives provide incredible service, and there is savings for products available online, in the commercial catalog and in the stores.  There is even free shipping for in-stock orders over $50.” 

The new shopping program for office supplies joins more than ten other member savings programs from ASI, including discounts on UPS® shipping, group health insurance options from MMIC, credit card processing with Access Group, and digital artwork services with Affinity Express. 

ASI members will receive a letter from OfficeMax this month with more information about the program.

To sign up for the new shopping program for office supplies from ASI, go to  www.asicentral.com/officemax, call OfficeMax at 800-248-6343, press 0,  or visit the OfficeMax booth (#1846) at The ASI Show! Chicago, July 10-12.  For more information, contact Karyn Coates, executive director of affiliate relations for ASI, at [email protected].

About ASI
Advertising Specialty Institute is the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry, with a membership of 24,000 distributor firms (sellers) and supplier firms (manufacturers) of advertising specialties.  Supplier firms use ASI print and electronic resources to market products to more than 20,000 ASI distributor firms.  Distributor firms use ASI print and electronic resources, which contain more than 750,000 ad specialties, to locate supplier firms and to market services to buyers.  ASI provides catalogs, informational directories, newsletters, magazines, websites and databases, and offers interactive e-commerce, marketing and selling tools.  Visit www.asicentral.com.