OfficeMax New Zealand is closing all of its retail stores due to a "changing market" compounded by Covid-19.
The office supply company has 14 retail stores across New Zealand, which could all be closed by October 2020.
Kevin Obern, OfficeMax's managing director, confirmed the closures in a statement today.
“OfficeMax New Zealand has made the difficult decision to close its retail network to reshape its business for the future, as it adapts to a changing market.
“This decision will see the closure of all 14 OfficeMax retail stores, located in Auckland (Mt Eden and Manukau), Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Hastings, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth, Rotorua, Tauranga, Wellington (Central and Petone) and Whangarei. Sadly, this means approximately 55 retail roles will be disestablished.
Mr Obern says it has been a "very difficult" decision. He says it is the company's priority to support its team – particularly those directly impacted by the closures.
“A retail review reflected the need for us as a business to make some really difficult decisions now, in order to position ourselves better for the future.
"The trend to increasing online purchasing, as well as changing office and work practices that have been compounded by Covid-19, means we also need to change and evolve to remain relevant to today’s market."
OfficeMax is currently working through a consultation process with all impacted retail team members to discuss the implications for each person.
"While we work through this consultation process, our key focus is on those impacted by the closure of the network.
“OfficeMax is proposing stores will cease trading towards the end of October 2020.”
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