FedEx Office

FedEx Office is a leading provider of printing, copying, packing, and shipping services operating as a division of FedEx Corporation. With over $2 billion in annual revenue and more than 1,600 corporate-owned locations across North America, FedEx Office serves individuals, small businesses, and large enterprises with comprehensive document services and logistics solutions. The company represents the 7th largest printing company in North America and employs approximately 20,000 team members.

The company's history traces back to 1970 when Paul Orfalea, a UC Santa Barbara student with dyslexia and ADHD, founded Kinko's in a 100-square-foot space near campus in Santa Barbara, California. Orfalea earned the nickname "Kinko" due to his curly red hair, which became the iconic brand name. With a $5,000 bank loan co-signed by his parents and $100/month rent, Orfalea created the first copy shop specifically serving students and small businesses. The concept proved revolutionary—providing accessible, affordable copying services in a convenient location near colleges.

Through the 1970s-1990s, Kinko's expanded to over 1,200 stores nationwide, pioneering the 24-hour copy center concept that became essential infrastructure for college students writing theses, printing resumes, and completing coursework. Rather than traditional franchising, Orfalea formed partnerships with local co-owners in each market, creating a unique decentralized ownership structure. By the 1990s, Kinko's added self-service computers and desktop publishing capabilities, evolving beyond basic photocopying to become full-service document production centers.

In 2004, FedEx Corporation acquired Kinko's for $2.4 billion, initially rebranding as FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Centers before simplifying to FedEx Office in 2008. The acquisition integrated shipping and logistics capabilities with printing services, creating a comprehensive solution for business customers. At the time of acquisition, Kinko's operated over 1,200 locations worldwide. Unlike competitor The UPS Store which uses a franchise model, all FedEx Office locations remain corporate-owned, ensuring consistent service standards and technology implementation.

FedEx Office's service portfolio includes document and color printing, large format printing for plans and blueprints, signs and graphics production, custom promotional products, professional packing services, and comprehensive shipping options through FedEx's global network. The company has invested heavily in digital transformation, offering mobile apps, online ordering with same-day pickup (when ordered before noon CST), Print & Go self-service kiosks, cloud storage integration (OneDrive, Dropbox, Box), and Ship and Go kiosks for package drop-off and label printing.

However, the printing services industry faces significant structural challenges. From 2010-2024, FedEx Office experienced declining foot traffic (down 30%) due to online printing competitors like Vistaprint ($3B revenue), paperless office trends, and remote work reducing in-person document needs. The company closed over 400 locations from its 2,200-store peak, consolidating to approximately 1,600 locations today. Competition remains intense from The UPS Store ($2B revenue, franchised model), Staples copy centers ($1B print revenue), Office Depot/OfficeMax, and pure-play online providers.

Despite industry headwinds, FedEx Office maintains competitive advantages through its integration with FedEx Corporation's vast logistics network, proprietary technology platforms, and nationwide footprint. The company focuses on high-value services like commercial printing for large enterprises, conference and event support, FedEx Office Onsite solutions embedded in corporate facilities, and parcel/mail management with secure lockers offering 24/7 access. As part of FedEx's broader digital-first transformation, FedEx Office continues adapting to changing customer behaviors while leveraging the FedEx brand's reputation for reliability and global reach.