What Is Staples and What Should You Know About Shopping There?

Staples is one of North America's largest office supply retailers, operating both physical stores and an e-commerce platform. If you're stocking a home office, running a small business, or outfitting a corporate workspace, you've likely encountered Staples or considered it as an option. Understanding what the company offers, how its pricing and selection compare to alternatives, and whether it makes sense for your particular needs requires knowing how it fits into the broader office supply landscape.

The Basics: What Staples Is and How It Operates

Staples, Inc. operates as a multi-channel retailer selling office supplies, furniture, technology, and services to consumers, small businesses, and enterprise customers. The company maintains both a network of physical retail locations and a robust online storefront. In addition to retail sales, Staples offers services like printing, copying, shipping, and document management through its stores.

The company's business model centers on convenience—you can purchase items in-store the same day, order online for home delivery, or use buy-online-pickup-in-store options. This flexibility appeals to different shopping preferences and urgency levels.

Staples competes primarily with Office Depot/OfficeMax (now merged under one parent company), Amazon, independent local office suppliers, and big-box retailers like Walmart and Target that carry selected office items. Each competitor operates with different strengths: Amazon offers broad selection and home delivery, independent suppliers often provide personalized service and local relationships, and big-box retailers compete on price for common items.

Product Range and Selection

Staples carries a broad but not unlimited inventory. You'll reliably find:

• Writing and paper supplies (pens, notebooks, copy paper, envelopes)
• Filing and organization (folders, binders, storage containers)
• Technology (printers, ink cartridges, cables, computer accessories)
• Furniture (desks, chairs, filing cabinets, shelving)
• Cleaning and break-room supplies
• Shipping and mailing materials
• Business services (printing, custom stamps, binding, laminating)

The depth of selection varies by product category. Common staple items are well-stocked and readily available. Specialty or bulk items, niche products, or hard-to-find supplies may require special ordering, which introduces delay.

Physical store locations have limited floor space, so they stock high-volume items and popular brands more heavily than online. The online platform offers a broader catalog but requires shipping time (or you arrange in-store pickup).

Pricing and How It Compares

Staples' pricing strategy doesn't position it as the cheapest option across all categories. Instead, it competes on convenience and speed.

For regularly purchased items (copy paper, pens, toner), comparing per-unit costs across retailers often reveals meaningful differences, especially for bulk orders. Staples frequently runs promotions on specific categories, so timing your purchases around sales can affect overall cost.

For specialized or business services (custom printing, binding, document shredding), Staples pricing reflects the convenience of one-stop service rather than commodity competition.

Membership and Loyalty Programs

Staples operates Staples Rewards, a free loyalty program that tracks purchases and offers personalized discounts, points redemption, and early access to sales. Membership is optional—you can shop without joining—but members typically receive deal notifications and points-based rewards that accumulate toward discounts or free items.

Additionally, Staples offers business accounts for small and mid-sized companies. These accounts can include:

• Negotiated pricing on volume purchases
• Dedicated account support
• Invoicing and payment terms
• Bulk ordering convenience

Whether a Staples business account makes financial sense depends on your purchase volume, current spending patterns, and the negotiated pricing your company might receive.

Store Experience and Service Factors

In-store service quality varies by location. Staples stores typically operate with modest staffing, which affects checkout speed and product-location assistance. You may find:

• Self-checkout options available for faster transactions
• Varying staff availability for questions about products or services
• On-demand services (printing, copying) available during store hours, though wait times vary
• Return policies that are generally customer-friendly but worth confirming for your situation

Online shopping eliminates these variables but introduces shipping times, return shipping logistics, and the inability to inspect items before purchase.

Key Factors That Determine Whether Staples Is Right for You

Your decision to shop at Staples should rest on evaluating:

Urgency. If you need supplies today, in-store shopping eliminates shipping delays. Online competitors may take 1–2 days (with membership) or longer.

Order size and frequency. Large, recurring orders may benefit from Staples' business account pricing or online bulk discounts. One-off small purchases might be cheaper elsewhere.

Product type. Staples excels at office basics and furniture. Specialized, industrial, or niche supplies may require dedicated retailers.

Service needs. If you use printing, binding, or document services, Staples' in-store availability is convenient. If you're only buying commodities, service value is irrelevant to your decision.

Budget flexibility. Staples is not consistently the lowest-cost option. If every dollar matters and you have time to shop around or wait for delivery, competitors often undercut it.

Loyalty and rewards value. If you shop at Staples regularly, the free Rewards program accumulates benefits over time. If you shop there once a year, the program offers minimal value.

Common Misconceptions

"Staples is always more expensive." Staples' prices are competitive on some items and promotional periods. It's not the discount leader, but it's not uniformly pricey either. Comparison shopping matters.

"You must have a membership." Staples Rewards is free and optional. Non-members can shop, but they miss personalized promotions and points accumulation.

"In-store and online prices are the same." Pricing can differ between channels. Online sometimes offers better deals on bulk items; in-store may feature in-location promotions.

"Staples has everything." Staples stocks common office supplies well but has selection limits. Specialty items, bulk industrial supplies, or niche products may not be available.

What to Evaluate Before Choosing Staples

Before making Staples your primary or exclusive office supply source, consider:

• Your actual spend pattern: How much do you buy, how often, and what categories?
• Your timing flexibility: Can you wait for delivery, or do you need same-day access?
• Your product needs: Are they standard office items or specialized supplies?
• Service requirements: Do you use printing/binding services, or just buy goods?
• Price sensitivity: How much price variation matters relative to convenience?
• Local availability: Is there a Staples near you, or would all shopping be online?

Different answers lead to different conclusions about whether Staples is your best option.

The Bottom Line

Staples is a legitimate, full-service office supply option that works well for certain situations: same-day needs, in-store services, bulk business orders with an account, and shoppers who value convenience over lowest price. It's neither the cheapest nor the only game in town. Its value depends entirely on how your specific circumstances—urgency, order size, location, product type, and budget priorities—align with what Staples offers. Comparing it to your alternatives (online retailers, competitors, or local suppliers) based on your actual needs is the only reliable way to know whether it's the right choice for you.