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Wikipedia

Staples Inc.

January 19, 2024

Staples Inc. is an American office supply retail company headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Staples Inc.
Logo since 2019
Store in Saugus, Massachusetts, November 2012
TypePrivate[1]
IndustryRetail
FoundedMay 1, 1986; 37 years ago (1986-05-01)
Brighton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Founders
Headquarters
Framingham, Massachusetts
,
U.S.
Number of locations
994 stores (U.S., 2024)[2]
40 warehouses/fulfillment centers (U.S.)
Areas served
United States, Canada
Key people
ProductsOffice supplies and furniture
Office and data center technology
Revenue US$14 billion (FY 2019)[4]
OwnerSycamore Partners (2017–present)
Number of employees
75,000 (2021)[4]
Subsidiaries
Websitestaples.com
Staples's logo from 1998 to 2019.

Founded by Leo Kahn and Thomas G. Stemberg, the company opened its first store in Brighton, Massachusetts on May 1, 1986.[5] By 1996, it had reached the Fortune 500, and it later acquired the office supplies company Quill Corporation. In 2014, in the wake of increasing competition from e-commerce market, Staples began to close some of its locations. In 2015, Staples announced its intent to acquire Office Depot and OfficeMax. However, the purchase was blocked under antitrust grounds due to the consolidation that would result.

After the failed acquisition, Staples began to refocus its operations to downplay its brick-and-mortar outlets and place more prominence on its business-to-business (B2B) services. In 2017, after its sale to Sycamore Partners, the company was effectively split into three "independently managed and capitalized" entities sharing the Staples name, separating its U.S. retail operations, and Canadian retail operations, from the B2B business.

History edit

Staples was founded by Leo Kahn and Thomas G. Stemberg, who were former rivals in the New England retail supermarket industry,[6][7][8] and Myra Hart.

The idea for Staples originated in 1985, while Stemberg was working on a proposal for a different business. He needed a ribbon for his printer, but was unable to obtain one because his local dealer was closed for the Independence Day holiday. A frustration with the reliance on small stores for critical supplies combined with Stemberg's background in the grocery business led to a vision for an office supply superstore.[9]

The first store was opened in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston in 1986. Staples started with backing from private equity firms including Bain Capital; Bain co-founder Mitt Romney served on the company's board of directors for the next 15 years, helping shape their business model.[10]

 
A Staples Business Depot located in a heritage building in Vancouver, British Columbia, in September 2011

In 1991, Staples founded its Canadian subsidiary, The Business Depot, and began opening stores under that name,[11] though over a decade later, all stores were renamed as "Staples". The first store opened in Vaughan, Ontario, north of Toronto. The following year, Staples began expanding into Europe, and opened its first British store in Swansea.[12]

During its tenth anniversary in 1996, Staples became a member of the Fortune 500 companies as sales surpassed $3 billion.[citation needed] On September 4, 1996, Staples and Office Depot announced plans to merge.[13] The Federal Trade Commission decided that the merged company would unfairly increase office supply prices despite competition from OfficeMax, because OfficeMax did not have stores in many of the local markets that the merger would affect.[14] Staples argued that chains such as Walmart and Circuit City represented significant competition, but this argument did little to sway the FTC. Following the denial of the merger by the FTC, a rivalry formed between the two companies.[15]

Staples acquired the naming rights for the Staples Center in Los Angeles shortly before construction began in 1998.[16] Staples also acquired Quill Corporation, an online and catalog retailer of office supplies, for about $685 million in cash and stock.[17] Between 1999 and 2001, unsuccessful attempts to enter the telecommunications business were made as Staples created Staples Communications after the purchase of Canada-based company, Claricom, from an investment group. The company was later sold to Platinum Equities and renamed NextiraOne.

In 2002, Staples acquired Medical Arts Press, which became a subsidiary of Quill.[18][19] By 2004, Staples expanded to Austria and Denmark and in 2007, Staples opened its first store in India.[citation needed]

In March 2005, Staples and Ahold announced a plan to include a Staples branded store-within-store section in all Stop & Shop Supermarkets and Giant Food stores throughout the Northeast.[20] In August 2006, Ahold announced the addition of the Staples section to all Tops Friendly Markets locations as well.[21][non-primary source needed]

In 2008, Staples acquired Dutch office supplies company Corporate Express, one of the largest office supply wholesalers in the world.[22]

Attempted merger with Office Depot; sale of UK division edit

On March 6, 2014, Staples announced it would close up to 225 stores in North America by the end of 2015, in order to cut $500 million in costs annually, and focus more on e-commerce.[23]

On February 4, 2015, Staples announced a plan to once again acquire Office Depot, which itself had recently acquired OfficeMax in a bid to compete against Staples. CEO Ron Sargent stated that this purchase would "[enable] Staples to provide more value to customers, and more effectively compete in a rapidly evolving competitive environment", and would result in at least $1 billion in "cost synergies" within three years.[24]

It was reported that the deal could face antitrust scrutiny for its monopolization of the office supply market, unless growing competition against online retailers is considered a factor as well.[25] In December, the FTC filed a lawsuit to halt the merger, arguing that it would harm competition in the commercial office supply market.[26] and as of January 2016, the FTC has not changed its stance.[27]

At the end of January 2016, it was announced to employees that Staples would be laying off hundreds of workers at their headquarters location. The layoffs were seen by some analysts as a preemptive tactic in case the merger did not receive regulatory approval from the Federal Trade Commission.[28] On May 10, 2016, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted the FTC a preliminary injunction against the merger. As a result, the sale was called off, and Staples was required to pay a $250 million breakup fee.[29][30]

In November 2016, it was announced that Staples had sold its 106 British stores to Hilco Capital for a "nominal" amount, as part of an effort to streamline its international operations following the failed merger. Hilco stated that it would discontinue the Staples brand in the region; the stores were rebranded as "Office Outlet", a new brand retaining the Staples chain's red and white color scheme. In August 2018, the chain closed some of its stores under a company voluntary arrangement, and underwent a management buyout the following month. In March 2019, Office Outlet went into administration, citing that it had "recently experienced a reduction in credit from key suppliers, given the economic outlook which has severely impacted the financial position of the company."[31][32][33]

In January 2021, Staples announced that it would again try to buy Office Depot.[34][35] Their offer was turned down in June 2022.[36]

In 2022, Staples launched same-day passport photo services in over 1,000 stores and TSA PreCheck enrollment at select locations.[citation needed]

Pivot to B2B and sale to Sycamore Partners edit

Following the aborted acquisition of Office Depot, Staples began to reposition its operations by promoting itself as a "solutions partner" for the business market, and placing a stronger focus on its B2B-oriented delivery and e-commerce businesses. In May 2017, the chain began a new advertising campaign with the slogan "It's Pro Time", which largely downplayed its retail operations.[37]

In 2017, Sycamore Partners acquired Staples for $6.9 billion, of which $1.6 billion was funded as equity, with the remaining deal value raised as debt.[38] As part of the purchase, Sycamore implemented a major restructuring of the company, under which the chain's B2B business (Staples North American Delivery, also known as simply "Staples"), retail locations (Staples U.S. Retail), and Staples Canada would be split into three "independently managed and capitalized" entities under Sycamore.[39][40][41]

On April 9, 2019, Sycamore Partners conducted a dividend recapitalization, refinancing $5.4 billion in debt against its ownership of Staples, producing a $1 billion one-time dividend for the private equity firm. A Bloomberg report on this refinancing noted that the deal allowed Sycamore to recover roughly 80% of its equity investment in Staples in less than two years, compared to the typical profit-taking exit timeframe of five to eight years for most private equity buyouts.[38] That month, Staples also unveiled a new logo, which features an icon representing both an unused staple and an office desk. The company also announced that it would introduce a new line of store brands, including Tru Red, Coastwide Professional (facility supplies), NXT Technologies (technology accessories), Perk (office break room supplies), and Union & Scale (furniture), as well as a new catalog known as The Loop.[42] With the rebranding, then CEO Sandy Douglas (who joined the company in 2018) stated that Staples was now being marketed as a "worklife fulfillment" company, which he explained was "about helping businesses of all sizes as they create the most dynamic and productive work environments for their teams."[43]

The following month, CEO Mike Motz (who joined the company in 2019 to head Staples U.S. Retail) unveiled a new store concept known as "Staples Connect": it is aligned with a similar store concept being trialed by Staples Canada, featuring "Staples Studio" co-working areas and an auditorium-style "Spotlight" theater (which can be rented for sessions and events). The new concept will be trialed in the Boston area, while elements of the concept will be implemented chain-wide.[44] As part of a partnership with radio broadcaster iHeartMedia, Staples also added recording studios intended for podcasting to six of these stores, with access to recording engineers and a partnership with Spreaker to offer discounted hosting and distribution services to its customers.[45]

Advertising edit

 
The easy button
 
Staples – "That was easy"
2 seconds
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Throughout most of the company's history, Staples employed, in its American commercials and advertising promotions, the slogan "Yeah, we've got that.", signifying their wide selection of products. This slogan was retired in 2003, to be replaced with "That was easy". Expanding on that theme, 2005 adverts featured a large red push-button marked "easy". In the United Kingdom, Staples had used the slogan "You want it. We've got it"; this changed to "That was Easy".

The "Easy Button" edit

Originally, the "Easy Button" was only intended to be a fictitious button with 'magical' properties, featured in their television advertisement campaign. However, when the adverts appeared, customers began contacting the company to inquire how they could buy one.[46] The company responded by making the "Easy Button" a real product (available in English "easy", French "simple", Spanish "fácil" and German "einfach easy").

These buttons were shipped to stores in the United States, Canada and Germany starting in the fall of 2005. Sales of the buttons reached 1.5 million by the end of 2006.[47] The button has been referred to as a "Marketer's Dream", effectively turning millions of Staples customers into advertisers, resulting in greatly increased brand recognition.

The Staples Sno-Bot edit

 
The typical design for more recently built locations. This location is in Ontario, California, pictured in March 2005.

The Staples Sno-Bot was an advertising character that appeared in the United States, in television and print advertising during the Christmas seasons from 1995 until 2001.

The Sno-Bot was a robot shaped like a snowman who refuses to let go of the inkjet printer he has fallen in love with. After the printer is wrestled from his grasp, the robot utters a monotone "Weeping. Weeping." He is consoled by a Staples employee who offers him a surge protector or a computer mouse (depending on the ad) instead.[48]

The robot's "Weeping. Weeping." catchphrase briefly became a popular meme on the Internet[citation needed], and the ad itself was parodied in a 2002 Christmas advertisement for Dell Computers, in which a robot hassles a shopper (including striking him with a candy cane) when he attempts to purchase a PC at an unnamed office supplies retailer.

Back-to-school edit

Another advertisement style is used during its annual back-to-school campaign, in which the Christmas song "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is played while a father joyously shops for school supplies for his sullen-faced children, used for several years from 1995 until 2005.[49][50]

Later, Alice Cooper appeared in a back-to-school campaign from August 2004. Within the ad, a hand is seen selecting various supplies while a girl looks on unhappily. She finally says, "I thought you said, 'School's out forever.'" Alice is shown behind the cart, saying, "The song goes 'School's out for summer'. Nice try, though." The hit song then plays as supplies are shown. The tagline, "That was easy", is heard playing over the company logo, formed to resemble a stapler.[51][52]

Other advertising edit

During the 2008 holiday season, Staples advertising for the first time engaged Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media platforms. The company created a character named "Coach Tom" to promote its "Gift it for Free" sweepstakes, in which 10,000 Staples customers won up to $5,000 in merchandise.[53]

Acquisitions and divestitures edit

 
A Staples outlet in Campbell Street, Hobart, Australia, in June 2013. These former Corporate Express stores/distribution centers were rebranded in early 2013; however, some still retain that company's corporate colors.[54]
 
The logo for Staples Canada.
  • 1992: Workplace stores based in Lakeland, Florida
  • 1994: National Office Products based in Hackensack, New Jersey
  • 1994: Spectrum Office Products based in Rochester, New York
  • 1994: MacIsaac Office Products based in Canton, Massachusetts
  • 1994: Philadelphia Stationers based in Philadelphia
  • 1995: Macauley's Business Resources based in Canton, Michigan
  • 1996: Staples Office Products based in Texas
  • 1998: Quill Corporation, the largest mail order office supply retailer in the United States. Headquartered in Lincolnshire, Illinois, Quill offers products including school and office supplies, office machines, furniture, technology, cleaning and break room, as well as custom-printed and promotional products.
  • 2002: Medical Arts Press, a United States supplier of front office and exam-room products for healthcare facilities.
  • 2004: United Kingdom-based chain Office World, owned by Globus Group.[55][56]
  • 2006: Chiswick, which distributes industrial and retail packaging, shipping and warehouse products to thousands of small and mid–sized manufacturers, distributors and retailers throughout the United States and Canada. The company offers over 7,500 industrial and retail packaging and shipping products, and their product line includes a wide variety of polyethylene bags, corrugated boxes, tape, labels, protective packaging, mailers, retail shopping bags and related packaging supplies. Sales channels include Catalog/Direct Mail, the Internet and Outside Sales. It is now branded as Staples Industrial.
  • 2007: Thrive Networks, an IT services company that provides IT support to small and mid–level businesses.
  • 2007: American Identity, one of the largest global distributors of corporate branded merchandise. American Identity has since been re-branded as Staples Promotional Products.
  • 2008: Corporate Express, a Dutch company that supplies office products to businesses and institutions. The firm was known as Buhrmann prior to April 20, 2007, when it changed its trading name to that of its best known brand, taken from the United States-based corporation it acquired in 1999. The company was acquired by Staples Inc. in August 2008, and has been integrated into the Staples Advantage brand.
  • 2010: Miami Systems, a commercial printing company based in Cincinnati OH with 250 employees.[57]
  • 2014: PNI Digital Media, a Canadian software maker that powers in-store kiosks for printing photographs, calendars and wedding invitations.[58] Staples spent $67.3 million in an all-cash deal for this acquisition.[59]
  • 2016: Staples divested its Australian and New Zealand branches as part of a strategic shift to focus on its US-based retail store format. The company's Australian and New Zealand businesses were rebranded as Winc.[60][61] In May 2016, a proposed $6.3 billion merger between Staples and key rival Office Depot was successfully blocked by the Federal Trade Commission.[62]
  • 2018: HiTouch Business Services, offering office supplies, workspace design services and IT solutions.[63]
  • 2019: Essendant, a national wholesale distributor of office supplies, and DEX Imaging, an independent document imaging technology dealer in the United States.[64]
  • 2020: Staples acquired Montana office supply company 360 Office Solutions. 360 has locations in the following Montana cities Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls and Helena, MT.
  • 2021: Staples divested its branches in Germany, Portugal, the Benelux, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria, Great Britain and Poland, resulting in the brand's disappearance from most of Europe. The Staples brand will continue to be used in the Benelux.[65][66][67][68][69]
  • 2023: Staples Benelux was acquired by Dutch retailer 123inkt.nl, after Staples Netherlands was declared bankrupt.[70]

Community relations edit

In August 2002, the company started the Staples Foundation for Learning, which supports youth groups and education. It also is a partner of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Ashoka, Earth Force, Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, Hispanic Heritage Foundation and through Staples, ReadBoston.

In August 2005, Staples introduced the "Easy Button", a novelty item for offices which is advertised as a fun way of relieving stress. The button does nothing other than say "That was easy" when pressed. The first US$1 million of profits each year from the Easy Button are donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. As of December 2006, it was sold for US$4.99 to $6.99 in all US and Canadian stores (where profits go to Special Olympics in Canada) and on the company's website. Donations also went to the Children's Fund. Staples has reportedly sold more than $7.5 million worth of Easy Buttons.[71]

Environmental record edit

Staples is ranked in the top 25 of EPA's Green Power Partner list.[72] In 2006, Staples offered more than 2,900 different office products incorporating recycled content.

Staples is currently trying to pursue developing Staples brand products with green raw materials.[73] In response to a two-year campaign targeting the company, Staples adopted an environmentally friendly paper policy, in hopes of increasing the amount of post-consumer recycled paper made available for sale, phasing out products originating from endangered forests.[74]

The Hanover, Maryland fulfillment center is powered by a 1.01 megawatt solar installation covering nearly 175,000 square feet (16,300 m2) of roof space.[75] Its Savi Ranch store in Yorba Linda, California also has a sizeable rooftop solar installation. Staples has also recently implemented power reduction strategies in all of their Copy & Print Centers, where the copiers enter sleep mode in as little as 15 minutes after use.

This technique will save Staples nearly $1 million a year in reduced energy costs and prevent over 11 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. In November 2014, Staples partnered with EnergySage to give Staples giftcards to homeowners and businesses that installed solar panels.[76]

Recycling edit

Staples accepts all used ink and toner cartridges for recycling. Prior to 2008, the only cartridge brands that could be recycled were HP, Kodak, and Dell, and customers were given a $3 coupon for the store, with the maximum number of coupons to be given, or redeemed, at any one time being 25. Since 2009, ink recycling has been a part of the Staples Rewards program.[77]

Staples now gives back two dollars (Staples.com) on all ink cartridges and toners as of July 2010. Ink recycling credit comes to Rewards members as a separate coupon, monthly, instead of the normal quarterly rewards check. Most customers are able to trade in ten per month for credit, whilst Staples Plus and Premier Rewards members are able to trade in twenty per month.

As of February 28, 2013, Staples announced that in order to receive $2 per ink cartridge recycled, customers would be required to spend at least $30 at Staples in ink purchases within 180 days of recycling.[78][better source needed]

Price discrimination edit

A 2012 study by the Wall Street Journal found that Staples displayed different prices to customers in different locations (distinct from shipping prices), based on proximity to competitors like OfficeMax and Office Depot. This generally resulted in higher prices for customers in more rural areas, who were on average less wealthy than customers seeing lower prices.[79][80][81]

Security breaches edit

KrebsOnSecurity reported a suspected breach at Staples[82] on October 20, 2014, after hearing multiple banks had identified a pattern of card fraud (suggesting that several Staples office supply locations in the Northeastern United States were dealing with a data breach). At the time, Staples would say only that it was investigating "a potential issue" and had contacted law enforcement.[83]

On December 19, 2014, Staples reported that criminals had deployed malware to point-of-sale systems at 115 of their retail stores in the United States.[84] At 113 stores, the malware may have allowed access to this data for purchases made from August 10, 2014, through September 16, 2014. At two stores, the malware may have allowed access to data from purchases made from July 20, 2014, through September 16, 2014. Overall, the company believed that approximately 1.16 million payment cards may have been affected.[85]

On July 14, 2015, Numerous news outlets started to report a suspected data breach at retailers[86] served by online photo software from PNI – Staples' recent acquisition. The first reported victim was Walmart Canada, followed by CVS, Rite-Aid, Costco US, Costco Canada and Tesco UK.[87]

During the period July 13 to 28, 2015, Staples Inc share price fell from $15.59 to $13.97, a 10% fall which reflected a reduction in Staples market value of almost $1bn.[citation needed]

In late 2023, Staples experienced a cyberattack that temporarily disrupted their online ordering system. The type of cyberattack is unknown, it is possible that customer information was stolen. Staples is still working to restore its systems and has not yet released a full statement on the incident.[88][89]

Store layout edit

Print and marketing services edit

 
Staples copy and print center

In addition to selling office supplies, business machines, and tech services, Staples also offers a copy and print center for photocopies, scans, digital printing, faxing, custom business cards, custom rubber stamps, promotional products, binding, lamination, folding, cutting and engraved products. While many products can be produced in-store, larger, more complex jobs, or jobs requiring special materials such as PVC signs are routed to production facilities in various locations through the country.

Most US locations have a limited service UPS shipping center offering air and ground services, as well as USPS labelled package dropoff service. Canadian stores offer three providers (Canada Post, FedEx, and Purolator), which include international shipping; whereas in US stores, this service is limited to Canada and Mexico.

In Canada, most web submission jobs and larger orders, including business cards, posters and books are produced in central production facility in each region. The production facilities operate on a 24-hour basis and orders are shipped to most of the stores within its regions within a day. The regions in Canada are BC/Yukon, Alberta/NWT, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and Maritime. The Copy & Print Center was also the first Print Center to offer custom business cards printed in store. Known as 'Instant Business Cards' customers are able to have custom business cards in a matter of hours. Staples also operates stand-alone Print & Marketing Stores (currently there are four New York City locations, and one in Salem, Massachusetts) where Print & Marketing Services is a brand of Staples.

Tech services edit

Some stores also feature Staples Tech Services (formerly EasyTech) an in-store and on-site service for PC repair, PC upgrades, home and office networking setup, and PC tutorials.

Starting in November 2005, Staples began a test called "Heavy Up" primarily using stores in New York state to experiment with the expansion of the offerings by the Staples Tech Center. A subsequent test known as "Double Up" was planned for an unspecified test market and was scheduled to begin the first half of 2006. The tests ran to promote competition with Best Buy's Geek Squad and Circuit City's Fire dog.

Beginning in early 2006, Staples also launched the "Easy Resident Tech" program, employing one to two resident computer repair technicians to do in-store repair during normal business hours.

On January 30, 2007, Staples launched Staples EasyTech. The launch rebranded the "Easy Mobile Tech" name with plans to install an 11' x 17' kiosk in every store. The kiosk may vary from store to store depending on its size and volume. Most kiosks take up part of the Customer Service desk. Within the kiosk, Easy Resident Techs offered repair service as well as sold products. These technicians wore gray "Easy Tech" polo shirts to distinguish them from regular Staples workers. While there was typically one tech per store, a second tech may have been employed for high-volume stores.

Beginning in July 2008, Staples launched a new program labeling all technology workers as "EasyTechs". Under the new guidelines all technology workers are required to have the skills necessary to perform basic services such as memory installation and PC configuration. In addition, all technology workers wear black polo shirts with green "EasyTech" emblems to set them apart from other store workers. The change was due to the company's new focus on services, allowing more customers to be assisted in less time. Most stores will still have a main "EasyTech" who performs most of the more complex tasks.

Beginning in November 2008, eleven concept stores featuring a broader array of small business technology services were launched, which are known within the company as Best Tech stores. EasyTechs and sales workers were now referred to as "Tech Advisors" and "Solutions Advisors". The concept stores carry many more technology related products such as digital signage, small business servers, NAS (Network Attached Storage), and business networking. Staples also partnered with an on demand IT service provider, with such services as network monitoring, advanced network configurations, and server setup.

These concept stores are mainly based in New Hampshire, with stores in Nashua, Seabrook, West Lebanon, Dover and Concord. Some stores with this new concept also opened in Massachusetts, including the Auburn store. Other existing stores have been renovated to include Best Tech's services, including the Newington, Connecticut, and Natick store.

See also edit

Citations edit

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General and cited references edit

  • Dalkir, S. and F. Warren-Boulton (2003). "Market Definition and the Price Effects of Mergers: Staples-Office Depot (1997)", in John E. Kwoka and Lawrence J. White, eds. The Antitrust Revolution: Economics, Competition and Policy, 4th edition. Oxford University Press.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Staples Inc..
  • Official website
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    • SEC filings

January 19, 2024
staples, american, office, supply, retail, company, headquartered, framingham, massachusetts, logo, since, 2019store, saugus, massachusetts, november, 2012typeprivate, industryretailfoundedmay, 1986, years, 1986, brighton, massachusetts, foundersthomas, stembe. Staples Inc is an American office supply retail company headquartered in Framingham Massachusetts Staples Inc Logo since 2019Store in Saugus Massachusetts November 2012TypePrivate 1 IndustryRetailFoundedMay 1 1986 37 years ago 1986 05 01 Brighton Massachusetts U S FoundersThomas G Stemberg Leo Kahn Myra HartHeadquartersFramingham Massachusetts U S Number of locations994 stores U S 2024 2 40 warehouses fulfillment centers U S Areas servedUnited States CanadaKey peopleJohn Lederer CEO Staples 3 Michael Motz CEO Staples US Retail ProductsOffice supplies and furnitureOffice and data center technologyRevenueUS 14 billion FY 2019 4 OwnerSycamore Partners 2017 present Number of employees75 000 2021 4 SubsidiariesQuill Corporation PNI Digital Media HiTouch Business ServicesWebsitestaples comStaples s logo from 1998 to 2019 Founded by Leo Kahn and Thomas G Stemberg the company opened its first store in Brighton Massachusetts on May 1 1986 5 By 1996 it had reached the Fortune 500 and it later acquired the office supplies company Quill Corporation In 2014 in the wake of increasing competition from e commerce market Staples began to close some of its locations In 2015 Staples announced its intent to acquire Office Depot and OfficeMax However the purchase was blocked under antitrust grounds due to the consolidation that would result After the failed acquisition Staples began to refocus its operations to downplay its brick and mortar outlets and place more prominence on its business to business B2B services In 2017 after its sale to Sycamore Partners the company was effectively split into three independently managed and capitalized entities sharing the Staples name separating its U S retail operations and Canadian retail operations from the B2B business Contents 1 History 1 1 Attempted merger with Office Depot sale of UK division 1 2 Pivot to B2B and sale to Sycamore Partners 2 Advertising 2 1 The Easy Button 2 2 The Staples Sno Bot 2 3 Back to school 2 4 Other advertising 3 Acquisitions and divestitures 4 Community relations 5 Environmental record 5 1 Recycling 6 Price discrimination 7 Security breaches 8 Store layout 8 1 Print and marketing services 8 2 Tech services 9 See also 10 Citations 11 General and cited references 12 External linksHistory editStaples was founded by Leo Kahn and Thomas G Stemberg who were former rivals in the New England retail supermarket industry 6 7 8 and Myra Hart The idea for Staples originated in 1985 while Stemberg was working on a proposal for a different business He needed a ribbon for his printer but was unable to obtain one because his local dealer was closed for the Independence Day holiday A frustration with the reliance on small stores for critical supplies combined with Stemberg s background in the grocery business led to a vision for an office supply superstore 9 The first store was opened in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston in 1986 Staples started with backing from private equity firms including Bain Capital Bain co founder Mitt Romney served on the company s board of directors for the next 15 years helping shape their business model 10 nbsp A Staples Business Depot located in a heritage building in Vancouver British Columbia in September 2011In 1991 Staples founded its Canadian subsidiary The Business Depot and began opening stores under that name 11 though over a decade later all stores were renamed as Staples The first store opened in Vaughan Ontario north of Toronto The following year Staples began expanding into Europe and opened its first British store in Swansea 12 During its tenth anniversary in 1996 Staples became a member of the Fortune 500 companies as sales surpassed 3 billion citation needed On September 4 1996 Staples and Office Depot announced plans to merge 13 The Federal Trade Commission decided that the merged company would unfairly increase office supply prices despite competition from OfficeMax because OfficeMax did not have stores in many of the local markets that the merger would affect 14 Staples argued that chains such as Walmart and Circuit City represented significant competition but this argument did little to sway the FTC Following the denial of the merger by the FTC a rivalry formed between the two companies 15 Staples acquired the naming rights for the Staples Center in Los Angeles shortly before construction began in 1998 16 Staples also acquired Quill Corporation an online and catalog retailer of office supplies for about 685 million in cash and stock 17 Between 1999 and 2001 unsuccessful attempts to enter the telecommunications business were made as Staples created Staples Communications after the purchase of Canada based company Claricom from an investment group The company was later sold to Platinum Equities and renamed NextiraOne In 2002 Staples acquired Medical Arts Press which became a subsidiary of Quill 18 19 By 2004 Staples expanded to Austria and Denmark and in 2007 Staples opened its first store in India citation needed In March 2005 Staples and Ahold announced a plan to include a Staples branded store within store section in all Stop amp Shop Supermarkets and Giant Food stores throughout the Northeast 20 In August 2006 Ahold announced the addition of the Staples section to all Tops Friendly Markets locations as well 21 non primary source needed In 2008 Staples acquired Dutch office supplies company Corporate Express one of the largest office supply wholesalers in the world 22 Attempted merger with Office Depot sale of UK division edit On March 6 2014 Staples announced it would close up to 225 stores in North America by the end of 2015 in order to cut 500 million in costs annually and focus more on e commerce 23 On February 4 2015 Staples announced a plan to once again acquire Office Depot which itself had recently acquired OfficeMax in a bid to compete against Staples CEO Ron Sargent stated that this purchase would enable Staples to provide more value to customers and more effectively compete in a rapidly evolving competitive environment and would result in at least 1 billion in cost synergies within three years 24 It was reported that the deal could face antitrust scrutiny for its monopolization of the office supply market unless growing competition against online retailers is considered a factor as well 25 In December the FTC filed a lawsuit to halt the merger arguing that it would harm competition in the commercial office supply market 26 and as of January 2016 the FTC has not changed its stance 27 At the end of January 2016 it was announced to employees that Staples would be laying off hundreds of workers at their headquarters location The layoffs were seen by some analysts as a preemptive tactic in case the merger did not receive regulatory approval from the Federal Trade Commission 28 On May 10 2016 the U S District Court for the District of Columbia granted the FTC a preliminary injunction against the merger As a result the sale was called off and Staples was required to pay a 250 million breakup fee 29 30 In November 2016 it was announced that Staples had sold its 106 British stores to Hilco Capital for a nominal amount as part of an effort to streamline its international operations following the failed merger Hilco stated that it would discontinue the Staples brand in the region the stores were rebranded as Office Outlet a new brand retaining the Staples chain s red and white color scheme In August 2018 the chain closed some of its stores under a company voluntary arrangement and underwent a management buyout the following month In March 2019 Office Outlet went into administration citing that it had recently experienced a reduction in credit from key suppliers given the economic outlook which has severely impacted the financial position of the company 31 32 33 In January 2021 Staples announced that it would again try to buy Office Depot 34 35 Their offer was turned down in June 2022 36 In 2022 Staples launched same day passport photo services in over 1 000 stores and TSA PreCheck enrollment at select locations citation needed Pivot to B2B and sale to Sycamore Partners edit Following the aborted acquisition of Office Depot Staples began to reposition its operations by promoting itself as a solutions partner for the business market and placing a stronger focus on its B2B oriented delivery and e commerce businesses In May 2017 the chain began a new advertising campaign with the slogan It s Pro Time which largely downplayed its retail operations 37 In 2017 Sycamore Partners acquired Staples for 6 9 billion of which 1 6 billion was funded as equity with the remaining deal value raised as debt 38 As part of the purchase Sycamore implemented a major restructuring of the company under which the chain s B2B business Staples North American Delivery also known as simply Staples retail locations Staples U S Retail and Staples Canada would be split into three independently managed and capitalized entities under Sycamore 39 40 41 On April 9 2019 Sycamore Partners conducted a dividend recapitalization refinancing 5 4 billion in debt against its ownership of Staples producing a 1 billion one time dividend for the private equity firm A Bloomberg report on this refinancing noted that the deal allowed Sycamore to recover roughly 80 of its equity investment in Staples in less than two years compared to the typical profit taking exit timeframe of five to eight years for most private equity buyouts 38 That month Staples also unveiled a new logo which features an icon representing both an unused staple and an office desk The company also announced that it would introduce a new line of store brands including Tru Red Coastwide Professional facility supplies NXT Technologies technology accessories Perk office break room supplies and Union amp Scale furniture as well as a new catalog known as The Loop 42 With the rebranding then CEO Sandy Douglas who joined the company in 2018 stated that Staples was now being marketed as a worklife fulfillment company which he explained was about helping businesses of all sizes as they create the most dynamic and productive work environments for their teams 43 The following month CEO Mike Motz who joined the company in 2019 to head Staples U S Retail unveiled a new store concept known as Staples Connect it is aligned with a similar store concept being trialed by Staples Canada featuring Staples Studio co working areas and an auditorium style Spotlight theater which can be rented for sessions and events The new concept will be trialed in the Boston area while elements of the concept will be implemented chain wide 44 As part of a partnership with radio broadcaster iHeartMedia Staples also added recording studios intended for podcasting to six of these stores with access to recording engineers and a partnership with Spreaker to offer discounted hosting and distribution services to its customers 45 Advertising edit nbsp The easy button nbsp Staples That was easy source source track track 2 seconds Problems playing this file See media help Throughout most of the company s history Staples employed in its American commercials and advertising promotions the slogan Yeah we ve got that signifying their wide selection of products This slogan was retired in 2003 to be replaced with That was easy Expanding on that theme 2005 adverts featured a large red push button marked easy In the United Kingdom Staples had used the slogan You want it We ve got it this changed to That was Easy The Easy Button edit Originally the Easy Button was only intended to be a fictitious button with magical properties featured in their television advertisement campaign However when the adverts appeared customers began contacting the company to inquire how they could buy one 46 The company responded by making the Easy Button a real product available in English easy French simple Spanish facil and German einfach easy These buttons were shipped to stores in the United States Canada and Germany starting in the fall of 2005 Sales of the buttons reached 1 5 million by the end of 2006 47 The button has been referred to as a Marketer s Dream effectively turning millions of Staples customers into advertisers resulting in greatly increased brand recognition The Staples Sno Bot edit nbsp The typical design for more recently built locations This location is in Ontario California pictured in March 2005 The Staples Sno Bot was an advertising character that appeared in the United States in television and print advertising during the Christmas seasons from 1995 until 2001 The Sno Bot was a robot shaped like a snowman who refuses to let go of the inkjet printer he has fallen in love with After the printer is wrestled from his grasp the robot utters a monotone Weeping Weeping He is consoled by a Staples employee who offers him a surge protector or a computer mouse depending on the ad instead 48 The robot s Weeping Weeping catchphrase briefly became a popular meme on the Internet citation needed and the ad itself was parodied in a 2002 Christmas advertisement for Dell Computers in which a robot hassles a shopper including striking him with a candy cane when he attempts to purchase a PC at an unnamed office supplies retailer Back to school edit Another advertisement style is used during its annual back to school campaign in which the Christmas song It s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year is played while a father joyously shops for school supplies for his sullen faced children used for several years from 1995 until 2005 49 50 Later Alice Cooper appeared in a back to school campaign from August 2004 Within the ad a hand is seen selecting various supplies while a girl looks on unhappily She finally says I thought you said School s out forever Alice is shown behind the cart saying The song goes School s out for summer Nice try though The hit song then plays as supplies are shown The tagline That was easy is heard playing over the company logo formed to resemble a stapler 51 52 Other advertising edit During the 2008 holiday season Staples advertising for the first time engaged Facebook Twitter YouTube and other social media platforms The company created a character named Coach Tom to promote its Gift it for Free sweepstakes in which 10 000 Staples customers won up to 5 000 in merchandise 53 Acquisitions and divestitures edit nbsp A Staples outlet in Campbell Street Hobart Australia in June 2013 These former Corporate Express stores distribution centers were rebranded in early 2013 however some still retain that company s corporate colors 54 nbsp The logo for Staples Canada 1992 Workplace stores based in Lakeland Florida 1994 National Office Products based in Hackensack New Jersey 1994 Spectrum Office Products based in Rochester New York 1994 MacIsaac Office Products based in Canton Massachusetts 1994 Philadelphia Stationers based in Philadelphia 1995 Macauley s Business Resources based in Canton Michigan 1996 Staples Office Products based in Texas 1998 Quill Corporation the largest mail order office supply retailer in the United States Headquartered in Lincolnshire Illinois Quill offers products including school and office supplies office machines furniture technology cleaning and break room as well as custom printed and promotional products 2002 Medical Arts Press a United States supplier of front office and exam room products for healthcare facilities 2004 United Kingdom based chain Office World owned by Globus Group 55 56 2006 Chiswick which distributes industrial and retail packaging shipping and warehouse products to thousands of small and mid sized manufacturers distributors and retailers throughout the United States and Canada The company offers over 7 500 industrial and retail packaging and shipping products and their product line includes a wide variety of polyethylene bags corrugated boxes tape labels protective packaging mailers retail shopping bags and related packaging supplies Sales channels include Catalog Direct Mail the Internet and Outside Sales It is now branded as Staples Industrial 2007 Thrive Networks an IT services company that provides IT support to small and mid level businesses 2007 American Identity one of the largest global distributors of corporate branded merchandise American Identity has since been re branded as Staples Promotional Products 2008 Corporate Express a Dutch company that supplies office products to businesses and institutions The firm was known as Buhrmann prior to April 20 2007 when it changed its trading name to that of its best known brand taken from the United States based corporation it acquired in 1999 The company was acquired by Staples Inc in August 2008 and has been integrated into the Staples Advantage brand 2010 Miami Systems a commercial printing company based in Cincinnati OH with 250 employees 57 2014 PNI Digital Media a Canadian software maker that powers in store kiosks for printing photographs calendars and wedding invitations 58 Staples spent 67 3 million in an all cash deal for this acquisition 59 2016 Staples divested its Australian and New Zealand branches as part of a strategic shift to focus on its US based retail store format The company s Australian and New Zealand businesses were rebranded as Winc 60 61 In May 2016 a proposed 6 3 billion merger between Staples and key rival Office Depot was successfully blocked by the Federal Trade Commission 62 2018 HiTouch Business Services offering office supplies workspace design services and IT solutions 63 2019 Essendant a national wholesale distributor of office supplies and DEX Imaging an independent document imaging technology dealer in the United States 64 2020 Staples acquired Montana office supply company 360 Office Solutions 360 has locations in the following Montana cities Billings Bozeman Butte Great Falls and Helena MT 2021 Staples divested its branches in Germany Portugal the Benelux Finland Norway Sweden Denmark Austria Great Britain and Poland resulting in the brand s disappearance from most of Europe The Staples brand will continue to be used in the Benelux 65 66 67 68 69 2023 Staples Benelux was acquired by Dutch retailer 123inkt nl after Staples Netherlands was declared bankrupt 70 Community relations editIn August 2002 the company started the Staples Foundation for Learning which supports youth groups and education It also is a partner of Boys amp Girls Clubs of America Ashoka Earth Force Initiative for a Competitive Inner City Hispanic Heritage Foundation and through Staples ReadBoston In August 2005 Staples introduced the Easy Button a novelty item for offices which is advertised as a fun way of relieving stress The button does nothing other than say That was easy when pressed The first US 1 million of profits each year from the Easy Button are donated to the Boys amp Girls Clubs of America As of December 2006 it was sold for US 4 99 to 6 99 in all US and Canadian stores where profits go to Special Olympics in Canada and on the company s website Donations also went to the Children s Fund Staples has reportedly sold more than 7 5 million worth of Easy Buttons 71 Environmental record editStaples is ranked in the top 25 of EPA s Green Power Partner list 72 In 2006 Staples offered more than 2 900 different office products incorporating recycled content Staples is currently trying to pursue developing Staples brand products with green raw materials 73 In response to a two year campaign targeting the company Staples adopted an environmentally friendly paper policy in hopes of increasing the amount of post consumer recycled paper made available for sale phasing out products originating from endangered forests 74 The Hanover Maryland fulfillment center is powered by a 1 01 megawatt solar installation covering nearly 175 000 square feet 16 300 m2 of roof space 75 Its Savi Ranch store in Yorba Linda California also has a sizeable rooftop solar installation Staples has also recently implemented power reduction strategies in all of their Copy amp Print Centers where the copiers enter sleep mode in as little as 15 minutes after use This technique will save Staples nearly 1 million a year in reduced energy costs and prevent over 11 million pounds of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere In November 2014 Staples partnered with EnergySage to give Staples giftcards to homeowners and businesses that installed solar panels 76 Recycling edit Staples accepts all used ink and toner cartridges for recycling Prior to 2008 the only cartridge brands that could be recycled were HP Kodak and Dell and customers were given a 3 coupon for the store with the maximum number of coupons to be given or redeemed at any one time being 25 Since 2009 ink recycling has been a part of the Staples Rewards program 77 Staples now gives back two dollars Staples com on all ink cartridges and toners as of July 2010 Ink recycling credit comes to Rewards members as a separate coupon monthly instead of the normal quarterly rewards check Most customers are able to trade in ten per month for credit whilst Staples Plus and Premier Rewards members are able to trade in twenty per month As of February 28 2013 Staples announced that in order to receive 2 per ink cartridge recycled customers would be required to spend at least 30 at Staples in ink purchases within 180 days of recycling 78 better source needed Price discrimination editA 2012 study by the Wall Street Journal found that Staples displayed different prices to customers in different locations distinct from shipping prices based on proximity to competitors like OfficeMax and Office Depot This generally resulted in higher prices for customers in more rural areas who were on average less wealthy than customers seeing lower prices 79 80 81 Security breaches editKrebsOnSecurity reported a suspected breach at Staples 82 on October 20 2014 after hearing multiple banks had identified a pattern of card fraud suggesting that several Staples office supply locations in the Northeastern United States were dealing with a data breach At the time Staples would say only that it was investigating a potential issue and had contacted law enforcement 83 On December 19 2014 Staples reported that criminals had deployed malware to point of sale systems at 115 of their retail stores in the United States 84 At 113 stores the malware may have allowed access to this data for purchases made from August 10 2014 through September 16 2014 At two stores the malware may have allowed access to data from purchases made from July 20 2014 through September 16 2014 Overall the company believed that approximately 1 16 million payment cards may have been affected 85 On July 14 2015 Numerous news outlets started to report a suspected data breach at retailers 86 served by online photo software from PNI Staples recent acquisition The first reported victim was Walmart Canada followed by CVS Rite Aid Costco US Costco Canada and Tesco UK 87 During the period July 13 to 28 2015 Staples Inc share price fell from 15 59 to 13 97 a 10 fall which reflected a reduction in Staples market value of almost 1bn citation needed In late 2023 Staples experienced a cyberattack that temporarily disrupted their online ordering system The type of cyberattack is unknown it is possible that customer information was stolen Staples is still working to restore its systems and has not yet released a full statement on the incident 88 89 Store layout editPrint and marketing services edit nbsp Staples copy and print centerIn addition to selling office supplies business machines and tech services Staples also offers a copy and print center for photocopies scans digital printing faxing custom business cards custom rubber stamps promotional products binding lamination folding cutting and engraved products While many products can be produced in store larger more complex jobs or jobs requiring special materials such as PVC signs are routed to production facilities in various locations through the country Most US locations have a limited service UPS shipping center offering air and ground services as well as USPS labelled package dropoff service Canadian stores offer three providers Canada Post FedEx and Purolator which include international shipping whereas in US stores this service is limited to Canada and Mexico In Canada most web submission jobs and larger orders including business cards posters and books are produced in central production facility in each region The production facilities operate on a 24 hour basis and orders are shipped to most of the stores within its regions within a day The regions in Canada are BC Yukon Alberta NWT Saskatchewan Ontario Quebec and Maritime The Copy amp Print Center was also the first Print Center to offer custom business cards printed in store Known as Instant Business Cards customers are able to have custom business cards in a matter of hours Staples also operates stand alone Print amp Marketing Stores currently there are four New York City locations and one in Salem Massachusetts where Print amp Marketing Services is a brand of Staples Tech services edit Some stores also feature Staples Tech Services formerly EasyTech an in store and on site service for PC repair PC upgrades home and office networking setup and PC tutorials Starting in November 2005 Staples began a test called Heavy Up primarily using stores in New York state to experiment with the expansion of the offerings by the Staples Tech Center A subsequent test known as Double Up was planned for an unspecified test market and was scheduled to begin the first half of 2006 The tests ran to promote competition with Best Buy s Geek Squad and Circuit City s Fire dog Beginning in early 2006 Staples also launched the Easy Resident Tech program employing one to two resident computer repair technicians to do in store repair during normal business hours On January 30 2007 Staples launched Staples EasyTech The launch rebranded the Easy Mobile Tech name with plans to install an 11 x 17 kiosk in every store The kiosk may vary from store to store depending on its size and volume Most kiosks take up part of the Customer Service desk Within the kiosk Easy Resident Techs offered repair service as well as sold products These technicians wore gray Easy Tech polo shirts to distinguish them from regular Staples workers While there was typically one tech per store a second tech may have been employed for high volume stores Beginning in July 2008 Staples launched a new program labeling all technology workers as EasyTechs Under the new guidelines all technology workers are required to have the skills necessary to perform basic services such as memory installation and PC configuration In addition all technology workers wear black polo shirts with green EasyTech emblems to set them apart from other store workers The change was due to the company s new focus on services allowing more customers to be assisted in less time Most stores will still have a main EasyTech who performs most of the more complex tasks Beginning in November 2008 eleven concept stores featuring a broader array of small business technology services were launched which are known within the company as Best Tech stores EasyTechs and sales workers were now referred to as Tech Advisors and Solutions Advisors The concept stores carry many more technology related products such as digital signage small business servers NAS Network Attached Storage and business networking Staples also partnered with an on demand IT service provider with such services as network monitoring advanced network configurations and server setup These concept stores are mainly based in New Hampshire with stores in Nashua Seabrook West Lebanon Dover and Concord Some stores with this new concept also opened in Massachusetts including the Auburn store Other existing stores have been renovated to include Best Tech s services including the Newington Connecticut and Natick store See also edit nbsp Companies portalStationery Staples Canada known as Bureau en Gros in Quebec WincCitations edit Sycamore Partners Completes Acquisition Of Staples Inc Press release Sycamore Partners September 12 2017 Retrieved 2021 05 19 via BusinessWire Staples Store Directory USA stores staples com Retrieved 2023 08 28 About Us Staples staples com Retrieved 2023 08 28 a b America s Largest Private Companies 45 Staples SPLS Forbes Retrieved 24 June 2020 Matt Townsend June 28 2017 Staples sold for 6 9B in bid for turnaround The Seattle Times Martin Douglas May 12 2011 Leo Kahn Trailblazer in Big Box Retailing Dies at 94 The New York Times Retrieved May 22 2011 Shapiro T Rees May 14 2011 Leo Kahn entrepreneur who helped found Staples office supply business dies at 94 The Washington Post Retrieved May 22 2011 Marquard Bryan May 12 2011 Leo Kahn co founder of Staples dies at 94 The Boston Globe Archived from the original on May 15 2011 Retrieved May 22 2011 Supplies and Demand Bulletin Online Harvard Business School December 1 1996 Archived from the original on 10 October 1999 Retrieved January 10 2007 Goodison Donna August 30 2012 Thomas Stemberg preps for Stem winder praising Mitt Romney Boston Herald Archived from the original on January 18 2013 Retrieved August 31 2012 Staples Inc Company History company histories com Retrieved February 5 2016 Staples UK Staples Retrieved 2021 02 06 Antitrust and the Staples Office Depot Merger Legal Times 26 June 1997 Archived from the original on 19 April 2006 Retrieved November 29 2009 FTC Will Seek to Block Staples Office Depot Merger Federal Trade Commission March 10 1997 Retrieved January 10 2007 A case of office block The Economist May 13 1997 Hard Hat Area How It Came Together Los Angeles Times 1999 10 10 ISSN 0458 3035 Retrieved 2018 01 18 Staples to Buy Quill in 685 Million Stock Deal Los Angeles Times 1998 04 08 ISSN 0458 3035 Retrieved 2019 05 29 Nashville charity gets 14K from Staples Nashville Business Journal March 10 2008 Medical Arts Press Now Part of Quill Healthcare Press release Quill March 2 2015 via Business Wire Stop amp Shop Giant Launch Staples Branded School and Home Office Supplies Sections Ahold Archived from the original on 8 April 2005 Retrieved October 3 2006 Tops Markets partners with Staples to make one stop shopping easy Ahold Archived from the original on August 19 2006 Retrieved October 3 2006 Chee Foo Yun 11 June 2008 Staples wins Corporate Express in 2 65 bln deal Reuters com Retrieved 7 June 2018 Staples to shutter 225 stores as sales move online The Boston Globe Associated Press March 6 2014 Archived from the original on March 6 2014 Vincent James 2015 02 04 Staples is buying Office Depot in a 6 3 billion deal The Verge Retrieved 2019 05 29 Staples Agrees to Buy Office Depot for About 6 3 Billion Bloomberg com 4 February 2015 Retrieved February 4 2015 Staples Drops After U S Moves to Challenge Office Depot Deal Bloomberg Retrieved December 7 2015 Kosman Josh 12 January 2016 FTC has no interest in allowing Staples acquisition of Office Depot New York Post Retrieved January 15 2016 Woolhouse Megan January 28 2016 Staples reportedly laying off hundreds but stays mum The Boston Globe Retrieved January 28 2016 Merced Michael J de la Abrams Rachel 2016 05 10 Office Depot and Staples Call Off Merger After Judge Blocks It The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2019 05 29 Kendall Brent FitzGerald Drew 2016 05 11 Federal Judge Blocks Staples Office Depot Merger The Wall Street Journal ISSN 0099 9660 Retrieved 2019 05 29 Hardy Emily Tugby Luke Staples rebranded Office Outlet by HMV owner Hilco Retail Week Retrieved 2019 05 29 Staples brand to disappear from UK High Streets BBC News November 17 2016 Retrieved November 29 2016 Former Staples chain Office Outlet in administration BBC News March 19 2019 Retrieved March 19 2019 Grossman Matt FitzGerald Drew January 11 2021 Staples Seeks to Buy Office Depot Again The Wall Street Journal Retrieved January 12 2021 Fox Matthew January 11 2021 Office Depot jumps 20 after Staples offers to buy the company for 2 1 billion Markets Insider Retrieved January 12 2021 After much mulling Office Depot owner rejects both sale and split Retail Dive Retrieved 2022 12 20 Staples Revamps Marketing to Shed Retail Baggage Makes Ads With No Stores to Be Seen Ad Age 2017 05 03 Retrieved 2019 05 28 a b Ronalds Hannon Eliza Scigliuzzo Davide 2019 04 11 Sycamore Pockets 1 Billion From Deal That Amazed Wall Street Bloomberg News Retrieved 2019 05 29 Demery Paul 2017 08 14 Break up plan for Staples B2B unit stands out Digital Commerce 360 Retrieved 2019 05 29 Staples spinning off retail business Retail Dive Retrieved 2019 05 29 Gelles David Merced Michael J de la 2017 06 28 Staples to Sell for 6 9 Billion and Its New Owner Has an Uphill Battle The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2019 05 29 Staples new logo cuts right to the chase Ad Age 2019 04 03 Retrieved 2019 04 11 Will rebranding deliver the results that Staples needs RetailWire 4 April 2019 Retrieved 2019 05 28 Braithwaite Andy 2019 05 16 Staples unveils new store concept confirms US Retail CEO OPI Retrieved 2019 05 29 subscription required Carman Ashley 2020 02 19 Some Staples stores in Boston are getting podcast studios The Verge Retrieved 2020 04 03 Myser Michael May 18 2006 Marketing Made Easy CNN Archived from the original on June 12 2006 Retrieved July 25 2015 Walker Rob December 17 2006 Ad Play The New York Times Retrieved July 25 2015 Tom Shillue and AD Miles in Staples SnoBot YouTube Ramirez Anthony January 26 1995 A wacky campaign pushes the envelope for abrasive humor The New York Times Retrieved January 18 2009 Perhaps the most daring Staples spot was the back to school commercial broadcast in August Filmed in a Staples store of all places the commercial pulled out the stops in abrasive bravado As the Christmas song It s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year plays in the background an overjoyed father in baggy shorts and loafers dances down the aisles Staples Back to School commercial YouTube Staples Unveils Back to School Commercial Starring Alice Cooper Press release Staples July 8 2004 Archived from the original on 2016 10 03 Retrieved December 3 2015 Alice Cooper Staples commercial YouTube Naples Daily News Naples Daily News Archived from the original on 1 July 2009 Retrieved 7 June 2018 Dutt Rimin October 16 2012 Staples ditches Corporate Express name ARN Retrieved June 19 2013 United Kingdom Staples Press release Staples 9 May 2013 Archived from the original on 9 May 2013 Retrieved 7 June 2018 Cullen Drew March 26 2004 Staples to buy Office World UK The Register London Retrieved July 1 2017 Lisa Benson ed Dec 7 2010 Staples acquires Cincinnati s Miami Systems Cincinnati Business Courier Euan Rocha 6 May 2014 Staples to buy retail focused software firm PNI Digital Reuters Staples to buy PNI Digital for 67 3 million AP May 5 2014 Archived from the original on August 19 2014 ACCC Gives Support Of OfficeMax Sale To Winc Staples Channel News Retrieved February 15 2018 Staples ANZ Rebrands As Winc Scoop News Retrieved February 15 2018 Staples Office Depot Deal Is Dead Twice com 11 May 2016 Retrieved January 22 2019 Howland Daphne June 27 2018 Staples buys business solutions company HiTouch Retail Dive Retrieved July 23 2018 Kendall Brent January 29 2019 FTC Approves Staples Essendant Merger in Split Decision The Wall Street Journal Staples Solutions Announces Agreement to Sell UK Book of Business Press release staples eu Retrieved April 14 2021 Staples Solutions Announces Agreement to Sell Staples Connect Business in Sweden Press release staples eu Retrieved April 14 2021 Staples Solutions Announces Agreement to Sell Netherlands Retail Business staples eu Retrieved April 14 2021 Staples Solutions Signs Agreement to sell Italian French and Spanish business units to RAJA S A Press release staples eu Retrieved April 14 2021 Staples Solutions and Lyreco sign agreement to sell Norwegian Swedish Danish German Austrian and Polish business units Press release staples eu Retrieved April 14 2021 Doorstart Staples bij webshopverzamelaar 123inkt nl RTL Nieuws in Dutch 2023 10 30 Retrieved 2023 12 02 Gogoi Pallavi December 7 2006 Staples Makes Selling Look Easy Bloomberg BusinessWeek Archived from the original on 31 October 2007 Retrieved January 10 2007 EPA Recognizes Largest Ever Corporate Green Power Purchase Press release Environmental Protection Agency 30 April 2007 Archived from the original on 3 May 2009 Environment Staples 5 May 2006 Archived from the original on 4 May 2012 Retrieved 7 June 2018 Forest Ethics Staples Environmental Progress Report Fuels Further Criticism of Office Depot 29 September 2006 Archived from the original on 29 September 2006 Retrieved 7 June 2018 Staples facility unveils solar rooftop The Boston Globe 7 January 2010 Retrieved 7 June 2018 Install solar get a Staples gift card The Boston Globe November 13 2014 Retrieved August 21 2015 Schwartz Ariel January 25 2009 Staples to Reward Customers for Recycling Ink and Toner Cartridges GreenBiz Retrieved March 29 2019 Spotlight Staples Archived from the original on August 5 2009 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Valentino DeVries Jennifer Singer Vine Jeremy Soltani Ashkan December 24 2012 Websites Vary Prices Deals Based on Users Information The Wall Street Journal Retrieved May 26 2017 Hardawar Devindra December 24 2012 Staples Home Depot and other online stores change prices based on your location VentureBeat Retrieved May 26 2017 Shpanya Ari May 13 2014 Online price discrimination a surprising reality in ecommerce econsultancy com Retrieved May 26 2017 Krebs Brian December 19 2014 Staples 6 Month Breach 1 16 Million Cards Krebs on Security Retrieved May 26 2017 Staples may be latest payment systems hacking victim CBS News October 21 2014 Retrieved May 26 2017 Staples Provides Update on Data Security Incident Press release Staples December 19 2014 Archived from the original on January 11 2015 Retrieved May 26 2017 via Business Wire Swamynathan Yashaswini December 19 2014 Staples Security Breach May Have Affected 1 16M Payment Cards Fox Business Archived from the original on 2015 08 19 Retrieved May 26 2017 Clarke Katrina July 14 2015 Wal Mart Canada shuts online photo centre over potential credit card data breach Toronto Star Retrieved May 26 2017 Mathew Jerin July 18 2015 CVS Costco and Walmart Canada shut down online photo services due to suspected hacking attack International Business Times Retrieved May 26 2017 Barr Luke November 30 2023 Cyberattack caused temporary disruption to Staples online ordering ABC News Retrieved December 11 2023 Toulas Bill November 30 2023 Staples confirms cyberattack behind service outages delivery issues Bleeping Computer Retrieved December 11 2023 General and cited references editDalkir S and F Warren Boulton 2003 Market Definition and the Price Effects of Mergers Staples Office Depot 1997 in John E Kwoka and Lawrence J White eds The Antitrust Revolution Economics Competition and Policy 4th edition Oxford University Press External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Staples Inc Official website Historical business data for Staples Inc SEC filings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Staples Inc amp oldid 1195359792, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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