Staples list prices aren't the deal - the savings come from its rewards program, weekly coupons, recycling rebates, and a price-match policy worth using.
Staples sells office supplies, tech, ink, and furniture in a market where it competes head-to-head with Office Depot, Amazon, and big-box stores. Its everyday prices are middling, but Staples layers on a rewards program, frequent coupons, and a price-match policy that together make it competitive - if you know how to combine them. Paying the shelf price at Staples usually means leaving money on the table.
| What you're buying | Typical price | How Staples compares |
|---|---|---|
| Ink or toner cartridge | $15 - $90 | Most competitive category once you stack rewards and the recycling rebate; compare exact model first. |
| Ream of printer paper | $6 - $12 | Fine on coupon, but bulk paper at warehouse clubs often wins outright. |
| Office chair | $60 - $300 | Frequent weekly-ad sales and coupons make this competitive; watch clearance and open-box. |
| Laptop or monitor | $200 - $900 | Commodity electronics where Amazon or Best Buy frequently undercut full price. |
| Printing / shipping services (per job) | $0.10 - $30+ | A genuine strength versus carrying the work elsewhere; coupons apply to some services. |
| Bulk pens / supplies (multipack) | $5 - $25 | Coupon-driven deals are strong; business-account pricing can beat the consumer site. |
Staples runs a weekly ad with rotating sales and frequently issues coupons (percentage-off, dollar-off, and category-specific) through email and its site. Its free Staples Rewards program returns a percentage of eligible spend as rewards you can redeem later, and it runs recurring ink and toner recycling rebates that hand back store credit each month. Business-account pricing can differ from consumer pricing on bulk and contract items.
Staples also maintains a price-match policy on identical in-stock items from select competitors and its own channels, which is one of its stronger value levers. Online and in-store prices generally align, though clearance and open-box deals are location-specific.
Staples is most competitive on ink and toner (especially with recycling rebates stacked on rewards), on coupon-driven tech and supply deals, and on services like printing and shipping. It's least competitive at full price on commodity electronics and bulk paper, where Amazon, Costco, or warehouse pricing often wins outright.
Because the same printer, monitor, or ink cartridge is sold across many retailers, it pays to compare the exact model before buying - FindPrices can show the item across Staples, Office Depot, and Amazon so you know whether to buy or invoke Staples' price match.
Join Staples Rewards (free) to earn back a percentage of eligible spend and to capture the monthly ink/toner recycling rebate in store credit. Stack a current coupon on a weekly-ad sale item, and use the price-match policy when a qualifying competitor lists an identical item lower. Check the weekly ad before buying, and for bulk or recurring office needs, a business account can unlock better pricing than the consumer site.
FindPrices compares the exact product across retailers while you shop, so you only pay full price when it really is the best price.
Compare Pricing Now - It's FreeYes. Staples matches the price of an identical, in-stock item from select competitors and across its own channels, subject to its current policy terms. Bring or show the lower advertised price to claim it.
They're close competitors with similar pricing and frequent coupons, so it varies by item and week. Compare the specific product, since both run rewards programs and price matching.
Staples Rewards is free and returns a percentage of eligible spend as rewards to redeem on future purchases, plus recurring ink and toner recycling rebates paid back as store credit.
Staples runs a weekly ad year-round, with bigger events around back-to-school, Black Friday, and tax season. Coupons rotate frequently through email and the site.
It can be, especially when you stack a coupon, Staples Rewards, and the ink/toner recycling rebate. Compare the exact cartridge against online sellers first, since some run cheaper.
Staples typically credits a set amount of store rewards per empty cartridge you bring in each month, up to a monthly cap, usually requiring an active rewards account and some recent qualifying spend. It effectively lowers your net cost on the next cartridge.
It can be for bulk and recurring purchases - business and contract accounts may unlock pricing below the consumer site on supplies, ink, and paper. For one-off consumer buys, stacking coupons and rewards is usually enough.
FindPrices does the comparison shopping for you, every time - quietly, automatically, on every product page.