Staples Declares July 15 As The Official Kick-Off To The Back-To-School Shopping Season

Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS), the world's largest office products company and top retail destination for back to school, today announced July 15 as the official start to the 2009 back-to-school shopping season. For the second year, Staples will kick-off the season and provide shoppers with a clear roadmap of where and when to find the best products and deals this season.

Based on more than 20 years of experience in the back-to-school supply industry, Staples analyzes historic trends and shopping patterns to determine the official first day of the season. For 2009, the start of back-to-school shopping arrives a week later than in 2008 primarily because students are starting classes later due to the Labor Day holiday and the large number of weather-related closings the previous school year.

"Staples has the back-to-school products students most want to help them start the school year off right," said Jevin Eagle, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing of Staples, Inc. "Next week's ‘First Bell' marks the start of the back-to-school shopping season and our commitment to helping parents save on the most important items on their student's shopping list, making shopping easy and affordable."

Staples is making it easy for students and parents this season by providing a one-stop shop with a wide selection of products at great prices. Staples' top-10 product list for back to school provides customers a sneak peek at the new styles and latest trends for the season on everything from backpacks and pens to calculators and flash drives. Great value and the option to customize, organize and personalize items for every student's style were key factors in selecting the top picks for Staples' 2009 back-to-school season.

1) Cover It Up – Prevent pen marks and wear-and-tear damage of textbooks with Everyday Edisons Book Jax ($5.99). A book cover invented and designed by two high-school students, it comes with specially designed grommets that protect the spine and corners of the book, and lets you customize with photos, stickers and more. Available in fashionable colors and designs including black, royal blue, pink, orange, polka dot and black swirl. Or enter a new dimension with Jumbo 3-D Book Sox Stretchable Fabric Print Book Cover ($4.99). Available in four wild designs, the free 3-D glasses that come included add fun to endless hours of studying.

2) Carry It All – Carry more than just books without breaking the bank with High Sierra Backpacks ($24.99-$49.99) with multifunctional compartments in a variety of bold colors and designs such as black, dive blue, red, big plaid, amethyst flower collage and shamrock/white. Or go super stylish with Entourage Bags and Totes ($7.49-$19.99) in two flower printed quilted designs.

3) Keep It Together – Get an "A" for organization and style on a budget with Staples Fashion Notebooks ($1.99), available in the widest assortment of designs, and Dickies© Notebooks ($1.99) available in designs that match Dickies© backpacks. Want a notebook that stands tough? Staples ACCEL® Notebooks (1-subject/$1.99, 3-subject/$3.99, 5-subject/$4.99), available in assorted colors, feature a durable poly cover, tear-resistant poly dividers and a super strong coil. Or be "green" this back-to-school season with Staples Eco-Friendly Notebooks ($0.99-$3.99) made from 80 percent bagasse - sugarcane fiber remaining after extraction of juice from the sugarcane. Talk about tree- and wallet-friendly.

4) Have the Write Stuff – Both fun and functional to last through the year, Cadoozles Fun Pencils (10 pack/$2.99; 28 pack/$9.99) feel like a wood-case pencil, but offer the convenience of a mechanical pencil. Staples Mini Xeno Retractable Ball Point Pens ($3.99) get the writing assignment done in a convenient mini version of the standard-size pen.

5) Crunch Those Numbers – For those video-game fanatics out there, enjoy the art of math class while showing appreciation for budgets with the Staples Game Controller Calculator ($3.99). Students will also have fun with the new soft-to-the-touch Staples Foot Calculator ($3.99).

6) Show Some Personality – Stylize any laptop or TI graphing and scientific calculators for less with exclusive and decorative Omnitech Laptop Skins ($7.99) or Staples Calculator Skins (4 pack/$4.99) available in four exciting styles including pink plaid, purple floral, black with guitar player background, and blue skull and cross bones.

7) Stuff It Stylishly – For those students who want extra protection for their laptops, the BUILT Hoodie Laptop Case ($39.99) extends the life of computers by protecting them from nicks and dents when transporting computers to and from school and study groups. Holds and protects 15" laptops, and available in black and micro dot pattern.

8) Stay Connected – Students can surf the web, send emails and write papers without sacrificing their budget. Enjoy wireless connectivity with the Dell Inspiron 15.6" Notebook Computer ($699), pre-loaded with Microsoft Office Home & Student software for added convenience.

9) Add a Touch of Color – Transport files, pictures and more with the Omnitech Color Changing USB Flash Drive ($9.99). With a 2GB storage capacity, the drive changes color through heat transfer. Plug it into a USB port or press it to watch the colors change from blue to purple or red to orange.

10) Brown Bag It in Style – Students can now take their lunch to school in style with an Access Insulated Tote Lunch Kit ($9.99) featuring a thickwall insulated compartment with top carry handle. Need to keep something warm? Access 22 oz. BPA-Free Stainless Steel Bottle ($12.99) is perfect for soups and hot beverages on the go and features a jump sip cap.

Visit http://www.staples.com/btspr for even more news and photos.

About Staples
Staples, the world's largest office products company, is committed to making it easy for customers to buy a wide range of office products, including supplies, technology, furniture, and business services. With 2008 sales of $23 billion and 91,000 associates worldwide, Staples serves businesses of all sizes and consumers in 27 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. In July 2008, Staples acquired Corporate Express, one of the world's leading suppliers of office products to businesses and institutions. Staples invented the office superstore concept in 1986 and is headquartered outside Boston. More information about Staples (Nasdaq: SPLS) is available at www.staples.com.

SOURCE: Staples, Inc.